NFL Draft 2012: Predicting Every Scouting Combine Drill Champion

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The NFL's annual meat market is just a few weeks away, which means non-stop coverage of every top NFL prospect performing track and field drills, which may or may not help serve as any kind of indication as to what kind of football players these guys are going to be. 

However, these drills are not totally useless. They are best used as a way to back up what you see on tape; for example, if you like a receiver because of how fast he looks on tape, but he runs a 4.6, it will certainly draw a red flag. If you like a pass-rusher, but he fails miserable in the vertical jump, you should probably go back and see if you evaluated him correctly. 

But as soon as you start drafting players based more on track and field numbers than how they perform on tape, you will eventually end up with a team that, well, is better at track and field than playing football. 

Here are projections for who will be the king of all of the most popular drills at this year's combine. 

40-Yard Dash: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

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The most popular and most over-hyped drill in American sports never seems to lose its allure, especially once Rich Eisen takes his turn on the track. 

Drawing comparisons to the Steelers' Mike Wallace for his game-breaking speed, Wright plays like he has 4.3 speed. 

With more time to concentrate on his technique that is specific to running for 40 yards, I expect Wright to run in the low 4.3s, which is good enough to be the fastest of any draft class that does not include Chris Johnson. 

Bench Press: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

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Of all of the drills at the combine, the bench press is probably the most useless. At least the 40-yard dash and vertical jump measure speed and explosion; the bench press just shows how many times someone can lift 225 pounds off their chest. 

For comparison, let's take two defensive tackles, Stephen Paea and Gerald McCoy. McCoy put up just 23 reps, while Paea broke the record with 49 reps. McCoy was taken third overall, and Paea was taken 53rd overall. 

Either way, my money is on Devon Still of Penn State. He still plays with a lot of power and is a load in the run game, so one would imagine that the man can pump some serious iron in the weight room. 

Vertical Leap: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

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This is actually one of the more useful drills at the combine, as it can be used for just about every position. The vertical jump is designed to measure explosion, and for receivers, it can also measure catch radius. 

Justin Blackmon's greatest strength is using his big frame and long arms to catch jump balls. He is also very explosive off the line in creating separation, which is why I believe he is among the favorites to win the vertical leap crown. 

Broad Jump: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

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The broad jump is very similar to the vertical jump, but it has more of an emphasis on lower-body power and explosion. 

Receivers and cornerbacks usually put up the best numbers simply because they weigh less, but it is actually more useful in evaluating lineman and linebackers, as explosion and lower-body strength is vital in the ability to anchor and use leverage. 

For this reason, I see no reason why Blackmon should not have even more success in this drill. He has plenty of lower-body strength, which is evidenced by his explosion off the line and in press coverage. 

3 Cone Drill: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

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The three cone drill is used to evaluate a player's ability to change directions while moving at high speeds. This drill is especially vital for defensive backs, who need to be able to change directions quickly and flip their hips in order to keep up with receivers. 

This year's consensus top corner, Morris Claiborne, should stand out in this drill. He is extremely fluid in his movements and does not waste energy in unnecessary movements. He also possesses a great first step when changing direction that should put him well above the competition in this drill. 

Shuttle Run: David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech

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David Wilson does a lot of things well, most notably his speed, explosion and change of direction. In the shuttle run, he will be able to showcase all of these strengths. 

Wilson has the explosive step to get to top speed in a hurry. Once he reaches that top-end speed, he can outrun defensive backs. In tight quarters, he shows great ability to change direction, which is crucial in getting a top time in this drill. 

Like most drills, cornerbacks and wide receivers tend to put up the best times, but David Wilson has the skill set to buck that trend and put a running back on top of the list. 

Wonderlic: Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State

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Moore takes a lot of heat for his weak arm, and rightfully so. But there is no denying that he has leaned on his incredible anticipation skills and football acumen in order to be as successful as he was at Boise State, and he will have to lean on his brain once again if he wants to get drafted. 

Quarterbacks usually dominate the Wonderlic test, and I anticipate it will be either Moore or Andrew Luck to claim the top score. 

The difference is, Luck could get a zero and still go first overall, while Moore could get a perfect score and go undrafted.