NFL Combine 2016: Weekend Schedule and Intriguing Prospects to Watch
Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis once again plays host to the NFL Scouting Combine, where every team and the attention of the globe descends upon a hand-picked batch of prospects who will define the 2016 class.
While pumped up as an end-all, be-all guide to the class, NFL scouts merely like to get an up-close look at prospects after watching hours and hours of film on each player. What's more interesting in most cases is what goes on behind the scenes in medical examinations and interviews.
"Intriguing" would be the right way to describe the class, though. There isn't a clear-cut top quarterback, nor are there any surefire future pro stars who have yet to make themselves known.
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Much can change over the course of the next few days in that regard. Here's a look at the schedule.
Workout Schedule
| Friday, Feb. 26 | 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. | RB, OL, ST |
| Saturday, Feb. 27 | 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. | QB, WR, TE |
| Sunday, Feb. 28 | 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. | DL, LB |
| Monday, Feb. 29 | 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. | DB |
Drills Schedule
| 9 a.m. | 1 | 40-Yard Dash |
| 10 a.m. | 1 | Positional Skill Drills |
| 11 a.m. | 1 | Vertical Leap and Broad Jump |
| 12 p.m. | 1 | Three-Cone and Shuttle Drills |
| 1 p.m. | 2 | 40-Yard Dash |
| 2 p.m. | 2 | Positional Skill Drills |
| 3 p.m. | 2 | Vertical Leap and Broad Jump |
| 4 p.m. | 2 | Three-Cone and Shuttle Drills |
Intriguing Prospects to Watch
Braxton Miller, WR, Ohio State
How's this for intriguing? Braxton Miller went from two-time Big Ten MVP to a third-string quarterback with the Ohio State Buckeyes before making the switch to wide receiver.
The above speaks to both the incredible depth of the Buckeyes, who have one of the highest attendance counts this weekend, as well as Miller's sheer ability to play football. As a receiver this past season, Miller caught 26 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns and ran another 42 times for 260 yards and a score.
Still, Miller has a long way to go before he makes the official transition in the pros. He stands at 6'1" and 201 pounds, but the intangibles of an unfamiliar position pop up on tape often.
Not that Miller isn't confident in his abilities. ESPN's Coley Harvey caught up with Miller at combine interviews:
Miller seems to have blinding speed and a good frame, which goes well with his continued practice at the new spot. The right attitude certainly cannot hurt, although he'll have to blow the top off the building, at least presumably, to enter the first-round conversation.
It's a scenario that makes Miller perhaps the most interesting man in attendance this week and through the weekend.
Kevin Dodd, DE, Clemson
Kevin Dodd isn't a household name because when it comes to Clemson defenders, Shaq Lawson stole most of the headlines.
Now is the time for Dodd to put the conversation right on him.
Dodd didn't see a ton of snaps in college, which makes him more of a high-upside prospect than a proven guy who can come in and make a difference right away. But coming in at 6'5" and 275 pounds with good speed off the snap and an array of moves to flaunt while working to the quarterback will keep Dodd in the conversation all weekend.
As NFL.com's Lance Zierlein pointed out, Dodd finished the season on a hot streak and flashes what the league wants to see on film:
"The arrow is pointed up for Dodd who finished the season with a streak of five consecutive games with a sack. Dodd already looks the part of an NFL defensive end and his desire to make plays coupled with his physical traits and talent should have him shooting up draft boards. His lack of college snaps could preclude him from being "pro ready", but his instincts and football intelligence should expedite the learning process.
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It will be interesting to see how Dodd shakes out in a class simply loaded with guys who can get to the quarterback. The friendly rivalry with Lawson makes for a good story, but Dodd also has to worry about the likes of Joey Bosa, DeForest Buckner, Darron Lee and many others.
Dodd has a chance to prove he wasn't a one-year wonder who ran wild on iffy competition, but a guy with high upside who can come in as a three-down player and make a difference.
As a guy with little in the way of film compared to most, the combine is more important for him than most.
Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
The hype around North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz continued to grow going into the combine, supplanting California's Jared Goff and Memphis' Paxton Lynch in the conversation.
Those guys will try to take it back, though, so the small-school product has to come with a game scouts won't be able to look away from.
Wentz didn't exactly blow away the globe by dicing up the competition his school faced, but level of competition isn't exactly the best indicator of pro success—ask Joe Flacco.
Level of competition or not, Wentz looks the part at 6'5" and 237 pounds and on film looks like he can make most of the pro throws. Some, headlined by NFL Network's Mike Mayock, as captured by CollegeFootball 24/7, have gone to odd lengths to hype him already:
Now hyped to almost unreasonable levels, Wentz will have to prove to the globe it's justified, which means interviewing well, running respectable numbers in drills and hitting all the throws the coaches in attendance ask him to execute.
Not an easy task, especially for a small-school prospect shoved into the spotlight. Should he live up to the hype, though, the idea that this class lacks a surefire top quarterback goes out the window in a hurry.
Wentz takes the stage this weekend with heavier expectations and career-long implications than most.
Stats courtesy of NFL.com and are accurate as of Thursday. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.
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