2012 NFL Scouting Combine: Where Robert Griffin, Top Prospects Need to Improve

As we get closer to the 2012 NFL Draft, we must first watch the scouting combine that will take place later in February to further examine the prospects.

That being said, no matter how great a player is slated to be, there's always room for improvement, and their flaws will be exposed at the combine. So, here are some of this draft's top prospects and where they each need to improve.

Robert Griffin III, QB

The 2011 Heisman Trophy winner, Baylor's Robert Griffin accounted for almost 5,000 total yards and scored 47 total touchdowns. He never threw more than eight interceptions in one college season and finished his Heisman campaign with a 72.4 completion percentage.

Griffin has a strong arm, quick release, knows when to buy time and scramble and sees the field quite well. In the NFL, however, he will be asked to take a lot more snaps from under center, something he didn't do that much of in college.

At the combine, watch for how Griffin sets himself up to make a throw. Being that he spent a lot of time in shotgun, he didn't have to take many three, five or seven-step drops while reading a defense and moving through his progressions.

It's arguably the most difficult thing for a quarterback to do, and lacking in that area will be spotted. So, as long as Griffin learns to use his entire body when releasing a pass, for as strong as his arm is now, he can take it to another level.

Watch any ball thrown by guys like Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, and what you'll see is both quarterbacks are making the throw possible by properly setting up their feet before every release.

Morris Claiborne, CB

Whether it's in zone or man coverage, a complete cover corner in the NFL will be able to change directions on a dime while remaining at full speed.

LSU's Morris Claiborne does this well as evidenced by his 11 picks between the past two seasons, not to mention that he returned them for a total of 274 yards. Having those kind of ball skills are what make good players great, because if football games are decided by one thing, it's often whoever wins the field position battle.

As for Claiborne, he does practically everything well. However, he can sometimes begin his backpedal upright. In turn, this will allow any receiver to beat him on a double move or deep curl route as that restricts him from having a low center of gravity.

And if there's one thing that allows a corner to constantly change direction at a moment's notice, it's having a low center of gravity.

Claiborne simply needs to prove he can maintain that every snap, because the bigger, faster and stronger NFL receivers will exploit that each time. Stud corners such as Darrelle Revis rarely get beat because their consistent body control while remaining quick allows for constant blanket coverage.

Justin Blackmon, WR

The nation's top receiver who gained over 3,000 yards and scored 38 receiving touchdowns between 2010 and 2011, Justin Blackmon was arguably the most explosive player last season.

His game is anywhere on the field, because Blackmon has the rare ability to stretch a defense vertically and widen them horizontally. However, it's his strength that goes underrated as he's made so many big plays downfield the past two years.

The only real concern with Blackmon, though, is right at the snap or right after he makes the catch. He doesn't have blazing speed or acceleration, so he utilizes power to beat single and double coverage.

At the professional level, though, he won't be facing weak pass defenses every week like he did in the Big 12 (the best was Texas, ranked No. 47). Therefore, improving on his jump off the line and after making a catch will be the difference between a normal catch, first down and touchdown.

Explosive receivers like Hakeem Nicks and Larry Fitzgerald get awesome yards after the catch from their quickness off the snap and after a reception.

John Rozum on Twitter.