NFL Combine 2012: 5 Players Who Need a Strong Performance

With the NFL’s Scouting Combine set to commence on Wednesday, several players will look to do anything they can to impress all 32 teams.

Results on the field are how a player should be judged, but the combine is important for various reasons. The interview process is an important element, as teams can use this to choose  players or eliminate them.

Fans and media are attracted most to the 40-yard dash. This drill is perhaps one of the more overrated of the entire combine. For wide receivers, defensive backs and running backs, the 40-yard dash carries more significance.

Drills such as the three-cone are more important, overall.

The three-cone measures a player’s suddenness, change-of-direction, and agility. It is a good test for lineman because it shows their athletic ability within a tighter space.

Besides, when do offensive or defensive linemen need to run a 40-yard dash during a game? 

Dre' Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

With the NFL full of wide receivers standing 6’3” or taller, a cornerback with Kirkpatrick’s size (6’3”) figures to be a hot commodity.

But, like Jenkins, Kirkpatrick has had issues off the field. Namely a drug possession charge that was later dropped. Before teams spend a first-round pick on Kirkpatrick, they need to be assured this was an isolated incident rather than a pattern.

Many in the draft process believe Kirkpatrick would be better off at safety. Performing well in all of the drills will help alleviate some of those concerns and help Kirkpatrick be selected in the first round. 

Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama

No player has seen his stock fluctuate more than Jenkins. He had a tremendous opportunity at the Senior Bowl to stand out, but was inconsistent.

The combine will be important for Jenkins in all phases. Once seen as a surefire first-round pick, Jenkins was dismissed from Florida for several off-field incidents.

Can he assure teams he has matured in the past year?

Is he still the same player he was at Florida?

There are many questions surrounding Jenkins, so he needs to perform every drill at the Combine, otherwise teams will question if he has something to hide. 

Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

Unfortunately for Tannehill, he was injured just after Texas A&M’s season ended. Tannehill was preparing for the draft and broke his foot.

While he will not be able to perform any of the drills at the combine, he will be heavily scrutinized throughout the interview process.

Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III are both going to be selected within the first three picks. The debate about who will be the next quarterback taken is where Tannehill fits in.

Tannehill has outstanding size, arm strength, and athletic ability.

Recruited as a quarterback, Tannehill volunteered to be a wide receiver just to get on the field.

After his sophomore season, Tannehill moved back to quarterback. It would have been interesting to see how good he could have been had he been playing quarterback his entire career.

The interview process is an important one for Tannehill. Teams will want to see his football IQ and determine how long it would take to get him on the field. 

Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

Perhaps no player in the draft is creating as much of a debate as Jeffery.

There are concerns about his size, as photos before Jeffery’s 2011 season circulated and he looked more like a blocking tight end, than a wide receiver.

Despite his outstanding size, Jeffery was often inconsistent in beating press man coverage in the SEC. However, he showed impressive ball skills and tremendous hands.

It would have been interesting to see Jeffery at South Carolina if he had solid quarterback play.

His overall numbers suffered because there was no consistency at the quarterback position.

At 6’4” and 230 lbs., Jeffery will need to run well. Some teams have low expectations for Jeffery, so his 40-yard dash time could be the difference in him being a first-round selection or not. 

Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

Blackmon is the best receiver the in the draft, but many will be paying attention to his 40 time. At 6’1” and 215 lbs., Blackmon possesses good size, outstanding leaping ability, and strong hands.

With the NFL now being a passing league, teams want big-play wide receivers.

Blackmon was a big-play receiver at Oklahoma State, but the NFL will want to see if Blackmon can stretch the field vertically. Teams in the top 10 considering Blackmon would be thrilled if he ran a 4.5 40-yard dash or below.

Look for Blackmon to have a strong combine. With his outstanding athletic ability and a stellar college career, Blackmon’s stock should remain steady, thus ensuring a top-five selection in the upcoming draft.