NFL Combine 2012: Combine Failures Who Will Still Excel in NFL

The NFL Combine is built to test a prospect's athleticism. How fast can he run 40 yards? How high can he jump? While those measures certainly help scouts learn specifics about a player, not every draft hopeful is built to succeed in that type of environment.

It's important for teams to look beyond numbers on a page. Game tape from college is always going to be a lot more reliable of a predictor than a stopwatch. A couple teams, most notably the Oakland Raiders, have learned that lesson the hard way.

Here are three players who won't be combine warriors, but will still have successful NFL careers anyway.

Alfonzo Dennard

Dennard doesn't have ideal height and isn't going to run the fastest 40-yard dash among cornerbacks, but the Nebraska star can flat out play. He's extremely physical at the line of scrimmage, which often causes opposing wideouts to mentally check out.

Not only does he defend the pass well, which is more important than ever in today's NFL, but he's a willing contributor when it comes to stopping the run as well. He's the type of hard-nosed player every team could use in the secondary.

Most mock drafts project Dennard to be selected sometime late in Round 1. The combine isn't going to improve that stock, but once he gets onto the field in actual games he will provide top-15 value to his new franchise.

Mohamed Sanu

If you ask 10 different talent evaluators their thoughts on Sanu, you'll likely get 10 unique responses. He's one of the toughest players to project in the class and the combine won't do much to make the picture on him any clearer.

While he doesn't have the breakaway speed of his wideout counterparts, his other skills make him an intriguing prospect nevertheless. Size and strength are his biggest assets, but those don't tend to show up well on the field in Indianapolis.

Just because Sanu isn't going to be an elite downfield threat doesn't mean teams should avoid him in the late first or early second round. The Rutgers starter will be more than willing to do the dirty work over the middle. Every quarterback would love having a receiver like him in his arsenal.

Bernard Pierce

Pierce is one of the draft's biggest sleepers. Unfortunately for him, the skills that are causing him to fly under the radar don't translate well to the combine. He's a powerful workhorse back who has the size to be effective at the next level.

He gained more than 3,500 yards in his career at Temple and scored 27 touchdowns in his final season with the Owls. Those stats were made possible because he was willing to put in the hard work for three quarters to wear down the defense in time for the fourth.

Some savvy team is going to get a steal by selecting Pierce, likely in the third round. He's the perfect example of a player who won't blow anybody away on the practice field, but is a force on game day. The combine doesn't provide stars like him with a chance to shine.