NFL Combine 2012 Schedule: A Viewing Guide for Draft's Top Prospects

The 2012 NFL scouting combine has gotten rolling, as hundreds of collegiate athletes, NFL scouts and coaches and reporters from all over the nation gather in Indianapolis for weigh-ins, workouts and Wonderlics.

Among those players will be both the best and brightest that college football had to offer last year and some lesser-known players looking to make a big impression, so here for your perusal is a quick and handy guide to who is doing what and when and why you should watch.

Dwayne Allen and the Tight Ends and Offensive Linemen

When: Saturday, Feb. 25

The combine's workouts kick off on Saturday, as the men in the trenches on the offensive side of the ball get put under the microscope when the offensive linemen and tight ends take the field.

In the case of 346-pound guard Cordy Glenn of Georgia, they'd better make sure it's one big microscope.

Among the offensive linemen, elite players such as USC tackle Matt Kalil and Glenn will be showcasing their talents, while Wisconsin center Peter Konz will be trying to convince scouts that he's fully healthy and merits first-round consideration.

The top of the tight end rankings are very fluid right now, with Stanford's Coby Fleener, Orson Charles of Georgia and Dwayne Allen of Clemson all laying claim to the top spot on some draftniks' lists.

Their respective performances at the combine may go a long way towards clarifying that pecking order.

What to Watch: The speed and agility drills will be more important for the tight ends, as will be how they perform in position drills, but the story along the offensive line is all about brawn, so who pumps the most iron in the bench press will probably rule the day.

Andrew Luck and the Quarterbacks

WHEN: Sunday, Feb. 26

While combine workouts get underway on Saturday, it's Sunday's drills that will likely draw the most media attention as the offensive skill players take the field.

However, the most heralded arms in this year's draft class may get left in their proverbial holsters, as Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin of Baylor reportedly may elect not to throw.

With Ryan Tannehill of Texas A&M also not working out because of a foot injury, the door has been opened for some other prospects, such as Nick Foles of Arizona or Brock Osweiler of Arizona State, to challenge to be the third quarterback off the board by posting a solid showing at the combine.

What to Watch: It's nice to see signal-callers display some mobility with respectable times in the 40-yard dash and agility drills, but you can't test the true mettle of a player's throwing ability until he has the rock in his hands, so the throwing drills will be in the spotlight here.

Trent Richardson and the Running Backs

When: Sunday, Feb. 26

As the quarterbacks are slinging the ball around, college football's finest bellcows will be doing what they do best as the running backs are worked out by scouts and coaches.

For Alabama's Trent Richardson, who is the consensus top player at the position this season, a strong showing in Indianapolis would have kept the Adrian Peterson comparisons coming and solidified his status as a top-15 pick, but a recent knee scope that will reportedly sideline Richardson at the combine has postponed that until Alabama's pro day next month at least.

Washington's Chris Polk also has plenty to prove this week at the combine, as the 5'10", 224-pound bowling ball is trying to bump himself back into first-round consideration after a so-so Senior Bowl and amid reports that he's out shape.

The NFL draft stock of Boise State's Doug Martin is headed in the opposite direction, however, and if Martin can follow up his strong showing in Mobile with a good combine, it's possible that Martin could sneak his way into the back of the draft's first round.

What to Watch: What not to watch? Every drill has some relevance to running backs, whether it's speed (the 40-yard dash), power (the bench press) or agility (the shuttle and cone drills).

Get your popcorn ready!

Justin Blackmon and the Wide Receivers

When: Sunday, Feb. 26

Well, since college football's best quarterbacks will be working out Sunday, there might as well be some folks out there catching passes, too, so the nation's top wide receivers will also be taking the field.

Justin Blackmon of Oklahoma State is widely thought of as the top wideout in this year's class after winning two Biletnikoff Awards as college football's top receiver, but Blackmon apparently won't be running in Indianapolis, and his grip on the top spot could loosen should some of the other top receivers perform well.

South Carolina's Alshon Jeffery may have more to prove than any other player at his position at the combine, as the 6'4", 229-pound senior's draft stock has been all over the place amid rumors that he may or may not be in the best of shape.

The combine will also allow some small-school stars a chance to shine, and receivers such as Brian Quick of Appalachian State will have the opportunity to boost their stock by impressing coaches and scouts with their skills.

What to Watch: Although agility (the cone and shuttle drills), leaping ability (vertical jump) and hands are of course important traits for wide receivers, the most attention will certainly focus on the "dash for cash," as speedsters such as Baylor's Kendall Wright line up to run the 40-yard dash.

Quinton Coples and the Defensive Linemen and Linebackers

When: Monday, Feb. 27

The defensive side of the ball takes center stage on Monday, when the front seven is the focus, as the defensive linemen and linebackers don their suits of (Under) Armour and take the practice field.

On the defensive front, Quinton Coples of North Carolina will be trying to follow up a strong Senior Bowl outing with the sort of combine that will get the 6'6", 285-pound senior drafted in the top 10 overall, while prospects such as Melvin Ingram of South Carolina and USC's Nick Perry will be attempting to show the sort of versatility that will appeal to 4-3 and 3-4 squads alike.

Meanwhile, the NCAA's leading tackler from last year, Boston College middle linebacker Luke Kuechly, will be trying to demonstrate that he's a more athletic than he's sometimes given credit for.

Also, be sure to keep an eye on North Carolina's Zach Brown, as the 232-pound outside linebacker is reportedly set to run the 40-yard dash in a time that will open some eyes in Indy.

What to Watch: That sort of speed is certainly an asset in a linebacker, as the agility that will be put on display during the cone and shuttle drills, while the power that they will also be asked to demonstrate in the bench press is of utmost importance when discussing the big uglies along the defensive line.

However, the "tweener" players such as Perry and Ingram need to walk a fine line, as running too slow a 40-yard dash could get them pigeonholed as a defensive end, while too few reps on the bench could get them labeled as outside linebackers.

Morris Claiborne and the Defensive Backs

When: Tuesday, Feb. 28

Workouts wrap up at the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday, as the country's top defensive backs jump through hoops before the circus packs up and leaves town.

For cornerback Morris Claiborne, the 2011 Thorpe Award winner and top draft prospect at his position, the combine will be a chance for the 6'0", 185-pound junior to nudge his stock into the top-five overall selections, while other players such as Janoris Jenkins of North Alabama try to show that they are also worth a look in the first round.

Top safety prospect Mark Barron of Alabama is on the shelf after undergoing hernia surgery, which opens the door in Indianapolis for players such as Notre Dame's Harrison Smith and George Iloka of Boise State to improve their stock at his expense and perhaps throw their names into the hat where the first safety selected in April's draft is concerned.

The combine will also feature no shortage of small-school standouts that will be looking to make a good impression, so look for the buzz around the likes of cornerback Trumaine Johnson of Montana and McNeese State safety Janzen Jackson to grow after they put on a show at Lucas Oil Stadium.

What to Watch: In the defensive backfield, you need to be able to run like a deer, stop on a dime and leap like a frog, so the 40-yard dash, agility drills and vertical jump will be the story of the combine's last day.