NFL Combine 2012: 5 Players Who Will Improve Their Stock

The NFL Scouting Combine will measure every pro prospect to the fullest extent. 

A good showing here could be the difference in millions of dollars and guaranteed contracts.

Prospects have a variety of reasons to participate in this event. 

Some are here to prove their physical dominance, while others are here to dispel injury concerns—however, no matter the reason, the results will prove how each player stacks up to their competition.

Here is a look at five players that should improve their stock after these workouts.

Fletcher Cox, DT/DE, Mississippi State

Depending on which NFL team you follow, this might be a name you’ve heard before.

Listed at 6’4”, 295lbs, the former Bulldog is already expected to be a mid-to-late first-round selection; however, with a good showing at the combine, he could catapult himself all the way into the top 10.

He’s that talented.

Cox was named to the All-SEC first team as a third-year junior and totaled 56 tackles along with his five sacks.

What makes him such an intriguing prospect is his versatility along the defensive line. 

Skill set-wise, think of him as a Cullen Jenkins-type player—someone who is incredibly strong, yet nimble enough to get away from blocks and apply consistent pressure on the quarterback.

In a 4-3 scheme, Cox has the ability to attack the gaps and collapse the pocket.  His versatility allows him to switch to the end position on passing downs, where he has proven to be extremely quick off the snap, but lacks the ideal flexibility when turning corners.  His arsenal of pass-rush moves includes, but is not limited to the bull rush.

In a 3-4, he is strong and stout enough to contain running backs in the backfield.  He might struggle against double-teams since he lacks width and thickness in his lower body; however, he has quick hands that allow him to create separation from blockers and is able to find ballcarriers with repeated success.

As of right now, Cox is best suited for the tackle position, as he relies heavily on power moves; however, if he were able to show fluidity and flexibility in his hips at the combine, he could see himself get drafted as high as No. 9 by the Carolina Panthers.  He should fall no further than 28^th to the Green Bay Packers.

Brock Osweiler, QB, Arizona State

Out of high school, Osweiler was offered a scholarship to play basketball at Gonzaga. 

But at 6’8”, 240lbs, he has the body for your prototypical quarterback.

Even at his height, Osweiler is extremely athletic and nimble.  He has huge hands that protect the ball and has a natural feel for the pocket around him.

In only 15 games as a starter, the former Sun Devil has displayed a knack for accuracy, touch and placement. Combined with his ability to drive the ball deep, Osweiler is an intriguing prospect for a draft that is only top-heavy at quarterback.

He delivers the ball with a side-arm motion that somehow avoids the arms of defensive linemen, probably because of his sheer size. 

His ability to see over the defenses in pre-snap situations gives him an immediate advantage.

When under duress, he remains poised in the pocket and isn’t afraid to sacrifice his body when delivering a pass.

Things that he can’t change at the moment are his relative lack of starting experience and the fact that he’s accustomed to taking snaps out of the shotgun.

At the combine, he can disprove the thought that he lacks straight-line speed.

Expect him to be taken as a top second-round selection by one of the teams that misses out on Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.

Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford

You wouldn’t expect a 6’6”, 244-pound tight end to have his game built around speed, but that’s exactly what Fleener is predicated on.  Fleener’s ability to get downfield in a hurry adds to his fluidity as a route-runner and proves why he is part of the new hybrid tight end breed.

His leaping ability and agility help negate some of his deficiencies in protection and make him a legitimate threat up the seams.

Fleener posses a good frame and balance—which aid him when as he protects the ball over the middle of the field.

His height and strength allow him to catch the ball outside of his frame in jump-ball situations. 

After injuring his ankle in the Fiesta Bowl, Fleener will not be participating in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine but will take part in the bench press.

By making an impression with the bar, Fleener could find himself going to the Baltimore Ravens or New York Giants at the end of the first round.

Ladarius Green, TE, Louisiana-Lafayette

Similar to Fleener, Ladarius Green is a tall, athletic tight end and will command at least a second-round selection.

At 6’6”, 238 lbs, the NFL Combine will put him on full display and make him more known than the college he attended.

Green is noted for being very fluid in his releases and is able to separate himself from press coverage.  His length and quick steps allow him to get open on short intermediate routes as well as down the field on seams.  Combined with great hand strength, Green rarely drops balls that he gets his hands on.

In the open field, he sheds tackles from smaller defenders, yet is nimble enough to freeze safeties with subtle shoulder fakes.

As a blocker, he uses his long arms to keep linebackers from coming off the edge and has a distinct advantage over Fleener in this area.

After all is said and done, I wouldn’t be surprised to see both tight ends end up as first-round selections.

Vontaze Burfict

At 6’3”, 250 lbs, Vontaze Burfict embodies the Ray Lewis mold of strength and intimidation.

While he flows with first-round potential, his immaturity and work ethic have dropped him all the way down to the third round of some mock drafts.

After being a consensus All-American pick as a sophomore, Burfict failed to receive an all-conference selection the following year. 

No one has more to prove at this year’s combine than he does.

NFL Network draft analyst, Mike Mayock has already said that “his instincts aren't good” and that "he gets enveloped by bigger bodies and he runs around blocks. For a big, strong guy, he's nowhere near as strong at the point of attack as I thought he'd be.”

Well the combine is where Burfict can prove him wrong.

For a player who is built around the reputation of strength, power and fear, the former Arizona State linebacker better make his number on the bench press count.

As a tackler, Burfict will always go for the knockout hit when the opportunity presents itself—which often results in missed tackles—not good for someone who plays downhill.

Since he lacks the ability to open his hips against slot receivers, he will more than likely be forced to leave the field in nickel situations.

Even with all these odds stacked against him, there is nothing that a good in-person performance can’t fix.

All the game tape and all the rumors can be disproved with a good interview process and workout.