NFL Combine 2015: Underrated Skill Players to Watch in Indianapolis

Over the years, teams have become smarter about the NFL combine. The chances of another Tony Mandarich situation happening again seem remote.

Heading into the 2015 edition, it's not really about which players will work their way into the top five or top 10; the more compelling storylines surround those guys given Day 2 grades or worse. How much more can their stock rise in Indianapolis?

The four players below aren't necessarily considered the best at their positions, but they should parlay strong performances into jumps up draft boards.

Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State

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Finding value at quarterback outside of Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston is hard to do this year. Brett Hundley is perhaps exempt from the group, but beyond Mariota and Winston, you've got a bunch of players who don't exactly jump off the page.

For many of the QBs heading to Indianapolis, the combine is about staking a claim as the fourth-best signal-caller in the draft. At the head of that pack right now looks to be Garrett Grayson.

Grayson is far from the perfect quarterback. He can have trouble reading the field, too often failing to look off his No. 1 option. In terms of mobility, the Colorado State star is somewhat fleet of foot, but he's pretty bad when throwing on the run, as NFL.com's Lance Zierlein noted:

With all of that said, Grayson is an accurate thrower, especially on passes farther downfield. He's also not prone to getting rattled in the pocket. Grayson doesn't rush his throws in the face of a tough pass rush.

It will be hard for Grayson's stock to rise dramatically at the combine, but he could solidify himself as the No. 4 QB and worth a third-round pick.

Jeremy Langford, RB, Michigan State

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Unlike the crop of quarterbacks, this year's running back class has two really, really good players in Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon but also a lot of depth behind them. Teams will be able to find a lot of value on Days 2 and 3.

Jeremy Langford is firmly wedged into that class of good-but-not-great running backs. He's a more physical runner with a deliberate style. Langford won't try to run around many defenders; he'll opt to try to go straight through them.

One of the knocks on the former Michigan State Spartan is that he doesn't break a ton of tackles, and for a running back without exceptional speed, that is a bit of a problem.

But Langford is fast enough to break big runs, and he doesn't need long to get into top gear.

At the very least, Langford could be a third-down option immediately upon his arrival in the NFL and eventually gain a more prominent role in his team's offense. He is a very good pass-blocker, which is somewhat rare among rookie running backs.

At the combine, he might also be able to silence some doubters by posting a surprisingly strong time in the 40-yard dash. Something in the sub-4.40 range would raise eyebrows.

Rashad Greene, WR, Florida State

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Rashad Greene's size (6'0", 180 lbs) is bound to turn NFL teams off. You've got to be pretty special to break through as a wide receiver with a frame like that, and Greene's upside isn't through the roof.

That's not to say that Greene has no NFL potential. He's a fantastic athlete with big-play ability any time he touches the ball. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller made the point in December that Greene will likely be undervalued come draft time:

Back in November, NFL.com collected various scouts' opinions on some of the top stars in college football. Greene was one of the players mentioned with one AFC executive pegging him as a slot receiver but questioning whether Greene will "physically hold up in there," citing his "lack of strength."

Greene's decision to skip out on the Senior Bowl was a bit confusing, considering the questions many teams still have about his ability:

A strong number in the bench press won't necessarily dispel Greene's strength concerns altogether, but it might show that he backs a big punch in his lithe frame.

Breshad Perriman, WR, UCF

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I might be late to the party on this one, considering ESPN's Mel Kiper listed Breshad Perriman as the 15th overall pick in his most recent mock draft. NFL.com's Gil Brandt echoed the same general sentiment toward the UCF wide receiver:

Perriman may not be a great route-runner, but he has the kind of physical tools that could give him a leg up on the competition. If he can just smooth out some of the edges in his game, he could be a Pro Bowl-caliber player.

Perriman also has a built-in advantage that few others have this year in that his father, Brett Perriman, was a former NFL wideout.

"I gave him the pros and cons from me having a background and told him what was said about him," Brett Perriman said about his son's decision to enter the NFL draft, per Shannon Owens-Green of the Orlando Sentinel. "I said here's the pros, here's the cons, you have to weigh your decision on what you want to do. I'm not gonna tell you to do something because it's got to be your decision."

Breshad Perriman appears to have made the right decision, and he can use the combine to show that his recent move up draft boards isn't without reason.

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