NFL Combine 2015: What to Watch for on Thursday

Things are starting to heat up at the NFL Scouting Combine. As the event kicks off, the bulk of the draft prospects have arrived at Lucas Oil Stadium and begun the battery of tests, interviews and workouts involved in this all-important job interview.

Thursday marks the arrival of the second-to-last group of players. On Tuesday, special teams, offensive line and tight ends reported. Then on Wednesday, the high-profile quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers showed up. And now, the defensive line and linebackers descend on Indianapolis.

You cannot undersell the importance of the events of the combine, and Thursday is arguably the most active and important day of the week for NFL franchises.

Let’s break down this final day of organized chaos before television coverage begins. Here are some highlights of what to watch for.

Last Group In

Nati Harnik/Associated Press

Thursday marks the arrival of the defensive linemen and linebackers, a fascinating group because it includes the most athletic players in the entire draft. Guys such as USC defensive tackle Leonard Williams and defensive end/linebacker Shane Ray highlight a group of players that will light up the screen during drills.

The events of the day for these players will center on registration, preliminary medical checks, orientation and the first round of interviews.

Here’s a quick rundown of some prospects who are going to be under the microscope as the combine gets underway.

Medical Checks

Leonard Williams, DT USC: You can bet this first round of medical checks for the USC star will center on the two torn labrums he played with in 2014. Williams has a chance to cement his status as a top-five pick, but if there’s a nick in his armor, it will be this.

Jordan Phillips, DT Oklahoma: During Phillips’ time at Oklahoma, the massive defensive tackle spent nearly the entire 2013 season out after back surgery. More than that, he never looked fully recovered in 2014. He came off the field at inexplicable times, and you can bet the league is going to check him closely to see if this is a lingering problem.

Interviews

Any hybrid rushers in this draft will be asked the dreaded question about whether they would prefer to play in a 4-3 as a defensive end or as a pass-rushing outside linebacker in a 3-4. How they answer this will lead to a litany of questions about pass coverage and hand technique. All of these guys better be ready.

The same goes for the defensive tackles who will be asked about moving outside to play a defensive end in a 3-4. Defensive players must be multitaskers and no position more so than the 5-technique end. The necessity to slide inside in sub-packages is what makes college defensive tackles so enticing.

Character Concerns

Bleacher Report’s own Matt Miller reported that regional scouts assigned to the University of Nebraska don’t like the notion of defensive end Randy Gregory as being so high on draft boards. They reported some off-field concerns as well as a lack of effort and work ethic.

You can bet those teams picking at the top of the round are going to want more information from Gregory about this. They will probably even ask his teammates.

Bench Press

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

One of the real highlights, at least for me, of the television coverage is the bench press. It is the most primal, guttural and visceral of any event all week. Say what you like about guys going to speed camps and the like for their drills, the bench press is something else altogether.

And part of the reason the bench press is so great is because of the man who runs the event. If you don’t know who former Arizona Cardinals strength coach John Lott is, you are really missing out. Lott has been the man responsible for pushing for an extra rep or two out of draft prospects for 18 of the past 19 seasons.

On Thursday, the players will put on a show as the offensive linemen crawl under that bar and hammer out as many reps at 225 pounds as they possibly can. The current record for reps is 49 by Chicago Bears defensive tackle Stephen Paea.

There’s been no chatter about any sleeper offensive lineman coming in and breaking Paea’s record, but anything is possible. The best bench-press performers are typically the big defensive tackles, and offensive linemen fall a bit short. That 's because they typically have much longer arms.

Simple exercise physiology tells you the further that bar has to travel, the fewer reps a player can do. A barrel-chested defensive tackle with stubby arms will out-rep a long, lean 300-pound tackle with arms like an NBA power forward.

All Ears on the Quarterbacks

Associated Press

A real highlight of Thursday is going to be Florida State’s Jameis Winston and Oregon’s Marcus Mariota answering questions. This race to the top for these two young quarterbacks is fascinating, but both come with some legitimate concerns.

For Winston, the obvious questions will be centered on his character. Teams might not be so bold as to come right out and ask about any specific incidents; however, that doesn’t preclude them from finding information. Interviewers are savvy and will be able to dig into Winston’s state of mind as far as responsibility and boundaries go.

On the other side we have Mariota. Obviously, there are no off-field incidents for teams to scrutinize regarding the Oregon star. So, what will teams focus on? The goal is to get in his head and figure out just what kind of football acumen he possesses.

Mariota told the Associated Press (via ESPN), "You are interviewing and trying to market yourself to get a job. ... That's what's fun about this process."

No one is saying he lacks the ability to make important decisions. In fact, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

However, teams will want to know how deep Mariota’s football knowledge runs. It is easy to see his athleticism and production on film. But, teams that are considering him need to pick his brain in order to determine how much of that Oregon offense he can bring to their playbook and what kind of responsibility he can handle out of the gate.

Time to Get Measured

Victor Calzada/Associated Press

Perhaps the area of Thursday's events that will be the most talked about will be the quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers going in for official measurements. And when I say measurements, I’m not kidding. Height, weight, arm length and hand size are the stars of this show.

Which players among these positions have the most to gain or lose based on their physical measurements? Here’s a quick list.

Jamison Crowder, WR Duke

Crowder has generated significant buzz this draft season due to his steady hands and explosive ability to beat defenses once he has the football. However, he is listed at a wee 5’9” and 175 pounds. The best Crowder can hope for is to come in no shorter or lighter than he is listed. Unfortunately, if he is smaller, it will be hard to justify a second-round pick for him.

Marcus Mariota, QB Oregon

Oh, here we go again. Somewhere out there, someone decided to start speculating that Mariota might have…wait for it…small hands. This is likely the same crowd from last season who said Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater’s hands were too small.

Nevertheless, if Mariota should check in with hands under nine inches, this would be well outside of the range for top quarterbacks. Hopefully, he added some finger-stretching to his offseason training. 

Devin Funchess, WR Michigan vs. Dorial Green-Beckham, WR Oklahoma

The biggest wide receiver showdown in this draft will be between Funchess and Green-Beckham. Both players are massive physical specimens, even compared to what is a pretty big group of wide receivers at the top.

There is some thought that Funchess, a former tight end, would return to that position with his size. However, don’t be at all surprised if Green-Beckham is taller and heavier than Funchess.

Ameer Abdullah, RB Nebraska

When you put on the tape for Abdullah, you see a back who shies away from contact and doesn’t do a great job in battling for extra yards. Why is that the case? Probably because he is only 5’9” and weighs 195 pounds.

It is ridiculous that Abdullah seems to get a pass for his size, but the 5’9”, 206-pound Duke Johnson gets dinged for being too small for the physical demands of the NFL? How can Johnson's size be a concern but Abdullah's isn’t? Height and weight here will be something to keep an eye on.

More Players to Watch

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Here are a few more players to watch on Thursday at the combine. These are guys who either need to answer for injury concerns in medical checks or off-field drama that has hampered their draft stock.

Todd Gurley, RB Georgia

The Georgia star is going to be very busy Thursday. Most people consider Gurley a first-round option if not for his knee injury. You can best believe the league's medical staff is going to pore over this young man with a fine-toothed comb. A timetable for his return will be a huge factor in his draft stock.

DeAndre Smelter, WR Georgia Tech

Smelter will be at the combine recovering from a knee injury he suffered late in the season. He is a physically imposing guy, but he will get a heavy dose of medical checks just so the league understands exactly where he is with his recovery. Smelter could be the next great Georgia Tech wide receiver in the league, but he will need time to get back to full health.

Karlos Williams, RB Florida State

There’s a real possibility Williams ends up with the best value in the entire draft at running back. Obviously, drafting a player like him means you assume some risk as it pertains to his off-field activities. Teams are probably hoping they can get the information they need to determine if it is worth taking a shot on him.

Information about the prospects and the events for the week courtesy of NFL.com.