The 10 Most Intriguing Players to Watch at the NFL Combine

The NFL Draft Combine started position-specific workouts Friday, and there is a ton of intrigue surrounding many of this year’s prospects.

Some players came into this week as sure first-rounders, but lackluster performances could cause their stocks to slip. Likewise, some enter workouts with a need to prove they are undervalued and could shoot up draft boards with strong performances.

So let’s take a look at some of the most intriguing prospects in Indianapolis this weekend.

Intriguing players are those who have the most to gain and the most to lose from their performances at the combine. A prospect with first-round talent who also has off-field concerns definitely qualifies, as does a late-round projection who could move up boards by putting up great numbers in individual drills.

Near the top of this list are players projected to go in the first round with one or two major questions lingering around them. What they do this weekend will help determine how high, or low, each one goes.

Here are the top 10 most intriguing players at the combine as well as some honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions

Sue Ogrocki/Associated Press

Eric Striker celebrates after a sack of Texas Tech's Patrick Mahomes.

Before we get into the top 10, here are some players who just missed the cut. The storylines around them aren’t quite interesting enough to merit a spot in the top 10, but they are still players everyone should be aware of this weekend.

Josh Doctson

TCU wide receiver Josh Doctson proved to be one of the best red-zone threats in the country in 2015 before a wrist injury ended his season. There may not be a player in this draft who attacks the ball at its highest point as well as he does.

He finished 2015 with 79 catches for 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns despite missing most of the last four games with that injury.

His consistency at the college level likely makes him a pretty safe pick, which keeps him from being much higher on this list. There will be concerns over how his wrist has healed and whether or not he has top-level speed. A good showing in the 40-yard dash would help him immensely.

Karl Joseph

West Virginia’s defense lost its best player when safety Karl Joseph went down with an ACL injury in early October.

Joseph was a contender for Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year before the injury. He had five interceptions by the first week of October. He reads plays well and makes big hits, helping him bring players down in the backfield.

Teams will want to see how well he is recovering from his injury and whether or not he will be the player he was before. It will be interesting to see how scouts evaluate him given his slightly undersized frame as well.

Eric Striker

Oklahoma’s Eric Striker terrorized opposing quarterbacks the last three seasons. He racked up 22.5 sacks at Oklahoma from 2013 to 2015. 

The problem for Striker is his size. NFL.com lists him at 5’11”, shorter than what teams want in a defensive end or a linebacker. Against bigger offensive linemen and tight ends in the NFL, that will be a major disadvantage.

Striker will need to perform well in the bench press and prove he has the strength to go against bigger opponents despite his size. The intrigue for him is whether his production and work ethic will trump teams’ concerns about his physical traits.

10. Braxton Miller

Ohio State moved Braxton Miller from quarterback to wide receiver last summer. He demonstrated in the season opener why Ohio State wanted to get the ball in his hands even when he wasn’t the starting quarterback.

His devastating spin move against Virginia Tech was the best play of the opening weekend, demonstrating how dangerous he can be with the ball in the open field.

Miller is a curious prospect though, because after that explosive start, he was quiet for much of the season. He had just 601 yards from scrimmage in 2015, according to Sports-Reference.com.

He has the speed and leaping ability to destroy the drills at the combine. If he does, teams will have to weigh his production against his raw physical skills and determine where they are comfortable taking him.

9. Trevone Boykin

Trevone Boykin was one of the top contenders for the Heisman Trophy for much of 2015. He amazed people with his athleticism to the point where an opposing coach high-fived him after a first-down run.

Things deteriorated quickly after TCU’s 8-0 start, though. He lost his top receiver to a broken wrist and suffered an ankle injury of his own. Then, the week of the Alamo Bowl against Oregon, he was arrested for allegedly punching a police officer after he had been out drinking.

He needs to prove to teams that the incident in San Antonio was not indicative of his character. Beyond that, he needs to prove what he can do as a passer at the NFL level.

He has the arm strength to make most NFL throws, but his mechanics are a concern. He often throws with a side-arm motion and doesn’t always step into his throws because he’s strong enough that he doesn’t need to do so. Also, TCU’s Air Raid offense didn’t require him to make many complex reads.

Boykin’s athleticism will make it difficult for teams to pass on him later in the draft, but it will also make him a difficult player to evaluate. His performance in passing drills and interviews will be a matter of great interest to a lot of teams.

8. Shaq Lawson

For the second year in a row, a Clemson defensive end is projected as a first-round pick.

The Falcons took Vic Beasley No. 8 overall in 2015, and Shaq Lawson could go in the same range this year. His production vastly improved after Beasley’s departure. His season sack total grew from 3.5 in 2014 to 12.5 last year.

Lawson has a nice spin move as a pass-rusher, which he uses in the clip above against Miami (FL).

There is skepticism about Lawson’s athleticism, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com writes. Zierlein argues that he doesn’t have great speed and projects more as a run-stuffing defensive end or linebacker.

However, should Lawson impress in the 40 and in the three cone drill, his stock could improve drastically. That makes him one of the players everyone should watch this weekend.

7. Robert Nkemdiche

Robert Nkemdiche was the No. 1 overall recruit in the country in 2013, per 247Sports. Now, he’s considered a first round draft choice.

The 6’4”, 290-pound defensive tackle has great quickness and athleticism. He showed off those talents both on defense and on offense last season. He had three offensive touchdowns in 2015, including the 31-yard catch-and- run in the video above against Tennessee-Martin.

The junior declared early after missing the Sugar Bowl for Ole Miss due to a suspension following his arrest on charges of marijuana possession. He is fast enough and strong enough to blow people away in his drills. The intriguing thing about Nkemdiche, however, will be how teams talk about him after his interviews.

Someone will likely take him on the first day of the draft. The question after this week will be whether scouts are excited—or nervous—about doing that.

6. Jalen Ramsey

Jalen Ramsey’s film shows a cornerback who can read plays well and deliver punishing hits.

However, the combine will be an opportunity for him to prove he has good ball skills too. Ramsey would often mishandle passes that should have been interceptions for Florida State.

Even on this game-clinching interception against Miami in 2014, where he reads the play well, he catches the ball with his body rather than extending his hands. Teams would probably like to see some better hands from him as a pass-catcher in drills this weekend.

Ramsey will be one of the most exciting players to watch in workouts because of his physical skills. He’s a former track star with great speed and an impressive vertical leap.

“We all agree that he's going to win the combine and that [NFL Network draft analyst Mike] Mayock won't stop talking about him," one NFC executive told Zierlein at NFL.com.

The corner is a classic example of a highly valued prospect who could climb even higher on draft boards when teams see his athletic ability up close.

5. Ezekiel Elliott

Ezekiel Elliott’s stretch of excellence during Ohio State’s national championship run over a year ago solidified his reputation as a dynamic runner.

But an underrated aspect of Elliott’s game is his blocking. Elliott’s strength allows him to pancake defenders and create a lot of open space for his teammates to run. 

He will have to alleviate concerns about his comments on Urban Meyer’s play-calling after the Buckeyes’ loss to Michigan State last year. Some teams will be hesitant to draft him too high if they feel he will be a problem in the locker room.

Teams will also be interested in why he never recaptured that same dominance he had during Ohio State’s national title run. He was good last year, but he was never as impressive as he showed he could be the year before.

Elliott is an all-around back, with the ability to run through defenders and run past them as well as the strength to be a great blocker. Demonstrating those traits this weekend could help re-establish his standing with teams in the top half of the first round.

4. Corey Coleman

Baylor wideout Corey Coleman, the reigning Biletnikoff Award winner, led the country in receiving touchdowns in 2015 with 20, despite missing significant time with injuries.

He's a dynamic playmaker with the ability to outrun defenders on deep routes and make them miss in open space. 

The transition to the NFL game could be difficult for Coleman. Baylor didn’t ask him to exert full effort on every play, something he will have to do at the next level.

The route tree also isn’t complicated at Baylor. Coleman ran a lot of screens, slants and deep routes. But the routes he did run, he turned into explosive gains.

At 5'11", he’s relatively short for a receiver, making it unlikely he will be able to play anywhere but the slot in the NFL. He has the potential to be a great playmaker at that position, though.

Coleman is a great athlete, but his size and the environment he played in during college could affect his draft stock. A strong showing this weekend could convince a team he is worth a high pick.

3. Laremy Tunsil

Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil was a consensus first-round projection before last season even began.

He is quick on his feet. If he weren’t, Rebels head coach Hugh Freeze wouldn’t have given him the ball when his team needed a touchdown with five seconds remaining in the first half of the Sugar Bowl.

He’s regarded as a possibility for the No. 1 overall pick to the Titans. With those expectations comes a lot of scrutiny.

Tunsil came on strong at the end of the year after missing the first seven games of the season while serving an NCAA suspension. However, if teams are satisfied with his answers about his alleged involvement with an agent and he puts on a show in workouts, he could easily be the first name called on April 28.

2. Jared Goff

Jared Goff is one of the top quarterbacks in this year’s draft. As such, he will be dissected and examined to no end this weekend and over the next two months.

Look no further than the uproar over his supposedly small hands this week. Goff doesn’t see it as an issue, according to Ben McManamon of ESPN.com, but when teams are thinking about investing their future in you as a franchise quarterback, they will analyze everything they can.

Goff was third in the nation in passing yardage last season and threw 43 touchdowns against just 13 interceptions. His production, even for an average Cal team, was prolific.

In the video above, he demonstrates a quick release and great pocket presence, avoiding pressure and delivering well-timed throws.

What could make teams hesitant is the scheme in which he played. The Golden Bears' spread scheme inflated his passing numbers and didn’t require him to read defenses as much as he will have to in the NFL.

But Goff isn’t shying away from the scrutiny. He will throw on Sunday, unlike other quarterbacks in the past who have elected to wait until their pro days. His performance there will draw the attention of a lot of teams looking for a franchise quarterback, and it could help determine how high he is taken.

However, Goff is not mysterious. Teams generally know what he is, unlike No. 1 on this list, who is a bit of an unknown.

1. Carson Wentz

Most casual NFL fans had no idea who Carson Wentz was until this year’s mock drafts started to appear. Now, some scouts regard him as the No. 1 quarterback in this year’s class, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today.

Wentz’s physical tools are going to excite everyone. At 6’5” and 230 pounds, scouts will love his upside. He has the arm strength to put the ball anywhere on the field.

The NDSU product hasn’t played against top-level competition, though, putting up numbers for an FCS powerhouse. That makes him difficult to assess until he is playing against NFL-level competition.

Zierlein writes that he has a habit of staring down his receivers as well, which is sure to result in turnovers at the next level.

Wentz could be the boom-or-bust prospect of this draft. A strong showing this weekend could put him on the way to being taken as high as No. 2 overall. A poor performance may cause the hype around him to calm down.

That wide range of possibilities makes him the most fascinating player to follow at the combine.