2013 NFL Draft Preview: Biggest Winners from the Scouting Combine

2013 NFL Draft Preview: Biggest Winners from the Scouting Combine: The road to the NFL is a long one, and while players spend three or four years at the collegiate level showing their skills and attracting the attention of NFL scouts, their futures are often decided by their performances at the scouting combine. Fair or not, teams put a lot of stock in the combine. From the interviews and physicals to the various drills, a player can boost their desirability with a strong showing at the combine or see their stock plummet with a poor showing. On the heels of the 2013 combine in Indianapolis, here is a closer look at some of the players that delivered big time performances and will be hearing their names called a bit sooner now when April’s NFL Draft rolls around.

After impressing at the Senior Bowl, Central Michigan offensive tackle Eric Fisher was already getting buzz as a potential top-10 pick. After his performance in Indianapolis, he could possibly be the No. 1 overall pick. He showed plenty of athleticism for a guy that stands 6’8” and weighs over 300 pounds, and he even registered the fastest 20-yard shuttle among offensive lineman. Fisher also put up 27 reps on the bench press and ran a 5.05 in the 40-yard dash. He already looked great on tape in terms of form and technique, and Fisher proved at the combine he has the physical tools to play tackle at the NFL level.

His ability to keep Landry Jones upright in Oklahoma’s pass-happy offense already had tackle Lane Johnson’s name being mentioned as a first-round pick. Following his incredible showing at the combine, he won’t have to wait long to hear his name called. The 300-pounder wowed scouts with his athleticism, registering the second-fastest 40-yard dash and the second-best broad jump among offensive linemen. Johnson also ranked in the top five in the 20-yard shuttle and did 28 reps on the bench press. After showcasing his raw athleticism, Johnson is in the discussion for a top-10 pick.

A somewhat underwhelming season pushed LSU defensive end Barkevious Mingo out of the spotlight just a bit, but at the combine, he reminded everyone why he was getting so much attention heading into last season. His 4.58 time in the 40-yard dash was the second best among defensive linemen, and Mingo posted the best numbers at the position in terms of vertical leap, broad jump and the three-cone drill. Plain and simple, his freakish athleticism was on full display, and while he may be a bit raw in terms of technique, his upside is huge. In an era when hybrid pass rushers are all the rage, Mingo’s measurable have him in play as a top-10 selection.

In a draft considered relatively thin in terms of elite corners, Alabama’s Dee Milliner was already considered the top cover corner in the class. Once he put down a 4.37 in the 40-yard dash at Indianapolis, his stock only soared higher. Milliner was used to being on an island for the Crimson Tide and playing one-on-one coverage on the opponents’ best receiver on a weekly basis. Now that scouts know he has the raw speed to hang with the top receivers at the NFL level, the gap between he and the rest of the corners has only widened. Milliner probably won’t make it out of the top five at this point.

As I jus mentioned when talking about Dee Milliner, the discussion for the second-best corner in this year’s draft class is pretty wide open. That being said, Washington’s Desmond Trufant did everything he could to put himself in position to be the second corner off the board in April. His 4.38 effort in the 40-yard dash was the third-fastest at the combine, and his 3.85 time in the 20-yard shuttle ranked second. His 16 reps on the bench weren’t too shabby either for a player that clearly possesses plenty of raw speed and acceleration. Thanks to the physical tools he displayed, Trufant now has a legitimate shot at being a first-round pick.

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