fbpx
Skip to main content

Top eight storylines for NFL Scouting Combine

Leonard Fournette

8. Players to watch

NFL Draft, Corey Davis

Leonard Fournette and Corey Davis on offense. Solomon Thomas and Reuben Foster on defense. These are the four players I will be paying close attention to at the combine.

All are seen as first-round picks. But with solid performances here, an argument could be made that these will be four of the first five players selected in the 2017 NFL Draft with No. 1 overall prospect Myles Garrett added in.

Fournette seems to be the true wild card here. There’s some who project him as high as No. 2 overall to San Francisco. While that might be a bit of a reach, a performance similar to what we saw from Derrick Henry in Indianapolis last year could push him into the top five.

This is how dominating the physical specimen might be at the combine. He has the size and the speed to absolutely dominate the position-specific drills. Though, Fournette’s 40-yard dash and three-cone times will go a long way in determining whether he’s a prospect up to the level of an Ezekiel Elliott.

Speaking of having a lot to prove, Corey Davis has an opportunity to show his worth among prospects that played at better-known programs. Coming off three consecutive 1,400-plus yard seasons at Western Michigan, Davis has the past history of success. At 6-foot-3 and 213, he also has the frame to be a No. 1 receiver at the next level. It’s going to be interesting to see what Davis does in Indy and how that might translate to his draft stock.

As mentioned above, we should really be paying attention to Stanford’s Solomon Thomas this week as well. An athletic freak from the EDGE rush position, Thomas has an opportunity to prove his worth among the top-10 prospects in the draft. How he goes about utilizing multiple pass-rush moves while showing his elite-level athleticism will play a huge role in where Thomas is selected.

Though, the one defensive player everyone is going to be paying attention to is Alabama’s Reuben Foster, who could very well go as high as No. 2 overall.

“Foster is a vicious hitter with elite playmaking range and an ability to toggle between 225 and 240 pounds. Athleticism gives him cover ability that former teammate Reggie Ragland never possessed,” NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein said about Foster, via NFL.com. “Has Pro Bowl potential as a 3-4 inside linebacker or a 4-3 weak-side linebacker, but concerns over his medical history could be a consideration, according to some teams.”

Sure the drills are going to be important here, but Foster’s medicals will tell us a story. If he does check out, there’s no reason why the former Crimson Tide standout can’t be a top-five pick. He’ll surely show that on the field in Indy.

Mentioned in this article:

More About: