During the NFL Scouting Combine, every prospect workout alters big boards. Needless to say, draft projections undergo several makeovers before the year's draft hopefuls depart from Indianapolis. However, alterations to the prospect pecking order don't stop there.
In the days after the combine, scouts watch tape again, and analysts allow the workouts to marinate. Then, with any overreactions out of the picture, mock drafts are adjusted once again. Rest assured, this process will continue all the way up to the draft's commencement.
So, before big boards receive another overhaul following the free-agency period, pro days and prospect interviews, let's take a look at how the first round is likely to shake out on April 30.
| 1 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State |
| 2 | Tennessee Titans | Leonard Williams, DT, USC |
| 3 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska |
| 4 | Oakland Raiders | Kevin White, WR, West Virginia |
| 5 | Washington Redskins | Dante Fowler, OLB, Florida |
| 6 | New York Jets | Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon |
| 7 | Chicago Bears | Danny Shelton, DT, Washington |
| 8 | Atlanta Falcons | Shane Ray, DE, Missouri |
| 9 | New York Giants | Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa |
| 10 | St. Louis Rams | Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama |
| 11 | Minnesota Vikings | La'el Collins, OT, LSU |
| 12 | Cleveland Browns | DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville |
| 13 | New Orleans Saints | Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson |
| 14 | Miami Dolphins | Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State |
| 15 | San Francisco 49ers | Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State |
| 16 | Houston Texans | Landon Collins, S, Alabama |
| 17 | San Diego Chargers | Malcom Brown, DT, Texas |
| 18 | Kansas City Chiefs | Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma |
| 19 | Cleveland Browns (via Buffalo) | Bud Dupree, DE, Kentucky |
| 20 | Philadelphia Eagles | P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State |
| 21 | Cincinnati Bengals | Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma |
| 22 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Marcus Peters, CB, Washington |
| 23 | Detroit Lions | Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State |
| 24 | Arizona Cardinals | Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin |
| 25 | Carolina Panthers | Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford |
| 26 | Baltimore Ravens | Jalen Collins, CB, LSU |
| 27 | Dallas Cowboys | Shaq Thompson, OLB, Washington |
| 28 | Denver Broncos | T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh |
| 29 | Indianapolis Colts | Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia |
| 30 | Green Bay Packers | Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Miss State |
| 31 | Seattle Seahawks | Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan |
| 32 | New England Patriots | Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami |
Analyzing Overlooked Combine Performances
In the aftermath of the workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium, the draft community sang the praises of many excellent performances. Clemson's Vic Beasley finished as a top performer in every drill. Kentucky's Bud Dupree lived up to the hype surrounding his freakish athleticism, and West Virginia's Kevin White may have solidified himself as the draft's top receiver with a brilliant showing.
These players, and several others, have been the talk of the town; however, some performances by first-round prospects were overlooked as a result. While these men didn't post quite as gaudy numbers, they are still deserving of some recognition. Here's a look at some examples.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska
David J. Phillip/Associated Press Randy Gregory created some early combine buzz when he measured in at 6'5" and just 235 pounds. That led to concern over his ability to bulk up and sustain the weight; however, as a prospect who will likely serve at linebacker in the NFL, that narrative was a bit overblown. What onlookers should have been focusing on was Gregory's elite athleticism.
A solid 4.64-second 40-yard dash and 24 reps on the bench press saw Gregory off to a good start—earning top-performer honors in the broad jump didn't hurt, either. Where he really shined was in positional drills. Gregory showed a great deal of fluidity, agility and technique, as his movements were precise. Here's a look:
He proved he'll be ready to step into the starting lineup in any NFL defense and excel immediately.
7. Chicago Bears: Danny Shelton, DT, Washington
Julio Cortez/Associated Press The big man who garnered the attention of most analysts at the combine was USC's Leonard Williams. Well, Danny Shelton may not have put up gaudy workout numbers—aside from his 34 reps on the bench press—but he simply wowed during positional drills.
Many focused on Shelton's 5.64-second 40-yard dash and received the wrong idea about his quickness. Shelton isn't built for straight-line speed. He excels in the trenches by exploding off the line and creating power with short, quick bursts of speed. NFL Network's Charles Davis put it perfectly:
Shelton's display of surprising agility and incredible power will ensure he will hear his name early on draft day.
11. Minnesota Vikings: La'el Collins, OT, LSU
Julio Cortez/Associated Press This LSU product didn't overly impress during workouts but didn't fall flat, either. La'el Collins ran a decent 5.12-second 40-yard dash and recorded 21 reps on the bench press. Well, this was one scenario in which those numbers don't translate to what he's capable of accomplishing on the football field.
Collins flourished during positional drills, showing impressive footwork, good leverage and solid technique. Put those elements together, and you get a player who has plenty of functional strength. Here's one example from the combine:
That kind of power will be a welcome addition on any NFL offensive line.
12. Cleveland Browns: DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
Julio Cortez/Associated Press Despite a deep class of wide receivers, many onlookers focus on the likes of White and Amari Cooper; however, Louisville's DeVante Parker put up a performance that earned him the right to be mentioned in the same breath. For a 6'3", 209-pound receiver, Parker moved very well, running a 4.45-second 40-yard dash. That speed combined with a well-rounded skill set makes him a dangerous player.
Dion Caputi of the National Football Post tweeted his thoughts:
Parker has great acceleration and strong hands to make difficult catches in traffic. He showcased those traits during positional drills in Indianapolis, running crisp routes and displaying good concentration during the gauntlet. That kind of consistency will make him a hot commodity among wide receiver-needy teams.
24. Arizona Cardinals: Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
David J. Phillip/Associated Press Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon is looking to break the mold by becoming the first running back to be selected in the first round of the draft since 2012. His workouts at the combine helped his cause, as he ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash and finished as a top performer in the broad jump, 20-yard shuttle and 60-yard shuttle. In fact, his 60-yard shuttle time turned some heads, according to Rotoworld's Josh Norris:
Still, the biggest knock on Gordon is the debate over his ability to be a three-down back due to his limited experience in the passing game. He did look solid while running routes and showed good hands at the combine. Rest assured, teams in need of a running back will pull the trigger on a 6'1", 215-pound prospect who can be an immediate factor despite his limitations in pass protection.
All prospect measurements and combine results courtesy of NFL.com's results tracker.
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