INDIANAPOLIS -- Daniel Jeremiah is in town for the NFL Scouting Combine, checking out prospects for the 2013 NFL Draft. Here are five questions on his mind heading into the weekend ...
1) Which quarterback will create the most buzz on the field?
Much has been made about this draft's lack of star power at the quarterback position. On the bright side, we will get the opportunity to see most of the top-ranked guys throw in Indianapolis. In recent years, the top QBs have elected to skip out on the throwing session (a route USC's Matt Barkley has chosen as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury). One or two of these prospects likely will boost their draft stock with a solid workout performance.
2) How fast are the cornerbacks?
If there are players at one position group who have the most to gain or lose during this week, it's the cornerbacks. It's possible to hide slow players at just about every position in the NFL ... except at cornerback. If you can't run at this position, the ball will find you, and the results will be less than ideal. There are a few cornerbacks in this draft class who are very talented but have questionable speed. Guys like Florida State's Xavier Rhodes and Mississippi State's Johnthan Banks need to put up solid times in order to secure their first-round status.
3) What is the status of Marcus Lattimore's injury?
All 32 teams will have their medical personnel on hand to provide a full workup of each prospect in Indy. I'll be very anxious to get some feedback on Marcus Lattimore's status. Is there any chance that he could play next season? How does his injury -- and the recovery time it requires -- differ from Willis McGahee's well-documented ailment entering the 2003 NFL Draft (where he was selected 23rd overall)?
4) Can Denard Robinson catch?
During his career at Michigan, Denard Robinson rushed for more yards than any other quarterback in NCAA history. However, NFL scouts will be more focused on his hands than his legs during his combine workout. Robinson is making the switch to receiver, and he struggled mightily to catch the ball during Senior Bowl practices. It's very important that he shows improvement in his ability to track and pluck the football.
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5) What are the verified heights and weights of the underclassmen?
Most of the seniors in this draft class were weighed and measured by NFL scouts last spring. However, the underclassmen have yet to be officially "sized up" by scouts. (As you can imagine, the numbers in the program are not very reliable ...) An offensive tackle can see his draft stock take a bit of a dive if he's thought to be 6-foot-6 and instead measures closer to 6-3.
Follow Daniel Jeremiah on Twitter @MoveTheSticks.
