We’ve come to Day 2 of the combine, the day when all the skill position players test their merits with various drills to see what their strengths are, or expose their weaknesses.

It’s really a day when NFL scouts earn their money, and the same can be said for the prospects. Past combines have been littered with relatively unknown players who may have shown team personnel a little spark that caused them to take a flyer and pick them in the draft.  Does the name Marques Colston ring any bells?  Mike Mamula?

But for every Colston, there is a Charles Rogers. For every Mamula, there is a Warren Sapp. For every Tom Brady, there is a Heath Shuler, or Ryan Leaf.

As I’ve said before, the drills these players are put through are only measures of a hint of one’s ability to play in the NFL. Some players have a much better grasp of these drills than others, as many have been prepping for them since their college careers ended.

There are clear-cut choices for the top-prospects at each of the skill positions. Matt Ryan of Boston College appears to be the No. 1 quarterback option and could become the first overall pick. But he has chosen not to do any throwing drills in Indianapolis, which may open the door for Louisville’s Brian Brohm, Michigan’s Chad Henne, Delaware’s Joe Flacco, or USC’s John David Booty to help their chances in the eyes of the NFL coaches and execs on hand.

And can such prominent names like Dennis Dixon of Oregon, Matt Flynn of LSU, Colt Brennan of Hawaii, or Andre Woodson find NFL homes next season? Keep an eye out for Joshua Johnson of San Diego and Kevin O’Connell of San Diego State.  They each have the physical tools and hope to leave some good impressions.

In a weak crop of quarterbacks in 2007, only two were selected in the first round.

At running back, the consensus is that Darren McFadden is the best option. The blazing speedster should be a top-5 selection to one of the more scrutinized positions come draft day. Rashard Mendenhall of Illinois and Jonathan Stewart of Oregon are also at the head of the class, with Stewart being mentioned as a similar runner to Emmitt Smith.

The other back from Arkansas, Felix Jones, is just as hot a prospect in the eyes of scouts because of his lightning-quick speed. Jamaal Charles becomes just the second Texas player to leave after his junior season in the Mack Brown era, and he has shown he is capable of mixing it up on Sundays.

But what about recognizable names Ray Rice of Rutgers, who many scouts feel lacks the size to be a productive player in the league, Steve Slaton of West Virginia, or even Mike Hart of Michigan. Are these guys going to be worth selections sometime on draft day? And can they help their stock with great workouts Sunday?

Sleepers to keep an eye on include Chris Johnson of East Carolina, who has quietly worked his way into a more prominent stock status and has been timed at 4.25 in the 40 recently, as well as two backs from the high-scoring MAC conference, Kalvin McRae of Ohio and Jalen Parmele of Toledo. And don’t blink when Anthony Alrige of Houston toes the line in the 40. He’s got a 4.39 time recorded this year.

There were just two running backs selected in the first round of the draft in 2007.

Wide Receiver is always an interesting position for the combine. It seems that either there is always someone in the invited pool who is clearly the best player in the draft, a la Calvin Johnson last year, but that no matter what they do at the combine, teams still won’t take them with the No. 1 overall pick.

A lot of the times, that of course is based on team need. This year, the receiver crop is deep, but there doesn’t seem to be anyone who is a clear-cut No. 1 guy. Call it an opportunity to put their best feet forward. Several invites have the physical tools. Malcolm Kelly of Oklahoma, who has decided not to participate in the running drills, and Limas Sweed of Texas are the prototypical big wide receivers that teams covet.  Mario Manningham of Michigan and DeSean Jackson of California both have big-play potential and great speed, but may be better utilized in the slot.

Then you have receivers such as LSU’s Early Doucet, a reliable target without game-breaking speed, who fit the mold of possession receivers, much like former No. 1 overall pick Keyshawn Johnson. You can add James Hardy of Indiana and Lavelle Hawkins of California to that list as well.

Keep an eye on: Dexter Jackson of Appalachian State, a burner who has been leaping up on draft boards, Donnie Avery of Houston, who has clocked a 4.29 40 time, and Eddie Royal of Virginia Tech, who has recorded a 4.37 40. These three guys could all provide valuable time as kick returners as well.

In 2007, there were six receivers taken in the first round. You probably won’t see that this year, but there are plenty of prospects for the middle rounds.


Marc Pruitt is the managing editor for the Sports Buff Fantasy Network and a contributing writer for Draft Stock