At the annual NFL Combine, every type of talent evaluator throughout the league comes to measure, test and break down the potential draft picks. A misstep could lead to a fall in the rankings, but athletes can also improve their stock or simply solidify their positions. Here's a list of players that have generated some buzz this past week:
Running Back: Arkansas' Darren McFadden is billed as this year's Adrian Peterson, but several people have suggested that Jonathan Stewart from Oregon and Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall could be just as good, if not better. They both showed good size, weighing in at 235 and 225 pounds, while also running 40 times of 4.48 and 4.45, respectively. Their combination of size and speed makes them both likely to go in the first round, while Stewart, who finished second in the vertical and fourth in the broad jump, could be top-15.
Also of note was Chris Johnson out of East Carolina. He's not going to be a high pick, but his 40 time of 4.24 seconds led the combine and was the fastest seen in several years. Somebody will take a chance on his speed.
Wide Receiver: DeSean Jackson of the University of California solidified his spot as a top pick with a 4.35-second 40 time, fastest among wide receivers. However, his weight of 169 pounds garnered questions about his durability.
Indiana's James Hardy and Michigan State's Devin Thomas both improved their draft stock and may have moved from the second round into the first. Hardy, who stands at 6-foot-5, ran a 4.44-second 40, while Thomas ran a 4.40 and recorded the fifth-best vertical jump.
Quarterback: Brian Brohm out of Louisville had an impressive showing, recording the best broad jump and fourth-best vertical. He established himself as the second-best quarterback in the draft, behind only BC's Matt Ryan, who should be a top-five pick. San Diego's Josh Johnson led quarterbacks with a 4.55-second 40, and his athleticism could help him to creep up draft boards.
Tight End: USC's Fred Davis is arguably the best tight end in the draft, but he hurt his stock slightly when he had trouble in the catching drills. To make matters worse, Dustin Keller out of Purdue had an excellent showing, leading tight ends with a 4.53-second 40, while also coming first in the vertical and second in the broad jump. It's very possible that Keller becomes the top tight end on most teams' boards come draft time.
Offensive Linemen: Arizona State center Mike Pollak had the fastest 40 time among linemen with a run of 4.98 seconds. He also led the short shuttle and came in fourth in the long jump. He is likely to be the first center taken off the board. The other performance to note was Jeff Otah out of Pittsburgh. His 40 times were among the worst for offensive linemen, but he is dealing with an ankle sprain, and there is still a strong possibility that he will be the second lineman off the board after Michigan's Jake Long.
Secondary: Tennessee State's Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the cousin of San Diego Charger Antonio Cromartie, is turning in great results and generating a lot of buzz. With a 40-yard dash of 4.33 and a first-place showing in the vertical, he's a definite first-rounder. Other top corners, such as Kansas' Aqib Talib, South Florida's Mike Jenkins, and Leodis McKelvin of Troy solidified their places as first-rounders.
Meanwhile, Penn State's Justin King and Connecticut's Tyvon Branch both improved their stock, tying for first with 4.31-second 40 times. At safety, few people stood out, though Josh Barnett out of Arizona State ran a 4.35-second 40 and proved to be one of the better prospects at the position.
Defensive End/Linebacker: Georgia end Marcus Howard recorded the best 40-yard dash of the day at 4.47 and looked good in the agility drills. At linebacker, there weren't any super-impressive performances, though a few tweeners turned some heads. Auburn's Quentin Groves ran a 4.57, while Michigan's Shawn Crable ran a 4.64. Both are college linemen that could be converted to linebackers in the NFL.
Also, Curtis Johnson out of little-known Clark-Atlanta ran a 4.69 and looked good in cover drills. He is another lineman that may have to move to linebacker in the NFL.
