The predraft hype machine kicks into high gear this week at the scouting combine as the NFL descends on Indianapolis for what scouts call the Underwear Olympics.
Forty-yard dash times will send some names skyrocketing and others plummeting in the eyes of the public. Agility drills and bench-press totals will do likewise. So will vertical-jump figures.
For scouts, the drills are a way to affirm what they've seen in person and on tape over the last year matches up with performances the 335 prospects have been training to ace since their college seasons ended. They want to see a cornerback they believe in post a good time. They want to see a wide receiver they believe is worthy of a high pick post a good time.
It's a place where some have made the mistake of falling in love with athletes, a pitfall the Bears encountered a time or two when Lovie Smith was coach. Most decision-makers are going to return to the game tape as soon as they leave town because, as they say, the tape never lies.
The first group of players arrived Tuesday, and the first on-field workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium begin Friday. Here are five storylines to watch.
Quarterback rating
Most believe Cal's Jared Goff will be the first quarterback selected. Because the Titans, who hold the No. 1 pick, drafted Marcus Mariota a year ago, Goff could go to the Browns at No. 2. All of the late-season buzz there was for Memphis' Paxton Lynch has been surpassed by talk about North Dakota State's Carson Wentz. All three are expected to throw Saturday. One of them could be available when the Bears select at No. 11.
"Listening to guys at the Senior Bowl talk about Wentz, I finally had to ask them if the kid from Memphis had fallen off the earth," a national scout for one team said. "Everyone was touting him and all of a sudden here is Wentz. What happened? Lynch had an average bowl game. But the kid put up huge numbers, he beat Ole Miss and was at Memphis. Repeat that -- Memphis. Once he starts ripping it around, people will talk about him again."
Michigan State's Connor Cook will be asked about his leadership ability, something some insist is a real question and others are dismissing as a popularity contest. What about Penn State's Christian Hackenberg, no longer under the restraints of James Franklin's offense?
"He is going to throw it out of the stadium," the scout said. "Mark my words. I'm being very cautious because I'm not sure anyone can come back from what he's been through, he was hit so much, but he's going to throw the ball very, very well."
Unusual suspects
There aren't any prospects that are going to draw massive crowds like Jameis Winston last year or Johnny Manziel and Michael Sam in 2014, but there are some interesting guys with questions to answer. Mississippi defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche possesses top-five talent, but he fell out of a fourth-story at an Atlanta hotel in December and was subsequently suspended for the Sugar Bowl after police discovered "seven marijuana cigarettes" in his room. Eastern Kentucky's Noah Spence, who could be a defensive end or an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, was kicked out of Ohio State for multiple drug issues and banned from the Big Ten. He had 11 1/2 sacks last season and performed well in Senior Bowl practices. Teams are doing some digging on these players.
Weak in the knees
The biggest takeaway for teams in Indianapolis is the medical information they collect, and linebackers Jaylon Smith and Myles Jack will be closely scrutinized. Knee injuries ended the 2015 season for both players. Notre Dame's Smith tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee in the Fiesta Bowl. He could miss most or all of the 2016 season. Jack tore the lateral meniscus in his knee before UCLA's fourth game in September. He still hasn't been fully cleared. Both could have been top-10 picks had they been healthy. Can they maintain that stock? A lot depends on the medical reports and how patient teams considering them want to be.
No. 1 priority
You have to figure the Titans are interested in trading the No. 1 pick if they can create a market. That might be difficult unless someone is hell-bent on having the top choice. The Redskins' blockbuster deal with the Rams to draft Robert Griffin III four years ago is a cautionary tale. If they keep the pick, whom will the Titans select? Mississippi left tackle Laremy Tunsil seems like a safe pick and a position of need to protect Mariota. Or could the Titans go with a defensive player? Ends Joey Bosa of Ohio State and DeForest Buckner of Oregon and defensive back Jalen Ramsey of Florida State could impress.
Free market
The combine used to be where free-agent deals were done. It still happens, but not to the same extent because of the "legal tampering" window that leads into free agency now. But six teams, including the Bears, have more than $50 million in salary-cap room and 21 teams have more than $20 million in room. In other words, it's a seller's market. One veteran agent who is representing some high-profile defensive clients said he had 26 meetings arranged a week ago. We'll get a better idea of which teams will be using the franchise tag this week, and the shopping season always brings the draft into better focus. It's going to be fascinating to see if this huge amount of cap room reshapes the market at many positions. Free-agent meetings at the combine ought to provide a good temperature for the market, which opens March 9.
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