NFL combine preview: Things to look for

The 2019 draft could be one of the best in years for defensive linemen. Led by Ohio State's Nick Bosa and Alabama's Quinnen Williams, the number of defensive linemen in the first round of the draft could reach the double digits. Their outstanding athleticism will be on full display at the combine.

The bench press is the go-to headliner for linemen, and there will be plenty of prospects looking to challenge Stephen Paea's 2011 record of 49 reps. While the bench press doesn't necessarily mean much in the whole scheme of things, it can loft players up draft boards, as it did for Dontari Poe in 2012 after he had 44 reps.

Plenty of players had great Senior Bowl weeks and are looking to continue their momentum at the combine. Some of the most talked about players after Senior Bowl week were Drew Lock, Deebo Samuel, and Montez Sweat. A great combine can continue their ascension into the draft.

The three-cone drill is often overlooked, but it can be a great measure of agility and acceleration for defensive players. Players like Patrick Peterson, Kevin King, and Nick Vigil increased their stock with solid results in the drill recently.

The elite tight ends are creating some buzz this year, with as many as three possibly going in the first round this season. T.J. Hockenson, Noah Fant, and Irv Smith Jr. look like impact talents, and each has a chance to solidify his status as a first-round pick with a solid combine performance.

There's not much that is less exciting than the initial height measurements and weigh-ins, but they're particularly important for the players on the edges of the acceptable ranges at their positions. Of interest this year are Kyler Murray's official height, as well as the weights of some of the biggest linemen like Dexter Lawrence and Cody Ford.

The tests at the NFL combine aren't only physical. Players will interview with interested teams and take the acclaimed Wonderlic test. Reports of the interviews, both good and bad, leak out as teams assess players.

The 20-yard shuttle is a measure of agility and short-area speed, which is particularly important for linebackers. Elite results in the drill from inside linebackers like Luke Kuechly and Leighton Vander Esch have carried over to the NFL.

All eyes will be on Murray at the combine after he opted to play football rather than baseball. He's one of the most unique talents in the history of the combine as a short, multi-dimensional quarterback coming off a Heisman Trophy win. In a quarterback class that's rather thin at the top, a strong combine from Murray could make him the first player selected at the position. At this point, Murray's participation in the drills is still up in the air.

The long jump isn't exactly a skill that's needed to play football, but the broad jump is a good measure of lower body explosiveness. The top six offensive line broad jumpers were drafted in the top two rounds of the draft, led by 2018 15th overall selection Kolton Miller. Wideouts like Justin Hunter and Chris Conley have also seen their stocks rise as a result of great results in the drill.

The combine is perhaps most critical for players returning from injuries, as teams assess where they are in their recovery and whether they can help. Players who missed significant time in 2018, like Nick Bosa, D.K. Metcalf, and Rodney Anderson, will be under the microscope.

Regardless of its importance, scouts love to see arm strength from quarterbacks. The big arms of Drew Lock and Tyree Jackson, in particular, could push them up draft boards if they spark some throwing highlights during the combine.

It often sounds ridiculous at the time, but many scouts swear by quarterback hand size as a indicator of fumbles. Teams like the Giants and Broncos in the market for quarterbacks could especially take this into account, as they play their home games in cold weather.

There isn't a Saquon Barkley in this year's draft pool, but that doesn't mean there are not strong running back options. Josh Jacobs, Damien Harris and David Montgomery are among the running backs who could see playing time immediately in the NFL, and combine performance could decide which back has his named called first in the draft. 

Evaluating players from small schools can be difficult because of the inferior level of competition. The combine is the ultimate even playing field, and an opportunity for these players from small schools like Oshane Ximines (Old Dominion) and Nasir Adderley (Delaware) to show scouts they can stack up to the players from more proven football programs.

A number often cited by the football analytics community, SPARQ rating measures a player's athleticism using results of drills relative to a player's physical attributes. Some teams use their own adjusted formulas, but the SPARQ rating has become more popular in recent years to analyze NFL prospects following the combine, with top performers often flying up draft boards.

It's not only the players who are scrutinized during the combine. NFL team officials also get their opportunities to answer questions in front of the media, and their comments can be significant, particularly for teams with picks near the top of the draft.

No drill at the NFL combine gets more attention than the 40-yard dash. Particularly for wide receivers, defensive backs, and running backs, the drill can be significant for a player's draft stock. Elite times from the likes of Darrius Heyward-Bey, Chris Johnson and John Ross in past years have lofted them to the first round.

It's not only the players participating in the combine who will open some eyes. Players often opt out of particular drills or the physical tests, altogether, for various reasons. With teams often looking for reasons to not draft players, an absence from a drill can be the excuse they need to submit a different player name at the draft.

The vertical jump can be important to any position involved with catching the ball, particularly at wide receiver, tight end and cornerback. Like the broad jump, the drill measures lower body explosiveness.