FanPost

Underwear Olympics- Guys Who Have Everything to Gain & Everything to Lose

As Draft Season whips into a frenzy with the first step taking place at the combine this upcoming weekend. This is the time that some could see their draft stock plummet like a share of Enron or shoot to the stars like a Space X rocket. There will be guys who come from nowhere to the mainstream after killing it in Indy. Twitter will explode about these stars from nowhere who will shake up the Big Boards.

Then there are those who come to Indy with lots of hype who suddenly fall out of favor due to a bad performance & no longer will be considered first round locks on your mocks. Millions of dollars & fame are at stake for some of these as the media has been waiting to see them in their underwear & see if they live up to their previous high hype status. The talking heads are drooling with the prospect of crushing careers before they even start. this is not the time to run slower than expected or unable to perform in manner worthy of the hype. Guys who slacked off after the season will be exposed while the guys who worked at their skill will shine & it will show like a just waxed Ferrari.

So who is on the list? Who has their future in jeopardy? So many questions, so few answers, let's name names

THURSDAY- WR/QB/TE

Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson- He is one of the best WR's in this class & it can be argued ware he exactly ranks, but there is no denying his skill set & his past. What the geeks in the seats will be watching is his 40 time, he needs to be no slower than 4.5 or risk sliding in the draft. If he eats his Wheaties he could crash the Top 10 as the experts are in love with what he brings to the game & just want him to be faster than Rich Eisen.

Collin Johnson, WR, Texas- He has size at 6'5" & shined at the Senior Bowl. He can improve his draft stock if he finds a new pair of shoes & has a good 40. If he runs like he is stuck in mud, he might fall all the way down to Day 3

Lynn Bowden, WR, Kentucky- This Swiss Army knife of a player has excelled all over the field, but never called one position home. His route running is what have scouts ripping him about, but if he can show some improvement he will help himself immensely. He has many of the skills that you love to see, but his route running leaves something to be desired.

FRIDAY- OL/RB/ST

Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville- He is a prime example of a prospect who could lose millions with a bad showing. He is a monster of a man who many have being one of the best OT's until now. If he shows up like he just ate at Old Country Buffet & a little puffy around the middle he could be knocked from the top OT position pool. He needs to show that he kept working & showcase good footwork or he could see his stock plummet.

Saahdiq Charles, Ot, LSU- He left school early to enter the draft & has the skills scouts look for when drafting OT's. He has a few flaws, but coaching is expected to help him reach the next level. His interview will help determine his fate as he explains why he was suspended. If he sells them a sweet Verbal Kint story he could shoot up the draft as tackles are in low supply & somebody will reach.

SATURDAY- DL/LB

Jonathon Greenard, DE, Florida- He helped himself at the Senior Bowl & now needs to show it all off again & that it wasn't a fluke. He has the body they look for with all the measuables. He has a great motor, but he is limited physically & could test poorly at the agility drills. His film is great as his motor roars, but might be held back by being slower than hoped. The fear is he will struggle at the next level.

Curtis Weaver, DE, Boise ST- Here is another prospect who has great production, but could test poorly causing him to slide.

Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB, APP ST- Here we have a guy that looks like a safety & might be switched there as well. He has a nose for the ball & is everything you want in a LB. He is expected to test well & then it will be up to teams as ware to play him.

SUNDAY- CB/S

Cameron Danzler, CB, Miss ST- He's been getting hyped & now it's time to show if he is what many thought he was. Due to his bigger size, he is a bit slower, but if he can put forth a respectable time in the 40 he will be a day 2 pick as CB is a high in demand position. He has good ball skills, he just isn't the most fluid, this is his chance to show off.

Stanford Samuels III, CB, FLA ST- He's got the size coaches drool over but the size a weightlifter makes fun of. He has excellent range of motion & can jump to the stars, but his drawback is he is slow. That lack of speed shows up on film because if he gets burned, he can't recover so he needs to put forth a good 40. This is on him, run fast & get paid, run slow & slide down.

There you go, there are a few names to think of as you watch the combine on the NFL Network. These guys have been hyped, now this is the first test to show it had merit. A failure here will hurt them in the wallet as they slide down during the draft. So it behooves them to have been practicing & working to improve their 40 times & some of the agility drills. The lazy ones will be exposed as you can't hide when you are in your underwear.