Chris Long is already considered to be one of the top five players in April's NFL Draft.
But at this week's NFL Combine, the University of Virginia defensive end has a chance to sell teams on that fact in a number of ways.
"I think he's going to light it up," NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said. "He's one of my favorite players I've ever watched on tape. I think he's more athletic than people expect him to be, and I think it's going to be fun to watch him work out."
than 300 players will be running, jumping and putting themselves on display at the RCA Dome in front of NFL coaches, scouts and personnel.
The six-day event begins today.
Long will be part of the story. But so will the 46 juniors who were invited, players such as Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, or Florida defensive end Derrick Harvey. It's also where players from small schools have a chance to shine, as former Rockledge High standout Laurent Robinson did last year.
Robinson's 4.38 time in the 40-yard dash wasn't the only reason the Atlanta Falcons drafted him in the third round last season, but it certainly didn't hurt.
Tennessee State cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, for instance, can solidify himself as the third- or fourth-best player at his position with an impressive workout.
Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson can have a great workout, too. But it won't change the fact some teams are concerned about the hitch in his throwing motion. "You go through stages," ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. said. "You have the season, then you have the All-Star games, then you have the combine and individual workouts. It's all a process. ". . . The combine's just another stage of it. You can't overrate any particular stage. It's all encompassing." There will be 13 different forms of evaluation going on during the combine, ranging from the 40-yard dash to the bench press, physical measurements, injury evaluation, the Wonderlic test and team interviews. It's also a time where teams will examine a player's medical history and trying to get a short and long-term prognosis on any existing injury. For a player like Long, it's a chance to show he has the kind of athletic skill to back up his production on the field, much like linebacker Patrick Willis did last year. For others, who could be on the bubble between being a first- or second-day pick, an impressive showing could be the difference. "The most important part of this equation is the underclassmen," Kiper said. "You have no (measure) on these kids until they get to the combine. So from an NFL standpoint, it's critical for those guys. "There are 16 juniors projected as first-rounders right now. For those kids, its imperative they do well. The interview sessions are huge, from a character standpoint. Everybody's trying to get those smart, character-strong kids that New England brought in. It's a copy cat league, so whatever New England's blue print was, teams will try to follow that." Teams will also try to copy the Super Bowl champion New York Giants, which could it a big week for pass rush specialists, particularly those that are effective not only playing defensive end in a 4-3 defense, but who are also athletic enough to play linebacker in a 3-4. "People are going to be looking at trying to add pass rushing types of people that are athletic enough for scheme diversity," Mayock said. He projects six defensive ends could be taken in the first round -- Long, Vernon Gholston of Ohio State, Phillip Merling of Clemson, Harvey, Calais Campbell of Miami and Lawrence Jackson of USC. How it all plays out will have something to do with what happens over the next six days. But it won't be the determining factor. "I think you can talk about workouts all you want, and All-Star game practices all you want, but in the end it comes to a gut feel of who you like and who you don't like," Kiper said. "Some of these kids that didn't necessarily have great Senior Bowl weeks, or (don't have a) great combine will still go pretty high. It's not the end-all-be-all. It still has to reflect on what a player did during his career, with his team. "You can't overreact to one stage of the process."
