The NFL Scouting Combine opens this weekend in Indianapolis in the event that gives over 300 prospects their biggest opportunity to prove their worth to NFL teams ahead of the 2017 NFL Draft. From medical evaluations to off the field interviews to drills and workouts, players will be put through their paces, and the results will be paramount to where they land at the end of the draft process.
So who has the most to prove to NFL scouts and general managers in Indianapolis? This column takes an extensive look at four players who will be under the spotlight at the combine:
Dalvin Cook and his injury concerns
Florida State Seminoles running back Dalvin Cook is considered one of the top running back prospects in the 2017 class, but his abnormal number of shoulder surgeries on his road to the NFL will be a significant concern entering the combine in Indianapolis. Three shoulder surgeries, coupled with the mileage Cook put on his body as the workhorse of the Seminoles offense will make his extensive medical evaluation from independent doctors at the combine a crucial piece of information for NFL teams to pour over before the assess his draft stock.
When it comes to injury concerns, players are powerless to their bodies health so all Cook can hope for is a clean bill of health once the doctors in Indy evaluate him. To Cook’s credit, he did play in an impressive 38 games over three seasons for the Seminoles so there is proof that he can play through whatever injury history he may have and at an elite level. Cook will be drafted either in the first round or on the second day of the draft, but what day he is selected on will likely fall to whether teams are concerned about his durability and the punishment he withstood over three full seasons in a feature back role for Florida State.
Jake Butt’s knee health
Dalvin Cook’s shoulder injury history and mileage might be a concern for NFL teams, but Michigan star tight end Jacke Butt’s ACL injury history is a full blown red flag that derails an otherwise flawless draft resume. Butt’s two ACL tears since 2014, one coming in his final game for the Wolverines in an injury nightmare that sparked a debate over the merits of highly touted prospects sitting out of meaningless bowl game finales to avoid fates similar to Butt’s.
Butt is likely to sit out the entirety of the entire 2017 season in a situation that would best serve both the player and the team that drafts him, but before that teams will want to know if the damage he sustained in college will be recoverable after a proper rehab process.
Like Cook, Butt has zero control over whether or not it is proven he can recover from his knee injuries at Michigan to become the same playmaker that he was in Ann Arbor. However, it is a question mark that needs answering before a team interested in the longterm investment of Butt as an exciting prospect in a year or two from now decide to draft a player who otherwise would be a lock at selection in the first three rounds.
Adam Shaheen and if he belongs at the combine
The Adam Shaheen hype is real, and the DII tight end out of little known Ashland is set to be in the spotlight when the tight ends take to their drills in Indianapolis where many scouts will get one of the rare opportunities to witness the unknown beast perform in the flesh.
Ashland TE Adam Shaheen. DII sleeper. Former hoopster w/ twitch for his size. Excited to see what he does in Indy! Could be a Day 2 pick pic.twitter.com/IoQ1igTkDJ
— Todd McShay (@McShay13) February 25, 2017
Despite the lack of attention in college, Shaheen has morphed into a consensus Top 10 tight end in positional rankings for this year’s draft class. A ranking that is high praise for Shaheen in a class of tight ends that is deep on proven number one options at major programs for scouts to choose from.
Instead, it is Shaheen who is the attention of a large part of the focus on the tight end position at the combine. The lack of knowledge on him is what makes him interesting and will also put the pressure on the prospect to perform at a high level to prove that he belongs. With the attention does come the risk of overexposure, so Shaheen will need to put forth a strong showing in Indianapolis to continue to command the same level of hype that he has before the event.
Myles Garrett and his top pick status
At the present moment, pass rusher Myles Garrett is considered to be the consensus top pick for the Cleveland Browns. The Texas A&M star was dominant as a pass rusher last year and with the Browns in a complete rebuild, it appears to make sense to take the top defensive player available with no clear franchise quarterback available in this year’s class.
However, stranger things have happened in the draft, and many believed first overall picks have fallen off their perch after the combine. That fate will be one that Garrett will attempt to avoid by doing all of the right things during his time in Indianapolis and continue to display the physical gifts that have made him a sought-after potential franchise player.
Nobody has more to prove than the player who is considered to be a cut above the rest of the pack, and there will be real pressure on Garrett to establish a clear difference in ability compared to his peers. How Garrett handles that pressure will be a crucial factor on if he becomes the first overall pick and heads to Cleveland or if the Browns start to consider all of the other avenues with the top selection.
