We've gotten the measurements and shorts/T-shirt workouts in the books. There shouldn't be too much movement from the pre-combine board, as it's always dangerous to overrate the combine, but getting to see players work side by side on the same tasks is a useful tool. With the exception of injured players who missed combine workouts, it's movement between the combine and the draft that you really need to be wary of. Players are ranked by the order I'd take them based off Indy's scheme and needs.
| Tier 1: | Dream On | ||||
| # | Player | Pos. | School | H/W | Notes |
| 1 | Ndamukong Suh | DT | Nebraksa | 6'4" 307lbs | Suh is still the man. Great productiona, racking up 161 tackes, 40 for a loss, 19.5 sacks and 3 INTs (2 returned for TDs!) the past two seasons and worked out well at the combine. If this was a sandlot game, meaning salary and marketing weren't issues, Suh would be the obvious first pick. |
| 2 | Eric Berry | S | Tennessee | 6'0" 207lbs | A playmaker at safety coming from a Tampa-2 system under Monte Kiffin. Has the cover skills and physicality to play anywhere in the secondary. Berry and Suh are special players. |
| 3 | Russel Okung | OT | Ok. State | 6'5" 307lbs | The first movement from the pre-combine board. Okung showed freakish wingspan and strength to solidify himself as the clear #1 tackle. |
| 4 | Gerald McCoy | DT | Oklahoma | 6'4" 295lbs | Good enough to be the top DT in the draft most years, coming out this year makes him a consolation prize for a team dreaming of Suh, but whoever drafts him will be happy with what they got. |
| 5 | Rolando McClain | MLB | Alabama | 6'3" 254lbs | McClain is apparently falling in the popular opinion, but the reasons either have nothing to do with him (MLBs rarely going in the top 10) or are very nit picky. His stock may be falling, but I think his value is unchanged. He's an elite MLB with the athleticism and great zone cover skills to appeal to a team that asks a lot from it's MLB in coverage. |
| 6 | Bryan Bulaga | OT | Iowa | 6'5" 314lbs | Bulaga reportedly wow'ed coaches in interviews with his knowledge of the game. Throw in the (finally publicly released) cause of his thyroid issue (infection) being something that will have no additional future risk, and Bulaga has a good shot at a top 10 pick. |
| 7 | Joe Haden | CB | Florida | 5'11" 193lbs | Don't fear the 40 time. He can run, and in Indy's scheme blazing speed isn't even necessary. Haden stepped right from high school to the starting lineup of a powerhouse program and has produced his whole career. |
| 8 | C.J. Spiller | RB | Clemson | 5'11" 196lbs | Blazing speed draws comparisons to Chris Johnson, he was an accomplished pass catcher and return man in college as well. Size hurts him running inside and pass blocking but makes the effort to partially offset the lack of bulk. |
| Tier 2 | Great Prospect, Wrong Position | ||||
| 9 | Jimmy Clausen | QB | Notre Dame | 6'3" 222lbs | No throwing at the combine doesn't help, but when no one else who is a contender to go in the first couple rounds throws it doesn't hurt |
| 10 | Sam Bradford | QB | Oklahoma | 6'4" 236lbs | Reportedly the #1 pick to be. While the timing was odd as it came before his shoulder was checked at the combine, there weren't any concerns about it that came out of the combine medical check. |
| 11 | Dez Bryant | WR | Ok. State | 6'2" 225lbs | Dez missed combine workouts and according to some came off as a flake in interviews, but could easily send his stock shooting back up with a good Pro Day workout. The tools are all there and as far as WRs go the character concerns aren't anything unusual. |
| # | Player | Pos. | School | H/W | Notes |
| Tier 3 | Doubtful to fall | ||||
| 12 | Derrick Morgan | DE | Georgia Tech | 6'3" 266lbs | Nothing spectacular in workouts, but he's a 1st round pick on the basis of his production, so combine #s that are simply adequate are just fine. |
| 13 | Earl Thomas (WTHWTD) |
S | Texas | 5'10" 208lbs | Thomas is a great young DB who could contribute at safety or corner in a zone scheme, and either stay at safety or with a little time, be converted to CB, in a man D. |
| 14 | Brian Price (WTHWTD) |
DT | UCLA | 6'1" 303lbs | Price is a gap shooter, he gets into the backfield fast and often. He's the first of the possible picks to add a big starting 3 tech. |
| 15 | Anthony Davis | OT | Rutgers | 6'6" 330lbs | The mauler that the teams unhappy with Okung's size dream of. Of course he comes with the requisite flaw of the type... weight issues. Is listed 34lbs lighter than he began his college career. Some concerns about inconsistent technique and effort. |
| Tier 4 | Cross your fingers | ||||
| 16 | Charles Brown (WTHWTD) |
OT | USC | 6'5" 303lbs | Brown is well along in the bulking up process that'll be key to his ability to play at the pro level, weighing in at over 300lbs at the combine. |
| 17 |
Mike Iupati (WTHWTD) |
OG | Idaho |
6'5" 331lbs |
A mauling guard with great athleticism. He's drawn comparisons to Chiefs G/LT Branden Albert. Iupati might be able to develop into a tackle, but his immediate future is as a stud guard. |
| 18 | Brandon Graham (WTHWTD) |
DE | Michigan | 6'1" 268lbs | Was absolutely unblockable in the senior bowl. While none of the top 5 OTs were present, Graham feasted on OT classes depth. A strong DE he played the run well and even shifted inside on him passing downs. Fantastic college production. |
| 19 | Dan Williams | DT | Tennessee | 6'2" 327lbs | Most likely to land as a 3-4 NT, but he isn't the unathletic space eater usually associated with the position. Not much of a pass rusher, but can cover surprising amounts of ground in pursuit making him a possible 1 tech for a 4-3 team looking to anchor the middle of the line. |
| 20 | Devin McCourty (WTHWTD) |
CB | Rutgers | 5'11" 193lbs | Perfect scheme fit, primarily a zone guy, but has man experience. Solid size and a very willing and capable run supporter. |
| 21 | Trent Williams | OT | Oklahoma | 6'5" 309lbs |
Struggled in pass pro at LT last year, but has the athletic tools. Should start out at RT, maybe making the flip back to LT down the road. |
| Tier 5 | Consolation Prizes | ||||
| 22 | Everson Griffen (WTHWTD) |
DE | USC | 6'3" 273lbs | Strong run defender with legitimate pass rush ability. Would be able to fill the run down DE, and backup DE roles. Underachieved in college. |
| 23 | Kyle Wilson | CB | Boise State | 5'10" 194lbs | Excellent return man, but his abilities in run support have gotten mixed reviews. |
| 24 | Jermaine Gresham | TE | Oklahoma | 6'5" 261lbs | Gresham looked a bit rusty at the combine, but with all the time he missed that's not a shock. He's a very good balance of receiving and blocking skills for the in-line spot with Indy. |
| 25 | Maurkice Pouncey | C/G | Florida | 6'4" 304lbs | The top center in the class, with experience at guard. Pouncey is the picture of a solid, but not sexy pick. |
| 26 |
Chad Jones (WTHWTD) |
S/LB | LSU | 6'2" 221lbs | Jones is the opposite, very intriguing, high potential pick, but he's risky. He doesn't have the speed of the safeties current getting serious PT, and a position change piles on more risk. |
| 27 | Sean Weatherspoon | OLB | Missouri | 6'1" 239lbs | Weatherspoon is a ideal prospect for the WILL position and could play the middle as well. He's got very good cover skills and is well rounded elsewhere. |
| 28 | Sergio Kindle | DE | Texas | 6'3" 250lbs | Very good pass rusher, but not a guy to put in on run downs, and not experienced or skilled enough in coverage to play LB in Indy |
| 29 | Jared Odrick | DT | Penn State |
6'5" 304 | Athletic tackle to add size to the 3 tech. Duplicates a lot of what Fili Moala is hoped to do. |
| 30 | Ricky Sapp | DE | Clemson | 6'4" 252lbs | Much like Kindle he's a perfect 3-4 OLB who only fits in a 4-3 as a rush end. |
| 31 | Jerry Hughes | DE | TCU | 6'2" 255lbs | Great pass rusher, but not strong against the run as a DE. Likely a 3-4 OLB |
| 32 | Bruce Campbell | OT | Maryland | 6'6" 314lbs | Campbell lit up the combine, but his lack of experience, injury history and shaky on the field play has me thoroughly scared off. |
| 33 | Corey Wootton | DE/DT | Northwestern | 6'6" 270lbs | Versatile lineman who could play much of the Raheem Brock role (though maybe not ILB in the 3-4 look) |
| Tier 6 | More great non- fits/needs | ||||
| 34 | Golden Tate | WR | Notre Dame | 5'10" 190lbs | Great returner, with impressive hands, he ran surprisingly well at the combine. The optimistic comparison is Steve Smith (Carolina edition). |
| 35 | Jason Pierre-Paul | DE | So. Florida | 6'5" 270lbs | If he was matched against Bruce Campbell there might be an explosion from the pure concentration of boom-bust-ness. Pierre-Paul is a freak athlete, but raw with only a slngle (only mildly productive) year experience on the FBS level and benefited from having an accomplished pass rusher (George Selvie) opposite him. |
| 36 | Carlos Dunlap | DE | Florida | 6'6" 277lbs | Freak athlete, with massive size, but major effort questions. |
| 37 | Brandon Spikes | MLB | Florida | 6'3" 249lbs | Good ILB prospect, but not good enough in coverage to be a Tampa-2 MLB. Mix of pass rushing, run D and zone coverage skills would make him a excellent SAM though. |
| 38 | Ryan Matthews | RB | Fresno St. |
6'0" 218lbs | Excellent runner with a nice size/speed combo. Not a lot of experience in the passing game, but what he showed was positive |
| 39 | Jahvid Best | RB | Cal | 5'10" 199lbs | Burner speed, has much more experience catching the ball then Matthews or Dwyer, but doesn't have the size and strength to pass block effectively. |
| 40 | Taylor Mays | S | USC | 6'3" 230lbs | Big safety whose workout numbers turned heads at the combine, but don't translate to cover skills. Likely a box safety or WILL LB in the pros. |