5 Prospects That Will Blow The 2014 NFL Combine Wide Open

5 Prospects That Will Blow The 2014 NFL Combine Wide Open By Alex Whiteman January 30, 2014 6:30 am The NFL Combine in Indianapolis is an opportunity for NFL prospects to show their athleticism, while not having to focus on football knowledge necessarily. The most predominant drill in the combine would be the 40-yard dash, which is a strong indication of an exceptional athlete. South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney has publicly made it known that he will shatter expectations in Indianapolis, and put up unreal numbers for his position. Aside from Clowney, prospects like D’Anthony Thomas with track backgrounds have a chance to show they can be more than a straight line speed athlete, with an impressive performance in the broad jump and cone drills. Ra'Shede Hageman, Defensive Tackle, Minnesota Height: 6'6Weight: 318 lbs.40 Time:4.76Hageman has recorded a 36-inch vertical jump and clocked an astonishing 1.57-second 10-yard split in the 40-yard dash. Factor in his reported 465-pound bench press, and Hageman will be expected to rank among the top performers at the NFL Scouting Combine in a few months. While Hageman never put up the numbers at Minnesota, he certainly shows the power, athleticism, and knowledge to become a dominant defensive tackle at the next level. A lucky team towards the end of the first round may be likely to take him, due to Aaron Donald out-performing him at the Senior Bowl. Jadeveon Clowney, Defensive End, South Carolina Height: 6'5Weight: 274 lbs.40 Time: 4.46Jadeveon Clowney is without a doubt the best athlete at the defensive end position that the NFL has ever seen. Running a 4.4 in the 40 at 274 pounds is astonishing. But his athleticism is not all to this prospect. Watching the tape, Clowney is still a completely dominant player, causing offenses to game plan around him. With a stellar combine performance that he believes he will have, Clowney will remind everyone why he is the best player in the 2014 NFL Draft.De'Anthony Thomas, RB,Slot,ST, Oregon Height: 5'9Weight: 176 lbs.40 Time: 4.35Anyone who has watched an Oregon football game knows that De'Anthony Thomas is often the fastest athlete on the field at all times. Running a blazing 40 time is expected out of Thomas, and will not be shocking unless he breaks the all time record (4.28). What Thomas can do to show his athleticism is perform well in the bench press and broad jump stations. While the bench press does not determine the success of an undersized player (Tyrann Matheiu), it certainly gives NFL executives comfort in selecting one high in the draft.Thomas's use at the next level will be determined by what team he is selected by. Thomas can function as a slot receiver, wildcat option, scat back, or special teamer in the NFL, it's just up to NFL coordinators on how they decide to utilize him. Anthony Barr, Outside Linebacker, UCLA Height: 6'4Weight: 248 lbs.40 Time: 4.40Anthony Barr has used his athleticism at UCLA to help himself create an impressive defensive resume. Primarily functioning as an outside pass rushing linebacker, Barr uses his speed and bend as his weapon of choice in the Pac-12. Barr is one of those prospects that looks better in a pair of gym shorts than he does on the field against 330 pound offensive tackles. Attempting to prove scouts wrong, Barr is going to need to show that he can be more than a Dion Jordan at the next level.Robert Herron, Wide Receiver, Wyoming Height: 5'9Weight: 193 lbs.40 Time: 4.28At the Senior Bowl, Robert Herron may have been a late entry. However, the second he stepped onto the practice field, it was clear that he was the fastest player on the field. While Brett Smith was able to utilize him fairly well at Wyoming, Herron would be a dynamic weapon for a pass happy vertical offense.While Herron will destroy the 40-yard dash as many expect, he should perform stellar in the broad jump and cone drills to show agility. NFL teams are hoping that Herron can be utilized as an effective slot receiver, and not just a field stretcher at the next level. Look for Kenny Stills like production if plugged into the right offense. http://www.footballnation.com/content/5-prospects-that-will-blow-the-2014-nfl-combine-wide-open/28435/