NFL Combine Day 1 Recap

The NFL Combine is now underway, where NFL teams are able to shop for some of college football's best players in order to enhance their depth chart. The biggest names in college football, including Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater, and Jadeveon Clowney, all are looking to prove themselves in front of NFL scouts, which is why the NFL Combine is so important. here are notable story lines from Day 1.

Greg Robinson, an offensive tackle from Auburn, put on a show at the combine, particularly with his spectacular 40-yard dash time. Weighing in at 332 pounds, it is incredible that Robinson was able to run the 40 yards in 4.92 seconds, a time that ranked second among offensive linemen. Greg Robinson is already one of the nation's top prospects, but his incredible time may even propel him ahead of fellow offensive linemen Jake Matthews on the draft boards.

Taylor Lewan had the best 40 yard dash time of any offensive linemen, which is extremely important for him considering that he is behind offensive linemen Greg Robinson and Jake Matthews on most draft boards. Lewan weighs 23 pounds less than Greg Robinson, which goes to show how impressive Robinson's performance was. Lewan's performance was very good, but not quite enough to dethrone Robinson and Matthews as the top offensive linemen in this draft class.

Cyrus Kouandijo was the biggest loser from Day 1 in the NFL Combine. Seeing that Kouandijo is an extremely talented player coming out of Alabama, scouts were expecting him to post incredible numbers. Instead, Kouandijo failed a number of club physicals at the combine due to his long-term knee issues, and also posted mediocre to above average numbers for an offensive tackle. His disappointing combine will hurt his draft stock even more, especially after his poor performance in the Sugar Bowl against Oklahoma.

Greg Robinson, Jake Matthews, and Taylor Lewan race on the 40-yard dash simulcam! MUST-SEE: http://t.co/OasPvjj6HD #NFLCombine
— NFL (@nfl) February 22, 2014

2014 NFL Mock Draft: Pre-Bowl Game Edition

1. Houston Texans: QB Teddy Bridgewater: Despite his many talents, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was not even in contention for the Heisman Trophy. But even though Bridgewater is coming from a weak football school, as well as the fact that his team was not involved in the BCS Championship discussion, NFL teams are eager to draft Bridgewater first overall. Bridgewater is absolutely incredible in the pocket, and his ability to throw on the run makes it difficult for defenses to contain him even when they bring the blitz.

2. St. Louis (via Washington): OT Jake Matthews: Jake Matthews, by far the best lineman in this year's draft, would be be a great new addition to the Rams' offensive line. With Jake Matthews on one side of the offensive line, and Jake Long on the other, the St Louis Rams might be able to have the most talented O-Line in the National Football League. Apart from improving the offensive line, St. Louis may be tempted to draft a quarterback with the second pick in the draft; however, assuming that Sam Bradford can return from his injury by the start of next season, the offensive line must be upgraded as soon as possible.

3. Oakland Raiders: DE Jadeveon Clowney: The Oakland Raiders' defensive line has definitely improved since last season, but it will be extremely difficult to pass on the highly talented defensive end out of South Carolina, Jadeveon Clowney. Clowney's skill set will earn him extroidanary numbers at the NFL combine, so his draft stock will sky rocket upwards despite his sub-par play in 2013.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Derek Carr: This quarterback out of Fresno State flew under the radar throughout the 2013 regular season, and by the end of the year, Carr led the entire nation in both passing yards (4,866) and passing touchdowns (48). Similarly to Teddy Bridgewater, Derek Carr is coming from a relatively small football school, Fresno State, which may hurt his draft stock slightly.

5. Atlanta Falcons: LB Anthony Barr: After losing to San Francisco in the NFC Championship Game in 2012, many injuries in 2013 caused the Falcons to go 4-10 as of Week 15. Atlanta's defense, ranking 29th in total yards allowed, needs help with both their run and pass defense, and an athletic linebacker/defensive end like Anthony Barr will surely benefit this struggling team.

6. Cleveland Browns: QB Blake Bortles: After Marcus Mariota announced to the football world that he would be staying at Oregon for his senior year, Blake Bortles has rocketed upwards in the draft boards. Bortles, standing at 6'3" and 240 pounds, has been compared to the likes of Ben Roethlisberger, where both of them are similar in size yet very athletic quarterbacks. It is time for Cleveland to give up on second year quarterback Brandon Weeden.

7. New York Giants: OLB Khalil Mack: Not many players from the University at Buffalo are drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft, but Khalil Mack is an extraordinary talent. This season, Mack posted 100 tackles and 10.5 sacks, where 2.5 of those sacks came against Ohio State in the season opener. The New York Giants ranked 26th overall in defensive sacks, so Khalil Mack would be a great addition to this team.

8. Buffalo Bills: WR Samy Watkins: If the Buffalo Bills wish to build their offense around EJ Manuel, then a new wide receiver should be the first new addition in the offseason. Sammy Watkins from Clemson caught 83 passes for 1,237 yards and 10 scores in 2013, and he is clearly the best wide receiver in this year's draft. The Bills are still one or two years away from making the playoffs, and in order to turn around their game immediately, they must make a huge splash in free agency.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: QB Johnny Manziel: There is no disputing that Johnny Manziel is an incredibly talented quarterbacks, but his lack of size and off the field troubles may cause several teams to pass. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a team that will be willing to take the risk, hoping that Manziel can rescue their franchise.

10. Minnesota Vikings: CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu: As of Week 16, the Minnesota Vikings rank dead last in the NFL in passing yards allowed with 294.4 yards per game. The Vikings were hoping that rookie cornerback Xavier Rhodes could fix the problem with their pass defense in 2012, but obviously, there was no improvement. Ifo Ekpre-Olomu is one of the best defenders in this draft class, and hopefully, he can team up with Xavier Rhodes to form one of the best pass defenses in the league.

2014 NFL Mock Draft 3.0

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Teddy Bridgewater: Even though Teddy Bridgewater is no longer the favorite to win the Heisman, his incredible skill set makes him the favorite to be drafted first overall, probably by the Jacksonville Jaguars. In 2013, Bridgewater has completed 72.0% of his passes as of  October 23rd, with 2,213 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and just 2 interceptions. Bridgewater is the real deal.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: QB Marcus Mariota: Marcus Mariota, the starting quarterback for Oregon, has quickly become the front runner in the race for the Heisman Trophy. Marcus Mariota is a dual threat quarterbacks, who is just as talented at running the ball as he is at passing it. Mariota is incredibly quick, and his ability to make big plays earns him the second overall pick in the draft.

3. Oakland Raiders: OT Jake Matthews: The Oakland Raiders are ranked last in the league in sacks allowed with 28. Young quarterback Terrelle Pryor has the potential to be an above-average quarterback in the league, but before that happens, the Oakland Raiders must protect him the pocket. Jake Matthews is the best offensive lineman in the draft, so it makes sense for him to be drafted by Oakland.

4. Buffalo Bills: OT Taylor Lewan: Ever since the Bills lost Andy Levitre at tackle, they have been searching desperately for a solid replacement. Enter Taylor Lewan. After injuring his leg against Penn State earlier in the season, Lewan returned to play a week later against Indiana, and his performance was impeccable as usual. Lewan is still a solid pick behind Jake Matthews.

5. New York Giants: DE Jadeveon Clowney: Jadeveon Clowney's stock value has rapidly decreased over the course of a season due to injuries and inconsistent play. In 5 games, Clowney has recorded just two sacks with no forced fumbles. Clowney is still a very talented defensive end with size, speed, and power. The New York Giants would be thrilled to have Clowney resurrect their struggling pass rush.

6. Minnesota Vikings: DT Louis Nix III: Three of Minnesota's four offensive linemen will be free agents at the end of the 2013 season. The Vikings may have drafted defensive tackle Shariff Floyd in the 2012 draft, but there is no guarantee that fellow defensive tackle Kevin Williams will be re-signed. Louis Nix III is the best tackle in this draft, and is definitely worth a top 10 pick by the Vikings.

7. Arizona Cardinals: WR Sammy Watkins: We still believe that the Arizona Cardinals will select wide receiver Sammy Watkins with their seventh pick in the draft. Larry Fitzgerald turned 30 years old last August, so his days as one of the best receivers in the league are over. With Tajh Boyd as quarterback, Sammy Watkins has been averaging 14.8 yards per catch with 5 receiving touchdowns in 2013. Watkins is one of the most talented offensive weapons in this year's draft class.

8. Tennessee Titans: OLB Anthony Barr: Outside linebacker Zach Brown will likely leave Tennessee at the end of this season once his contract expires, so the Titans will look to fill this void in the draft. Anthony Barr is by far the best linebacker of this entire draft class, and is worth a first round draft pick by the Titans.

9. St. Louis Rams: QB Brett Hundley: In last Sunday's game, Sam Bradford tore his ACL, and sadly, he will be out for the rest of the season. In a draft class loaded with above-average quarterbacks, Brett Hundley may be their best option in the first round.

10. Houston Texans: QB AJ McCarron: McCarron, the starting quarterback for Alabama, has already won three National Championships, proving he is capable of winning big games. Sure, McCarron's supporting cast is the best of any football team in the nation, but I would say this senior is the most NFL-ready of any quarterback in the NFL.