The NFL Combine is in full swing and the most important day of the event may be Sunday, when the skill position players work out on field for NFL scouts and teams: quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers.
The most important position at the combine this year is the quarterback position, as there are a number of interesting and unique prospects, as well as a number of teams that should be in the market for one. The Kansas City Chiefs could decide to select one with the number one overall pick, despite the class being considered solid or mediocre, but not stellar.
The Cleveland Browns and the Buffalo Bills could also be in the market for a quarterback and the top prospects at the draft include West Virginia's Geno Smith, Syracuse's Ryan Nassib, Arkansas' Tyler Wilson, NC State's Mike Glennon and Florida State's EJ Manuel.
No matter how this draft turns out, chances are it will not live up to last year's prospects, which included number one overall pick Andrew Luck and number two pick Robert Griffin III as well as Russell Wilson, Brandon Weeden and Ryan Tannehill. Wilson, Luck and Griffin all made the playoffs and looked truly ready for the NFL, making many teams wonder if the next star is just waiting to be picked.
"Those guys changed expectations for many quarterbacks let alone rookies," Smith said to ESPN.com when he addressed the media at the NFL Combine on Friday afternoon. "Those guys stepped right in, including Russell (Wilson), and were leaders most of all from day one."
Some teams may be willing to make a change at quarterback based on what the rookie did last year, looking at it as a way to bring a fast rebound, much like the Colts did last year after going 2-14 the season before. Matt Barkley and Smith have been looked at as the top rated quarterbacks, but there is a chance someone like Glennon or Wilson could move up the charts of teams depending on how they work out on Sunday.
The prospects got measurements taken on Saturday, with Glennon coming in as the tallest quarterback at 6-foot-7, something teams around the league will surely take notice of. While Wilson is a short quarterback and had success last season, Weeden led rookies with most balls knocked down at the line, making Glennon a prospect to watch for some teams.
Smith was a three-year starter at West Virginia and was a Heisman candidate earlier in the season through the first six games after opening with 26 touchdowns and six interceptions. He finished the year with for 4,205 yards and 40 touchdowns with just six interceptions, although he didn't look great in the Pinstripe Bowl against Syracuse.
His speed makes him a candidate for a team looking to emulate Griffin or Wilson and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid may want to start fresh with Smith as his new franchise quarterback.