NFL Combine: Five disappointments

As Rivals.com’s NFL Scouting Combine coverage continues, we take a look at five players who might have hurt their draft status after underwhelming performances at the event. Here is a look at each player’s recruitment, a glance back at their showing in Indianapolis and a take on each from Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell.

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The skinny: The Landsdowne (Pa.) Penn Wood four-star was rated as the No. 18 strong-side defensive end and No. 241 overall in the 2011 class. After signing with Penn State, Oakman was kicked off the team after an off-the-field incident and he transferred to Baylor. Oakman picked the Nittany Lions over offers from Connecticut, N.C. State, Pittsburgh and Temple.

Combine overview: Oakman was one of the best-looking players at the combine but his numbers didn’t blow anybody away. He ran a 4.96 40-yard dash and had only 23 reps on the bench press, plus his cone drill wasn’t great, which questions his burst. Couple that with an average showing at the Senior Bowl and there are questions.

Farrell’s take: When Oakman box jumped 40 inches with 70-pound dumbells in his hands this past spring, the most intimidating physical presence in college football reached super freak status on the Internet. However, after another lackluster season which showed his lack of natural instincts, we at least expected him to blow up the combine. So when he was in the top group only for the broad jump, scouts were disappointed. OK, maybe they weren’t because drafting a guy who is as raw as he was out of high school isn’t high on their list, but I was disappointed.

The skinny: Spence was the top-rated weakside defensive end and ninth overall in the 2012 class out of Harrisburg (Pa.) Bishop McDevitt. The No. 1 recruit in the Pennsylvania state rankings had a top seven and Ohio State wasn’t on the list. Penn State was considered the favorite but slipped after the child sex abuse scandal surfaced. After playing for a couple seasons at Ohio State, he was suspended indefinitely for failed drug tests. He finished his career at Eastern Kentucky

Combine overview: With major off-the-field questions, Spence had to absolutely blow away the combine testing and he didn’t do it. His numbers of 4.8 seconds in the 40, a 35-inch vertical and a really impressive broad jump were fine but not really eye-opening. He could still very well be a first-round pick, but his combine showing didn’t help him much.

Farrell’s take: Spence was freaky out of high school, there was no doubting that. He could have played linebacker or defensive end in college, he ran like a deer, and he changed direction and curled back into the play like few others. So when he ran a 4.8 in the 40 and didn't place that high in the 20-yard shuttle or three-cone drill, it was surprising and is another reason for scouts to drop him. Had he busted off a 4.6-something and done better in drills, he’d still be on the round one radar despite some apparently weak interviews about his past off-field issues. But the freak results I expected from the former five-star never materialized.

The skinny: Bosa was rated as the fourth-best strongside defensive end and No. 47 overall coming out of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas in the 2013 class. After a round of unofficial visits, Bosa released a top four of Alabama, Florida State, Michigan and Ohio State in no order. He returned to Columbus about a week later for the spring game and committed to the Buckeyes.

Combine overview: Bosa was a mixed bag at the combine as he did really well in the broad jump, three cone drill and 20-yard shuttle but wasn’t putting up major numbers in the 40 (4.86), bench press or vertical jump, which could raise some eyebrows. With he and DeForest Buckner as the top two defensive ends in this draft, every single thing will be so closely watched.

Farrell’s take: Bosa, who was a four-star in high school but played like a five-star in college, had a very average combine. Coming in leaner than expected at 269 pounds in an apparent effort to bolster his times, he still ran a weak 4.86 40-yard dash and had average bench rep and vertical numbers. He did broad jump well, showing explosion, and his shuttle times were very good, but he’s a bit lucky he doesn’t have the same baggage Spence has and better film against better competition or he would have dropped a bit outside of the top 10 talk.

The skinny: The four-star prospect from Fort Myers (Fla.) South Fort Myers was rated as the No. 14 athlete and No. 242 overall in the 2013 class. After commitments to Auburn and Miami, Kearse picked Clemson a month before his senior year.

Combine overview: As fellow Clemson safety T.J. Green moves up draft boards because of his outstanding performance at the combine, Kearse could be dipping a bit. Kearse looked explosive in the broad jump but he needs to do better on the 40-yard dash and basically every other event at his Pro Day to regain his reputation as one of the more athletic safeties in this draft.

Farrell’s take: He makes some freakish plays and is a long athlete which makes you think he’s a freaky athlete, but clearly he’s not. He ran a weak 40-yard dash, had a weak vertical and his three-cone time wasn’t great either. The nephew of “The Freak” Jevon Kearse was anything but freaky at the combine.

The skinny: Nicolas was a three-star defensive end out of Delray Beach (Fla.) Atlantic who went by the name Wedley Estime in high school. Originally a Minnesota commit, he flipped his pledge to Virginia Tech after his official visit.

Combine overview: Fourteen reps on the bench press will be hard to justify to NFL teams looking for some speed and power coming off the edge. That alone could move Nicolas strictly to outside linebacker, which limits his options. His other times, whether in the 40 or especially in the vertical, were pretty solid, so the athleticism is there for sure.

Farrell’s take: Nicolas didn’t have a bad combine as his 4.74 40 was solid and his 41-inch vertical was very impressive, but he didn’t show much strength in the bench press or broad jump and his shuttle times were average. As an undersized end who might need to play linebacker and was hailed as a potential combine freak, he fell short.