Predicting Risers & Fallers at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine

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Feb 18, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke speaks at a press conference during the 2015 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

The 2016 NFL Scouting Combine will begin on February 23rd and continue through February 29th. While hopeful draftees look to impress teams with their performance, some will leave teams with question marks. Niner Noise looks at potential 49ers options and how they might perform in Indianapolis.

The NFL Scouting Combine is what some might call the “Underwear Olympics.” The NFL invites over 300 prospects to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for a weekend to prove themselves in workouts and drills among their peers.

Every year there are impressive college players left off of the invitee list in favor of lesser-quality talent. NFLCombine.net has an official list of all of the players that have been invited to participate this year.

Each year, there are players that make names for themselves based on how they perform throughout the weekend. Whether they exceed expectations on the bench press, catch everything thrown their way or put up a blazing-fast 40-yard dash time, certain players will see their names become hot topics.

Consequently, for the guys that manage to impress, there are also guys that show up looking out-of-shape and ill-prepared. The Scouting Combine is a grueling process, requiring prospects to remain not only physically prepared, but mentally as well. After working out in high-pressure environments, prospects also interview with a majority of teams and are put through difficult intelligence tests.

The whole weekend amounts to one high-stakes job interview that can make or break prospects. The San Francisco 49ers will surely come with a list of players to heavily investigate but they’ll keep their eyes out for some of the astonishing performances as well.

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With their picks and needs in mind, here are predictions for prospects that will impress the 49ers, and also prospects that will disappoint in Indianapolis at the Scouting Combine.

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