Predicting Risers & Fallers at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine

Nick Martin-Offensive Guard-Notre Dame

Does the last name Martin sound familiar? It should. Notre Dame offensive guard Nick Martin is the younger brother of Zack Martin, the Dallas Cowboys’ All-Pro guard.

The older Martin was drafted with the 16th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft and he has quickly become one of the best guards in all of professional football. That’s a good lead for the younger Martin to follow.

Nick Martin had a great week at the Reese’s Senior Bowl and, while he played center in his final season at Notre Dame, he showed positional versatility throughout the drills.

It is no secret that the 49ers offensive line is shaky at best. The team may not re-sign free-agent guard Alex Boone and will be looking to solidify the interior of the line. Drafting Martin could go a long way in doing that.

Of course, before the draft comes the Scouting Combine. Martin, despite having limited play strength, will excel in interviews and the intellectual aspects of the week in Indianapolis. His ability to rapidly process information will be on display for teams that may be in need of a young leader to come in and fortify an offensive line.

With older brother Zack already setting a good example, it’s hard to doubt that Martin will, at worst, be solid for years to come.

If Martin can parlay his performance at the Senior Bowl into an impressive showing at the Scouting Combine, he’ll be on his way to a top-50 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Martin is just on the cusp of being one of the best offensive line prospects in the draft.

The fact that he is sitting on the edge could make him one of the steals in the second round. The 49ers, who need interior offensive line help, could select a skill position player in the first round and still build in the trenches by choosing Martin in the second.

Martin’s tape over at DraftBreakdown is longer than most, but it will give you an idea of Martin’s athleticism as well as some of the deficiencies that could make him available later.

The first step for all of these prospects will be to endure the grueling process of the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine. While some see it as just doing drills on the field, it is a much more intense process that consumes prospects for the entire week.

Players have been training privately with position-specific coaches simply to post good numbers in the drills that are deemed meaningful. Think of it as a week-long job interview in direct competition with some of the best options in the nation. Showing up prepared is hard enough, but to impress in front of 32 NFL teams is incredibly difficult.

As with any sort of competition, someone wins and someone loses. For every lightning-fast 40-yard dash, there will be other runs that make coaches and scouts wonder whether a guy can play in the NFL.

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The 49ers have the picks and the needs to rebuild a crumbling roster with new head coach Chip Kelly’s vision in mind. The players that have been invited to the Scouting Combine are the first step in doing so. If the 49ers are able to isolate specific prospects that stand out, for good or bad, they can begin to shape their draft board with more certainty.

As quick as the Scouting Combine comes, it is gone equally as fast. Once it is over, we will be left to talk about who ran fast, jumped high and made a name for themselves at Lucas Oil Stadium.

For the prospects on this list, they could see their draft stock trending post-Combine, and not always the way they’d prefer.

Next: What Needs to Change in 49ers Week 5 Offense?

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and ESPN Statistics unless otherwise indicated.