NFL Scouting Combine: 5 players who need to improve 2019 draft stock

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 05: Wake Forest defensive back Jessie Bates (DB45) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 5, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

With the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine kicking off this week, Niner Noise takes a look at five draft prospects who’ll need a strong effort to improve their stock.

It can be hard to gauge just how good a draft prospect will be based solely off his efforts at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Yet these prospective “spandex Olympics” can gauge a player’s abilities in a controlled environment, measuring aspects like pure speed, strength, agility and the all-too-important player interviews with team representatives and scouts.

Plus, it’s just another enticing event leading up to the NFL Draft, which kicks off this April for 2019.

Workouts officially kick off on March 1, although players will report earlier for physicals and other various duties. The full list of invitees can be found here.

The San Francisco 49ers, who own the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, could easily be influenced by what happens at the NFL Scouting Combine. While there will be only a handful of prospects worth the second pick overall, a presumptive trade down could occur if another prospect is deemed worthy and the team wants to maximize value.

Yet those players looking to improve their draft stock aren’t limited to just those anticipated to go in the top three. Sure, every player wants to have a good combine. But a number of them need to, particularly if they’re on the fringes of a particular round or have other notable question marks next to their name.

Here are five players who need to shine during the upcoming NFL Scouting Combine.