Broncos at the Combine: What RBs to Watch in the Drills

The NFL Scouting Combine is quickly approaching. The Combine is a major part of the pre-draft process where teams get answers to many of their questions.

NFL teams get to interview prospects, have the medical staff go over each player's health history with a fine-tooth comb, observe the athletic testing on the field, as well as the positional drills. A good week at the Combine can really boost a prospect's draft stock, while a bad one can torpedo it.

With the Combine on the horizon, I'm breaking down each position to talk about what drills or testing really matter, what teams want to see from specific prospects, or what answers teams are seeking on each. I'll also reveal the snubs for each position that did not receive an invite.

Today, it's the running backs.

The Denver Broncos need some help at running back to take the load off of Phillip Lindsay. When it comes to an RB, the Broncos are looking for a player who can make an impact as a pass-catcher, which was made clear during Pat Shurmur's introductory presser.

What Matters Most for RBs

What matters for RBs varies based on the size of the prospect. With smaller RBs, teams want to see a fast 3-cone drill and a quicker 40 time. With bigger RBs, teams are looking at the explosion testing, so the 10-yard split and broad jump.

For the Broncos, in particular, they want to see the RBs do well in the receiving drills.

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RBs to Watch

Cam Akers, Florida State: He has good size to him, but how smooth and athletic is he really? He is one of the better backs in the class, and answering these questions can cement him there.

Zack Moss, Utah: After suffering knee and shoulder injuries in his career and having over 3,600 yards on over 600 carries in the last three years, the medicals are going to make or break Moss’ stock.

Joshua Kelley, UCLA: Over the last two years, Kelley has flashed the potential as a receiver, but teams want to see how good he really is. At the Combine, the receiving drills will provide the opportunity for teams to get answers on his hands and routes.

Anthony McFarland, Maryland: It was a rough season for McFarland, and teams will be asking about that in the interviews. They will also be keeping a close eye on his footwork during the positional drills.

Darius Anderson, TCU: There are major questions about Anderson and his long speed. Well, more like, he doesn’t have long speed and the Combine should confirm that. So without the long speed, he will need to be explosive, so just how explosive is he?

Raymond Calais, Louisiana: This guy is fast and should run a fast 40-yard dash, but how shifty can he be to weaponize that speed? 3-cone, shuttles, and drills are going to be scrutinized.

A.J. Dillon, Boston College: A big, big back, Dillon is going to need to be very explosive in order to really boost his draft stock. Additionally, how smooth is he with his size is going to factor in.

James Robinson, Illinois State: Interviews are important for smaller school prospects to gauge their football IQ. Also with Robinson teams will be checking his 40 time to see what long speed he offers.

Antonio Gibson, Memphis: Gibson is a receiver/running back weapon for offenses and teams will use the Combine to figure out which role he best fits, though he's still likely to be used at both positions in the NFL.

Who was Snubbed?

After a strong week at the Shrine Bowl, UCF's Adrian Killins and Illinois' Reggie Corbin not being invited to the Combine is a bit of a surprise. New Mexico State's Jason Huntley is easier to understand, but the strong NFLPA Bowl week he had should’ve been enough to garner an invite.

There are a few other running backs that were snubbed, but these three stand out.

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