Winners and Losers from the NFL combine
The NFL Scouting Combine is all about momentum, either building it up or allowing it to stall.
Teams rely on tape most of all for evaluation, but there's little doubt that combine results can hugely affect a player's stock.
So, here are four winners and four losers from this year's combine:
Winners
Cleveland Browns
The Browns hold the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, and after the results of the combine, there should be no doubts about who they should pick: Myles Garrett.
The former Texas A&M edge rusher was viewed as the favorite before the event, but he made the Browns' decision an easy one after managing to exceed the already sky-high expectations with a dominant combine performance.
While it means NFL fans looking for drama at the top of the draft are certainly big losers, the Browns could be the combine's biggest winners.
John Ross
When you break the 40-yard dash record, how could you be anything other than a huge winner?
John Ross stole the show with a 4.22-second time in the 40, beating Chris Johnson's record set back in 2008. Ross still has questions about his health, as he's set to undergo shoulder surgery in mid-March, but he could now be the first wide receiver taken in the draft.
That should make up for not winning an island.
Anyone who wants an athletic TE
This year's combine gave us maybe the most athletically gifted group of tight ends we've ever seen.
Ten tight ends ran the 40-yard dash in under 4.7 seconds - the most in combine history - and six of the top 15 broad jumps of all time were set by this year's group. But even in an impressive group, O.J. Howard and Evan Engram stood out, looking like future superstars.
In short, if you want a tight end, this is your year. It's possible we see multiple tight ends taken in the first round for the first time since 2006.
Deshaun Watson
Deshaun Watson started three seasons at Clemson and won a national title in 2016, so it was hard to see how he could improve his draft stock.
However, the quarterback blew teams away during interviews, according to the MMQB's Albert Breer, and also produced spectacularly during passing drills.
It might not be enough to secure the position of No. 1 QB prospect, but after months of momentum for Mitchell Trubisky, Watson reminded the NFL why he shouldn't be overlooked.
Losers
Reuben Foster
No player arguably hurt their draft stock more than Reuben Foster, and he didn't even get the chance to hit the field.
The former Alabama linebacker was reportedly sent home from the combine after an altercation with a hospital worker. Foster said nothing happened and will reportedly attempt some damage control by meeting with teams for three hours Tuesday to answer questions about the incident, but it will be hard for him to shake this off.
Foster should still be a top-15 pick, but there's now a chance of a draft-day slide if teams are unconvinced by his explanation and he doesn't put up great numbers at his pro day.
Cook and the RB group overall
Running backs were expected to form one of the strongest groups in this year's draft, but you wouldn't have guessed it based on the collective combine performance at the position.
Christian McCaffrey did have a spectacular day, and Leonard Fournette recovered from a poor vertical jump to put in some good numbers in other events, but Dalvin Cook was a massive disappointment.
The former Florida State standout was being touted as potential top-10 pick, but there are now serious questions about his athleticism after poor showings in nearly every drill but the 40.
Additionally, Samaje Perine and Corey Clement struggled in most of the drills, and D'Onta Freeman had a foot injury revealed, which kept him from participating.
Overall, the running back class failed to live up to expectations. It's still one of the deepest positions in the draft, but the shine has come off slightly.
Tim Williams
Tim Williams was always going to spend the draft process answering questions about his character after multiple failed drugs tests while at Alabama, but the one thing that wasn't meant to be in doubt about the edge rusher was his athleticism.
While Williams' 40-yard dash was solid, he severely underperformed in two drills designed to evaluate burst and agility - the 20-yard shuttle and three-cone drill - which were supposed to be the 23-year-old's strength.
Now, teams will likely go back to his film to assess whether the athleticism he showed on tape was a mirage. With off- and on-field questions and a hugely talented edge class, Williams could slide out of the first round.
Free-agent defensive backs
If you're a free-agent defensive back looking to get paid on the open market this offseason, you could be out of luck, thanks to an amazing defensive back draft class.
The group was being touted as the best in recent memory before the draft, and proved as much at the combine. This means teams could avoid shelling out money in free agency by waiting until the draft, capitalizing on the depth of the class in later rounds.
Top players like A.J. Bouye and Stephon Gilmore will be unaffected, but the mid-tier guys looking for a solid second contract are in line for a disappointing free-agency period.