The 2016 NFL Scouting Combine is officially in the books, and this year's highly anticipated draft event came with its fair share of storylines.
As is the case every February, a number of notable players left Indianapolis having put forth a performance that will impact their draft stock in one way or another.
Here's a look at a few players now trending in either direction:
Stock Up: Jalen Ramsey
Ramsey's stock was already sky-high. He's the consensus top defensive back in this class regardless of whether he's drafted as a cornerback or as a safety. But the Florida State standout was easily among the most impressive players throughout combine week overall.
Ramsey was among the leading defensive backs in the 40-yard dash (4.41 sec), vertical jump (41.5 inches), and broad jump (11-foot-3). His incredible athleticism only continued to shine through when it came time to take the field for position drills, further solidifying his standing as a likely top-five pick.
Stock Down: Noah Spence
Off-field concerns had been the main factors working against Spence to this point. An underwhelming combine performance, however, will now bring up additional questions about his potential to develop into a top-tier edge-rusher at the next level.
Most notably, Spence posted a pedestrian 4.80-second 40-yard dash time. He'll have another opportunity to improve that time at his upcoming Pro Day, and straight-line speed isn't necessarily indicative of a productive player at the position, but it will have scouts double-checking the tape in the meantime.
Stock Up: Josh Doctson
As is the case for many dominant college receivers, it was previously unclear whether Doctson had the necessary speed to separate at the next level. Those concerns were likely put to rest after the 6-foot-2, 202-pound wideout completed the 40-yard dash in 4.50 seconds.
The strong time, combined with the standout performances in other tests and on-field drills, may end up bumping Doctson into the bottom third of the first round. The polish he demonstrated in his final two seasons at TCU is now backed up by strong athletic scores across the board.
Stock Down: Cardale Jones
After a college career in which he threw just 269 passes, Jones may have entered this week with more to gain than any other player. The hamstring injury he suffered in the 40-yard dash, however, brought his day of on-field drills to an early end.
A talented passer with more than enough arm strength to complete all NFL-type throws, Jones likely would have excelled when it came time for the quarterbacks to throw. He'll still have an opportunity to do so in front of scouts during Ohio State's pro day, but his stock certainly took a hit for the time being. Jones' transition will be incredibly difficult to project.
Stock Up: Darron Lee
Lee was a star this week. The Ohio State product placed among the top linebackers in all athletic tests, including a blistering 4.47-second time in the 40-yard dash.
He'll likely have to add some size to his frame to contribute as an every-down off-ball linebacker in the NFL, but it's clear that Lee is a special talent either way. His status as a first-round talent should now be solidified to the point where it wouldn't be much of a surprise to see him come off the board somewhere within in the top-20 picks.
Stock Down: Darian Thompson
A strong showing at the Senior Bowl likely had Thompson flying up draft boards around the league. Just a few weeks later, after checking in toward the bottom of the safety group in nearly every combine event, there are now some questions regarding his athletic ability.
Thompson will have to improve on the vast majority of these results at his pro day - the most concerning of which being a 4.69-second 40 - if he's to avoid a slide on draft weekend. As important as the game tape will always be for any player evaluation, NFL teams have athletic thresholds they require of certain positions. Safeties, serving as the last line of defense in the secondary, simply can't lack speed.
