There's no question Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Kyler Murray is the most intriguing prospect at the 2019 NFL combine. Is he shorter or lighter than the 5-foot-10, 195 pounds he's listed at by Oklahoma? Can he convince NFL decision-makers that he's focused on football and won't give it up to go back to baseball? Will he show off his arm in workouts? Will he run a 40-yard dash or compete in other athletic testing drills?
He's far from the only prospect teams will be closely watching, however, as testing gets underway Thursday. Here are five others to keep an eye on in Indianapolis:
Taylor Rapp, DB, Washington
Scouts Inc. ranking: No. 1 DS, No. 35 overall
Rapp reportedly ran a 6.57-second three-cone and a 3.88 short shuttle time last March. That would have been the third-fastest three-cone time among safeties last year, and the fastest short shuttle run by any defensive back since 2016. If he's 200 pounds, runs in the low 4.5s in the 40-yard dash and his arm length checks out, along with those kinds of times in the agility drills, he'll have the testing and tape to push for the top safety spot and the first round.
Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio State
Scouts Inc. ranking: No. 6 WR, No. 49 overall
Campbell is a track star with outstanding top-end speed, and we expect him to run well, so a fast 40 time might not improve his stock as much as it would confirm what we already know. That said, he could become just the fifth receiver to run a sub-4.3 40-yard dash since 2010, and that kind of time would help him. Plus, he's expected to measure taller and heavier than any of the other four receivers who have run under a 4.30 40 (John Ross, Marquise Goodwin, J. J. Nelson and Jacoby Ford).
David Montgomery, RB, Iowa State
Scouts Inc. ranking: No. 3 RB, No. 64 overall
Montgomery's tape and production are excellent. He has the skill set to develop into a productive three-down back in the NFL. He has outstanding football intangibles, and it would be a surprise if he didn't impress during the interview process. The concern is that he doesn't show much of a second gear on tape, so the key for him is running in the mid-4.5s in the 40. Anything faster will obviously help.
Germaine Pratt, OLB, NC State
Scouts Inc. ranking: No. 4 OLB, No. 75 overall
Pratt is a former safety who has bulked up to 240 pounds seemingly without losing his top-end speed or closing burst. It's important that he affirms what he has shown on tape by running well and proving to teams that he's a three-down linebacker with the cover skills to compete with tight ends and backs by testing well in the agility drills. Bench-pressing 225 pounds in the range of 20 reps would help ease concern about his ability to take on blocks, especially considering he has slightly below-average length (31⅝-inch arms at the Senior Bowl).
Dawson Knox, TE, Ole Miss
Scouts Inc. ranking: No. 5 TE, No. 84 overall
Knox is an underdeveloped route runner who has inconsistent hands and caught just 15 passes last season, yet he projects as a potential Day 2 pick based on his considerable upside. Listed at 6-4 and 257 pounds, he's expected to run well. If he's 255 pounds, jumps well and runs in the mid-to-low 4.6-second range in the 40, look for a team to take a chance on that potential. The flip side is it's a deep tight end class, so he could fall down boards if he doesn't test well.