BY FRAN DUFFY

I find the National Football Scouting Combine to be a test of expectations. Fast players should look fast. Slow players should look slow. When the results don’t match the expectations, that is when more work must be done.

Below you’ll find my expectations for this position group this week in Indianapolis. Who do I expect to stand out? Who does this week mean the most for? What are the drills I prioritize most? Here are my thoughts on all of that and more!

Workout Warriors:

These are the players who I expect to perform best in the athletic testing portion of the workout.

Carson Schwesinger (UCLA)

A former walk-on turned All-American, Schwesinger was one of the best stories in the nation this season after entering the starting lineup in mid-September. A fluid athlete with impressive range, quickness and closing speed, he should check all of the boxes this week.

Danny Stutsman (Oklahoma)

The All-American has NFL size at 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, but don’t sleep on his athleticism! On film, I thought Stutsman looked like a very fluid, natural athlete. He has speed to make plays covering the entire width of the field, and his ease of movement should reflect positively in testing.

Nick Martin (Oklahoma State)

Martin is an extremely small, compact linebacker, and that may limit his upside on defense, but he profiles really well as a special teams demon in the NFL thanks to his outstanding speed in the open field and change of direction. The weight-adjusted times won’t be all that great, but the raw numbers here should be some of the best at the position.

Cody Lindenberg (Minnesota)

An impressive athlete with explosive bursts on tape to go along with good length (33’’ long arms), Lindenberg is built like Tarzan and really looks the part. The tape is a bit up-and-down, but teams draft length and athleticism at this position, so however early you think he’ll get selected in April, it’s probably not early enough.

Eugene Asante (Auburn)

Like Martin, Asante is another short, compact linebacker with top-end speed like a wideout. He should shine in this portion of the week. I expect him to test well.

The Drill To Watch:

I am a big proponent of studying the position work at this event. That is my focus when I’m inside Lucas Oil Stadium - not the athletic tests! Here’s the drill I weigh the heaviest and who I expect to shine when it’s that time of the night.

Like most positions in football, teams want to find linebackers that can impact the passing game. If you’re not going to rush the quarterback, that means you have to be viable in coverage. Can you efficiently flip your hips in space, turn and run, and find the football? Some of the coverage drills we’ll see will put that to the test. Some things to notice while watching these drills:

• You want to see the defenders flip their hips without losing much speed, if any. Want an easy way to look for this? Watch their head. If their head pops up, that typically is a sign of some lateral stiffness when they’re asked to execute that kind of athletic maneuver.