2017 NFL Combine: 10 Players to watch from Big Ten

6. Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio State

Is it fair to say that Curtis Samuel underperformed last season? I’m going to sound like I’m being overly critical, but Samuel didn’t perform as an elite receiver or back last season. His rushing total (771 yards and averaged 7.1 yards each time he ran the ball) is averaged and his receiving totals (865 yards receiving and averaged 11.7 yards per catch) are average, too.

Despite his elite speed, he’s still only 5-foot-11 and 197 pounds so it’s tough to see how he’ll project in the NFL. The fact he averaged 7.1 yards each time he ran the ball is impressive, but due to his size and weight, there’s no way he can endure the pounding an NFL running back endures during the course of a season, let alone a game.

His height also limits what kind of ways NFL teams can use him as a receiver, too. He’ll likely grade out to being a slot receiver, so his 40-yard times will impact where he gets drafted.

An East regional scout for an AFC team has concerns about how NFL teams can use Samuel.

"“It’s kind of like with Jalin Marshall last year. How do you use him? He’s not a running back and his routes and hands really aren’t that good. Marshall went undrafted. Samuel is a better athlete but they are about the same size and give you the same concerns with how to use them.”"

Would an NFL team burn a high draft pick on a special teams player or a player who they’ll have trouble giving a consistent role in their offensive sets? That’s debatable.

It will be up to Samuel to dazzle teams during his workouts at the combine if he has any chance of being a high draft pick.

5. Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State

Mark Dantonio isn’t the only person in East Lansing that had a tough season.

Malik McDowell went into his junior season with a ton of buzz surrounding him, only to see his chances of being a first-round pick take a big hit. An ankle injury last season limited what he did on the field as he finished with seven tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

McDowell left high school as a consensus top-fifty player in the country. Despite his family urging him to leave Detroit, McDowell elected to stay close to him and sign with Michigan State. Things didn’t go well for McDowell in East Lansing as he saw limited time as a freshman,

According to an NFC North area scout, the term “lazy” has been pegged on McDowell which is something that will hurt his draft stock.

"“He has a chance to be a dominant player in our league. I mean dominant. It hasn’t turned on for him all the way yet but if it does, he could be like Mario Williams. He’s just a little lazy and I worry about whether he is going to be a self-starter.”"

McDowell needs to show up at the combine with a huge chip on his shoulder and with the attitude that he has something to prove. He has to forget that he got a lot of buzz as a high school player and realize that people are now starting to look at his pro prospects a lot more critically than when he arrived in East Lansing.

Showing up to the combine with a chip on his shoulder and a great work ethic will do wonders for his draft stock.

4. Jabrill Peppers, LB, Michigan

Something I’ve admired for the past two seasons is the heart and intensity Jabrill Peppers plays with every time he steps onto the field. Doing some prep for this article, I learned that his passion and energy on the football field is fueled by the fact his father was in jail for most of his childhood and his brother was shot and killed when he was in high school.

The culmination of those two events have helped football become Peppers’ place to get rid of his anger and hurt and he channeled it into a Heisman-worth campaign last season.

Peppers was also named the 2013 USA Today High School Defensive Player of the Year, he was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year Award in 2015 and last season he was the Big Ten’s Linebacker of the Year.

Peppers’ NFL Draft Combine page had this to say about his strengths:

"Athletic and fluid in space with desired change of direction talent. Moves with the changing flow of a play. Willing to sacrifice body to honor contain against run. Jack of all trades. Can play slot, safety or linebacker in sub-packages in any given game. Won’t hesitate to race downhill once he diagnoses run. Hits with as much force as he can muster. Has big closing burst. Runs plays down from sideline to sideline. Able to knife into gaps and make tackles for losses or disrupt runs. Has man cover talent and is physical enough to handle most tight ends. Has enough quickness to match receivers. Aggressively re-routes receivers. Capable blitzer who buzzes in from all angles. Electric return man with ability to charge up crowd and his own sideline with big kick or punt return. Has experience carrying and catching the ball and as wildcat quarterback. Could offer red-zone flexibility on offense."

While a lot of mock drafts have him as being a fringe first round pick, he seems like a natural fit on a team like the New England Patriots who can use his heart, athleticism, and high football IQ.

Look for Peppers to wow teams with his athleticism during drills and to secure himself as a first round pick.