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10 Draft Prospects With The Most to Lose At 2015 NFL Combine

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By @aaroncharleskc

10 Draft Prospects With The Most to Lose At 2015 NFL Combine

USC v Arizona
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The 2015 NFL Combine is scheduled to begin on Feb. 17 in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium. Prepare for every draft board to be shaken up when the event concludes on Feb. 23. Top-rated athletes can see their stock drop significantly with a bad day or two. Here are 10 prospects with the most to lose.

10. WR DeVante Parker - Louisville Cardinals

Belk Bowl - Georgia v Louisville
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10. WR DeVante Parker - Louisville Cardinals

Belk Bowl - Georgia v Louisville
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Parker was dominant last season, but the sample size was small. A broken foot kept him out for the first seven games of the season. As of now, Parker is the third-best wide receiver on most draft boards. There are few wideouts right behind him, making a solid combine performance vital to keeping his lofty first-round projection.

9. OLB Vic Beasley - Clemson Tigers

Louisville v Clemson
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9. OLB Vic Beasley - Clemson Tigers

Louisville v Clemson
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Beasley's famous first step is widely considered the best in the draft. Being quick off the line isn't the only thing his position requires. Beasley could drop below a few other edge rushers if he can't prove other aspects of his game.

8. CB Trae Waynes - Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State v Maryland
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8. CB Trae Waynes - Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State v Maryland
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Waynes' status as the top cornerback in the draft is his to lose at the combine. Maturity issues from Marcus Peters and a knee injury to Ifo Ekpre-Olomu make Waynes the safest play among the three. To keep his "best corner in the draft" status, he'll need to prove his athleticism.

7. DE Leonard Williams - USC Trojans

USC v Arizona
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7. DE Leonard Williams - USC Trojans

USC v Arizona
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Williams is considered by many to be the best prospect in the draft. He has proven himself repeatedly on the field, but anyone projected as high as Williams stands to lose a lot with a weak combine performance.

6. RB Melvin Gordon - Wisconsin Badgers

Wisconsin v Iowa
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6. RB Melvin Gordon - Wisconsin Badgers

Wisconsin v Iowa
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Todd Gurley's injury has made Gordon the clear No. 1 running back at this point. That's not to say players such as Ameer Abdullah, Duke Johnson and Jay Ajayi are too far off in the distance. Gordon had an incredible college career, but if he's outperformed by another top prospect at the combine, his draft status will be in trouble.

5. OLB Dante Fowler - Florida Gators

Florida v Georgia
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5. OLB Dante Fowler - Florida Gators

Florida v Georgia
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There are several talented edge rushers in this draft. There are so many prospects bunched together that big combine performances will be needed to separate them. Right now, Fowler is projected as a top-10 pick. The pressure will be on to keep that projection.

4. WR Sammie Coates - Auburn Tigers

LSU v Auburn
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4. WR Sammie Coates - Auburn Tigers

LSU v Auburn
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Coates has been climbing draft boards after gaining momentum from a solid Senior Bowl Week. The difference between being selected in the first round or a later round could be what he shows scouts at the combine.

3. DE Randy Gregory - Nebraska Cornhuskers

Miami v Nebraska
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3. DE Randy Gregory - Nebraska Cornhuskers

Miami v Nebraska
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Again, the edge rushers are in a fierce competition with each other. Gregory has good length and speed, but so do a lot of prospects. Gregory needs to prove that he has elite speed and quickness, while showing he has the strength to go with it. He's projected as high as the top five, but that can change very quickly.

2. CB Marcus Peters - Washington Huskies

Eastern Washington v Washington
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2. CB Marcus Peters - Washington Huskies

Eastern Washington v Washington
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Peters was dismissed from the Washington Huskies after repeated conflicts with his coaching staff. Players with maturity issues absolutely need to show teams that they are worth the gamble. Many believe Peters to be the most talented corner in the draft. If he has a poor showing at the combine, he could fall way down the draft board.

1. WR Dorial Green-Beckham - Oklahoma Sooners

SEC Championship - Missouri v Auburn
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1. WR Dorial Green-Beckham - Oklahoma Sooners

SEC Championship - Missouri v Auburn
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Speaking of risk/reward players, Green-Beckham is the extreme. He was dismissed from the Missouri Tigers, and was forced to miss the 2014 season after a police report cited him pushing a young female down several flights of stairs. Risk/reward players need to prove that the reward could be there. If DGB can't wow people with athleticism at the combine, no team will want to risk a high draft pick on him.

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