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Friday's Scouting Combine Blog

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A running collection of the latest sights from the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, where the top college recruits showcase their skills for coaches and scouts.

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If a quarterback isn't the first player selected in the 2015 NFL Draft, defensive lineman Leonard Williams of USC has a strong case to take the top spot. A 20-year-old underclassman, Williams was USC's MVP and a second-team All-America in 2014. He played up and down the defensive line in both odd and even fronts.

"It would mean a lot to me. I would expect to go as high as possible. I have high expectations for myself. That's just the way I've been coached for a long time," Williams said of potentially being the No. 1 overall pick. "It would mean a lot to me and my family to go as high as possible. If number one is the spot, then I would love to be there."

Williams said the decision to come out was a tough one, but he wanted to take care of his mother, Aviva, who raised Williams and his four siblings as a single parent.

"My mom was a strong, single parent who took care of five children that were all my size so I'm pretty sure it was hard to put a lot of food on the table," the 6-5, 302-pound Williams said. "She's a strong woman, so hopefully one day I'll be able to repay her."

Williams admires the play of Houston's J.J. Watt. Williams' play has been compared to that of former All-Pro defensive lineman Richard Seymour.

-- Chris McPherson, 6:13 PM

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Dante Fowler checked in at the NFL Scouting Combine at 6-2, 261 pounds and the former Florida edge rusher has experience playing both along the line and in space.

"I've been all over the place. It can help me a lot," Fowler said. "I can play anywhere. I can play from linebacker to D-end and then go in the trenches and play from 3-technique to nose guard. I can do a lot for a team and I can cause a lot of fits for the offense and really just stress offensive coordinators out and things like that."

Fowler is just 20 years old and decided to declare for the draft after earning All-SEC honors as a junior. He called the position versatility "an advantage" for transitioning to the NFL.

"I really was a linebacker growing up," Fowler said. "I moved to defensive end my 10th grade year. I really liked it and was fortunate enough and versatile enough to play both."

Fowler is considered by some draft experts as the top edge rusher in this year's draft class and most mock drafts have him being selected in the first round.

-- Chris McPherson, 12:40 PM

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Former Texas defensive lineman Malcom Brown isn't the typical underclassman. When making the decision to leave the Longhorns, the first-team All-America selection had more to think about than just himself. He had a wife and two kids to consider.

"I have to finish school. My wife has to finish school. It took a lot of thought. Both of us really want to finish. That's a real big thing," Brown said. "I have to think about moving my family around and stuff like that."

Brown has been married for nine months and has a stepdaughter who is 4 years old and a daughter who is just nine months old.

"It just gives me more motivation. I'm not just playing for myself anymore. I'm playing to support the whole family," Brown said. "I can't just think about myself when I make decisions."

Brown led Texas with 13 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks last season. He is projected by multiple mock drafts to be a first-round selection in April.

-- Chris McPherson, 12:31 PM

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The offensive linemen and tight ends take to the field at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis to get the position drills underway. Lance Zierlein from NFL.com and The Sideline View offered a great preview of the offensive linemen.

The quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers will partake in the bench press and take the psychological exams including the Wonderlic test.

The defensive front seven will be in the media center along with former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston. NFL Films senior producer Greg Cosell looks at the strong crop of edge rushers in this year's draft class. Another interesting player will be former UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks, the brother of Mychal Kendricks.

Here's a look at some of the other headlines from Thursday's action at the NFL Scouting Combine.

-- Chris McPherson, 10:00 AM

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