When the on-field drills begin at the combine this Saturday, it's inevitable that at least one player will rise in prominence due to a standout effort.
Recent prospects that fit this mold include current Chiefs nose tackle Dontari Poe and, yes, Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins.
Collins burst onto the NFL scene with a breakout game against the Colts in the playoffs, displaying the athleticism that he flexed at the 2013 combine.
He set a combine record with a broad jump (an exercise often used to measure explosiveness) of 11'7". As proof he's more than a one-trick pony, Collins also came within an inch of tying the combine record for a vertical jump, with a 41.5" effort.
The former Southern Miss linebacker cruised to a 4.64 40-yard dash time and displayed an unusual combination of length and overall athleticism.
The combine isn't the only reference the Patriots use for making their draft decisions (it's simply a piece of the equation), but a performance like the one he put on certainly didn't hurt Collins' stock and evaluation by the team.