Redskins: Five NFL Draft risers from Friday’s NFL Combine events

Before typing anything, let me reiterate: Prospects should not be drafted based on athletic traits alone. Teams know this, and teams cross-reference tape after the NFL Combine to supplement their knowledge of prospects.

In a way, the drill results seen at the combine are not new, as they are readily accessible via the tape. Even so, some relatively unknown prospects cultivate their own artificial hype with exceptional drill all-around results, and that’s what Weber State’s Iosua Opeta did on Friday.

As a Day 3 offensive guard prospect, Opeta put his modest developmental upside in the spotlight during combine testing yesterday. At 6-foot-4, 304, he boasted some mobility and functional strength. He ran the fifth fastest 40-yard dash time at 5.02, as well as a blazing 1.66 10-yard split, logged the most bench reps in the offensive line class at 39, and logged a 33-inch vertical as well.

Opeta’s agility scores weren’t nearly as good, and he’s long been considered a late-round prospect at best up until now, so care should be taken when considering him. But as a riser, Opeta is near the top of the list after Friday’s events. Some team will undoubtedly be willing to take a chance on his strength and speed at some point.