Teams should never put too much stock into an NFL hopeful's combine performance. Game tape, medical evaluations, proven production and playstyle should all be bigger factors than how a guy runs or jumps in spandex.
However, combine workouts are still a valuable evaluation tool, and when a player's film and athletic prowess sync up, it can make him a rising star heading into the rest of the pre-draft process.
Take Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs III for example. He didn't have the greatest raw numbers in 2019—he caught 40 passes for 746 yards and seven touchdowns—but his speed and athleticism regularly leap off the game film.