NFL scouting combine helps some, raises questions about others and creates intrigue as draft looms

Fans must now wait days or weeks for the full picture to come into view, though the combine still was filled with interesting twists and intriguing plots that will be discussed between now and the draft, which begins in Green Bay on April 24.

Here's a look at some of the top stories from the combine:

Winners

Armand Membou, OT, Missouri. He came to Indy in the mix to be the first offensive lineman drafted this year, and after measuring in at 6-foot-4, 332 pounds he dazzled with his athleticism. Membou ran the 40-yard dash in 4.91 seconds, led all offensive linemen with a broad jump of 9 feet, 7 inches and had a 34-inch vertical jump. That should be enough to cement his status as a high first-round pick.

Shemar Stewart, DE, Texas A&M. It was another big guy on the opposite side of the ball who stole the spotlight on the first night of workouts. He put up elite numbers in the 40 — a time of 4.59 and a 10-yard split of 1.58 seconds — before posting a broad jump of 10-1 to go with a 40-inch vertical jump. All four numbers were top five in his position group, and he should be moving up the rankings between now and draft day.

Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State. The 5-foot-10, 194-pound receiver certainly appeared to have something to prove this weekend — and he did. Noel was one of the few players to participate in every test and he aced them all. He was one of a record 10 receivers with a sub-4.4 40, finishing in 4.39 with a 10-yard split of 1.51. He had the best vertical (41 1/2) and top broad jump (11-2) at his position and even did a group-best 23 reps on the bench press. His 20-yard shuttle (4.17) and three-cone drill (6.82) times also made the top five. And a strong showing catching passes made it a good weekend for Noel.

Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama. With Jalon Walker of Georgia sitting out, Campbell quickly became the feature attraction in his position group. He didn't disappoint in the three drills he tried. Campbell's 4.52 time in the 40 was third among linebackers, just a few ticks off Kain Medrano's group-leading 4.46. Only two linebackers bettered Campbell's 10-yard split, 1.53, and he finished second in the broad jump at 10-7. He may not go ahead of Walker but his workout might help narrow the gap.

Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky. After missing five games with a shoulder injury last season, Hairston made a splashy entrance at Lucas Oil Stadium. On the second night of workouts, he ran the 40 in 4.28 seconds — the fastest overall time all week — and only one cornerback topped his 10-yard split of 1.5. Hairston's encore was a 39 1/2-inch vertical jump and a broad jump of 10-9, finishing second and third in those tests, respectively.

Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina. The 220-pound safety came within a whisker of sweeping the top spot in all four drills in which he participated. He had the best 10-yard split time, 1.49, the best broad jump (11-6), the top vertical jump (43) and a 40 time of 4.38, second only to Marcus Sigle of Kansas State who ran it in 4.37. His draft stock should be soaring as the next phase of pre-draft evaluations begins.

Looming questions

Will Campbell, OT, LSU. A strong overall workout Sunday may have solidified Campbell's spot among top tackles. But some scouts worry Campbell's arms are shorter than the preferred 33-inch length for a tackle. He can alleviate more concerns on his pro day.

Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa. Some thought Johnson was a top-five back prior to the combine. But Johnson decided to participate in just the 40-yard dash and his time of 4.57 seconds was only better than four other running backs. A better pro day showing would help.

Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama. When last season started, some thought the athletic Crimson Tide quarterback might be a first-round pick. Instead, his stock steadily declined during the season and an uneven throwing performance in Indy may create more doubts.

Mike Green, Edge, Marshall. He's believed to be a first-round talent, but the questions about Green have less to do with what he does on the field than what happened off it. Green told reporters Wednesday he transferred from Virginia after a second sexual assault allegation, something team officials probably will dig into more now — if they hadn't already.

More to come?

Jack Bech, WR, TCU. The player with perhaps the most inspirational story in Indy — his older brother, Tiger, was killed in the New Year's Day attack in New Orleans — didn't run the 40 but showed he was strong, tough and physical enough to warrant being drafted.

Riley Leonard, QB, Notre Dame. After leading the Fighting Irish to a national runner-up finish, Leonard went to work on cleaning up his footwork and midrange and deep throws. He looked more polished in Indy. The question is whether he can demonstrate more improvement at his pro day.

Harold Fannin Jr., TE/H-back, Bowling Green. Last season, he broke FBS single-season records for receptions and yards receiving by a tight end. His top regular-season games came against Texas A&M and Penn State, too. What he did Thursday was show he could run, with a time of 4.71, sixth best among tight ends.

Marcus Yarns, RB, Delaware. The former FCS star proved he belonged on the big stage. The 5-11, 193-pound back had a 4.45 in the 40, a top-10 finish in the 10-yard split and vertical jump and a solid showing in the on-field position workouts.

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