4 NFL combine standouts who could rise up the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft

The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine is over after hundreds of NFL prospects interviewed with teams, took medical tests, and performed in multiple drills at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Some notable names did not participate in some of the week's events, including top prospects Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Malik Nabers, and Marvin Harrison Jr.

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Those big names aside, most potential first-round picks fully participated in the week's events. A few performed well enough to boost their stock ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft in April. These four players in particular stood out in Indianapolis and saw a positive trend in the most recent mock draft:

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Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

Mitchell was a fringe first-round pick for many draft experts following the regular season. At 6 feet tall and 195 pounds, he has the size and length that a lot of scouts look for at the next level. He played very well at Toledo but there were questions about the talent he faced in a non-Power 5 conference.

Then Mitchell had a standout Senior Bowl performance against future NFL competition. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he:

• Ran the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds, second among all cornerbacks this year and in the 96th percentile historically at that position.

• Hit 20 reps on the bench press, most among cornerbacks and tied for second among all defensive backs this year.

• Hit 38 inches in the vertical jump, putting him in the 75th percentile.

He has plenty of outstanding film from college. He's played extremely well against top FBS competition in 1-on-1 drills. He's proven his elite top-end speed and strength. All of that together puts him in the running to be the first defensive player taken in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Pre-combine USA Today mock draft position: No. 28 (Buffalo Bills)Latest USA Today mock draft position: No. 15 (Indianapolis Colts)

Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

Mims is one of the many offensive linemen who will likely be first-round picks. The former Bulldog's major knock is that he only started eight games in college, far less than many other tackles who'll hear their names called in the first round come April.

Mims measured in at 6 feet, 8 inches tall and 340 pounds with 36 1/8 inch-long arms (92nd percentile all-time) and 11 1/4-inch hands (94th). He ran a 5.07-second 40-yard dash that was 17th among offensive linemen at the combine this year. For perspective, the 16 players faster than Mims are all at least 15 pounds lighter than him. That kind of length and athleticism could move him from a mid- to late-first round pick to a top-15 selection.

Pre-combine mock draft position: No. 31 (San Francisco 49ers)Latest mock draft position: No. 30 (Baltimore Ravens)

Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington

Fautanu's resume from college is impressive. He won the Morris Trophy - given each year to the top offensive and defensive linemen in the Pac-12 as voted on by opposing players - and the Joe Moore Award, given to the top offensive line group in college football in 2023.

At 6-foot-4 and 317 pounds, some scouts considered moving him inside to guard given his size. He then measured in at the combine with 34 1/2-inch arms (60th percentile) and showed off his athleticism in multiple tests. He ran a 5.01 40-yard dash (91st percentile), hit 32.5 inches in the vertical jump (92nd), and hit 9 feet, 5 inches in the broad jump (94th). That top-tier athleticism along with impressive arm length for his size means he can certainly stay at tackle in the NFL and move higher up in the first round as a result.

Pre-combine mock draft position: No. 25 (Green Bay Packers)Latest mock draft position: No. 24 (Dallas Cowboys)

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Chop Robinson, DE, Penn State

Another athletic Penn State pass rusher, Robinson followed in Dallas Cowboys All-Pro Micah Parsons' footsteps in showing out at the combine. Robinson came into the pre-draft process considered a standout athlete with an incredible first step.

In Indianapolis he explained why he's called Chop and proceeded to have one of the best performances among defensive ends in the last 15 years. His 4.48-second 40-yard dash time was second-best at this year's combine among defensive ends and the eighth-best at that position since 2008. His 10 feet, 8 inch broad jump tied for the best at the position this year and puts him in the 98th percentile all-time. Scouts knew he was an elite athlete off the edge but this performance will likely push him from fringe first-round pick to a likely first-round selection.

Pre-combine mock draft position: No. 29 (Detroit Lions)Latest mock draft position: No. 26 (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2024 NFL Mock Drafts: 4 prospects rising after combine performances