2018 NFL Combine: 6 Players With the Most to Gain

Nyheim Hines, RB, North Carolina State

Among the skill players attending the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine, Nyheim Hines from North Carolina State is the favorite to post the best time in the 40-yard dash. And if Hines can dip below 4.30, he'll challenge for the crown as the fastest man at the event. He’ll face some elite competition, though. LSU cornerback Donte Jackson has stated that he has his eyes set on the record of 4.22, which was just set last year by John Ross.

Excelling at the combine is going to be vitally important for Hines, who's coming out as a junior with only one full season at running back to his credit. Hines was a dynamo on special teams, however, scoring a return touchdown in each of his three years at NC State.

During his first two collegiate seasons, Hines also saw some time at wide receiver. However, he was seldom called upon on offense. Prior to 2017, the game logs show just two career games with double-digit touches.

That all changed last year, however. In the season opener against South Carolina, Hines handled 15 carries, caught 4 passes, returned 3 punts, and 2 kickoffs, and it was a sign of things to come as he led the ACC in all-purpose yards last season. On the ground, Hines ran a total of 197 times for 1,112 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was also a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award, which goes to the most versatile player in college football.

NC State listed Hines at 5-9, 197 pounds. If those measurements hold true, his Body Mass Index lands in the bottom quarter of running backs, according to the data collected by PlayerProfiler. That’s not a disqualifier by any means, but it makes his workout numbers all the more important to evaluators.