The measurements at the NFL Combine are happening currently and the on-field events will be more watchable than ever with the NFL moving it to primetime.

It’s well known that a lot of the combine is fluff and doesn’t necessarily matter come draft time, so let’s look at what actually matters to the Broncos and what fans should keep an eye on this week.

Wide Receiver

It’s no secret that the Broncos will be targetting speed at the receiver position this draft, making the 40-yard dash and three-cone shuttle times one of the more important drills for Denver.

CeeDee Lamb has been connected to the Broncos in several mock drafts, despite his biggest red flag being the lack of top-end speed. With a sub-4.5 40 time, he could cement his top-13 draft status, but any time over 4.58 could lead to Lamb falling right into Denver’s lap.

Also important for the Broncos will be Henry Ruggs‘ times. Ruggs is the fastest player in this draft, but if he breaks the 40-yard dash record and performs well in the other drills, he could easily play himself out of the Broncos’ range. Especially if Lamb struggles in the 40 aswell.

Lastly, keep an eye out for Jalen Reagor, who could be a good second-round option for the Broncos. Reagor is expected to run in the low 4.3s which is blisteringly quick and he’d cost far less than Ruggs.

The receivers’ on-field tests come on Thursday at 2-9 p.m. MT.

Offensive Line

Another position expected to be atop the Broncos’ list of offseason priorities is the offensive line. The franchise has hopefully found its quarterback of the future and now they have to surround him with talent.

Fortunately for Drew Lock, this draft is loaded with offensive linemen compared to previous classes in recent years. Jedrick Wills is already a lock to go in the top 10, and Mekhi Becton is built to dominate the combine, has incredible traits and sky-high upside which should land him in the top 10 despite how raw he is.

That means the Broncos are likely to be picking between Tristan Wirfs and Andrew Thomas once they’re on the clock and that makes the measurements incredibly important. Some of the biggest concerns with Wirfs and Thomas is that they’re guards at the next level as opposed to tackles. Their movement skills and arm length being the main reason why.

What their measurables are and how they move will play a huge role in determining how the league views them, and therefore, their value.

Today they measured in:

Thomas is 6’5 1/8, 315 pounds, with 10 2/8″ hands, 36 1/8″ arms and an 83 1/2″ wingspan.

Wirfs comes in at 6’4 7/8″, 320 pounds, 10 2/8″ hands, 34″ arms and an 80 2/8″ wingspan.

Watch the offensive linemen compete on field at 2-9 p.m. MT on Friday.

Combine Changes

The combine will look very different this year and the changes made will have a strong ripple effect.

For the first time ever the combine will be broadcast at primetime and the on-field drills for each position are also receiving a facelift. 10 of the old position drills are being ushered out to make way for 16 new ones to better showcase skills used in today’s game.

In part, this includes new route drills for wide receivers and tight ends, throwing drills for the quarterbacks and, most notably, the running backs will now take part in several of the receiving drills.

Not only will this create a whole new viewing and scouting experience for those involved, but it could also lead to more players choosing not to participate.

This week on Bleacher Report’s Stick to Football Podcast, draft analyst Matt Miller reported that he talked with some agents that would be holding out their prospects. No one knows how to prepare for these drills because no one has had to before and agents aren’t inclined to subject their top prospects to being guinea pigs and potentially hurting their draft stock as a result.