INDIANAPOLIS — After an extremely quiet Saturday morning inside the NFL Scouting Combine media center, the gaggle of reporters was awoken by the public-address announcement that Alabama DT Marcell Dareus was available on Podium C.

Dareus is one of the top defensive-line prospects in this year’s draft class, so media members halted their chatter about planned or previous dinners at St. Elmo Steakhouse, the NFL’s unofficial boardroom this week, then rushed to the podium for the first big-name player of the day.

But honestly, everyone at Lucas Oil Stadium is on pins and needles waiting for Auburn QB Cam Newton. Reporters are wondering aloud when Newton will hit the podium, and times are being thrown out seemingly willy-nilly. It will be sometime Saturday, and that’s when this place will come alive, a la Tim Tebow‘s appearance last year.

– Justin Hathaway

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