Who will go No. 1 in the NFL Draft? Michael Lombardi has issued an early mock draft, and he thinks the Carolina Panthers will go for Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers. Who else is on his list?

There’s a lot that NFL Network’s Mike Mayock likes about Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert, his No. 1 quarterback in the draft — and the only one among his top five that won’t be giving a full workout at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Washington QB Jake Locker joins “Total Access” to talk about his participation at the combine. Locker, whose stock may have fallen, says that he is going to participate completely and wants to show scouts what he is capable of.

Is Cam Newton the only former Heisman Trophy winner who needs to prove himself? NFL Network’s Brian Billick explains that Alabama RB Mark Ingram also has a chance to prove himself at the combine.

NFL Network’s Brian Billick believes there are more teams with a legitimate need at quarterbacks than there are quality prospects: “That marriage of need versus lack of depth, thats a scary combination,” Billick said. The challenge, Billick says, will be for teams with a need not to overreach for a lesser quailty signal caller.

As we wrap up Day 1 of the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine, we’ll leave you with a few thoughts (some random), observations and highlights from what we’ve heard.

Steve Sabol has always waxed poetic on the art of film-making and how it’s affected his work in creating NFL mythology, so we figured Sabol would be as good a voice as any to opine on this Sunday’s big game: the Academy Awards.

The team that drafts Baylor’s Danny Watkins gets an offensive tackle with the potential to put out fires along the line of scrimmage — and in the locker room.

On the heels of Rex Ryan‘s media circus, Jason Garrett refused to guarantee a cozier gathering of reporters that his Cowboys, not the Jets, would win the Super Bowl.

College prospects aren’t the only ones auditioning at the NFL Scouting Combine. Some assistant coaches and front-office types are doing the same.

It’s believed that anywhere from four to five offensive tackles could be first-round picks in April’s draft. One who seems to be gaining momentum and generating early buzz at the NFL Scouting Combine is Colorado’s Nate Solder.

One month after Rex Ryan‘s Jets stunned the Colts in the playoffs right here at Lucas Oil Stadium, the coach returned to the scene of the crime before a packed house to (again) declare his team next year’s Super Bowl champion and, along with general manager Mike Tannenbaum, shed light on the offseason ahead.

It turns out Rex Ryan packed a suitcase full of bravado and brought it to the Scouting Combine. In the most anticipated press conference of the day here Thursday, Ryan simply didn’t disappoint.

Former Ravens coach Brian Billick has coached some strong personalities during his NFL career, from Cris Carter to Ray Lewis. But that doesn’t mean that the recent comments from Cam Newton did not raise a red flag.

Well, it sounds like the Boston College OT Anthony Castonzo has some fight in him.