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Best of Day 1 at NFL combine: Top risers, how best prospects fared

Running backs and offensive linemen went through workouts at the NFL combine on Friday, the first day of drills for the top prospects for the 2018 NFL draft.

ESPN NFL draft experts Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay recap how the best backs and linemen -- including Saquon Barkley, Sony Michel, Orlando Brown and Quenton Nelson -- fared, and Scouts Inc. analyst Steve Muench breaks down the under-the-radar prospects who are rising up draft boards. We'll also look ahead to Day 2 of workouts, as the quarterbacks, receivers and tight ends will participate in testing and drills on Saturday.

Click the links below to skip to each section:

How best prospects fared | Biggest risers | What to watch for Saturday

What was the biggest takeaway from workouts?

McShay: As I'll touch on below, my biggest takeaway was that Barkley was as advertised. He crushed his workout and is the clear No. 1 running back prospect. I was also impressed with the athleticism some of the developmental offensive linemen exhibited. Desmond Harrison (Western Georgia) and Brian O'Neill (Pittsburgh), among others, had terrific days.

Kiper: Barkley was the biggest story of the day -- he was phenomenal. But UCLA offensive tackle Kolton Miller was the second-biggest story of the day. He had the best workout of any of the offensive linemen, showing supreme athleticism for a guy in a 6-9, 309-pound frame. I had Miller in the first round of my latest Mock Draft, and he showed why on Friday.


How the top prospects fared

Here's how the potential first-round picks from this group performed on Day 1 of workouts:

Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State

Scouts Inc. position rank: No. 1