One way or another, Alshon Jeffery will know a lot more about his draft status in about 4.5 seconds this weekend at the NFL scouting combine.

That’s the over-under for Jeffery’s 40-yard dash time set by one prominent draft analyst, who believes a clocking of 4.6 seconds or more could spell trouble for the former South Carolina receiver.

The 6-foot-4 Jeffery has a big frame, great hands, good leaping ability – and perhaps a too-hearty appetite. Jeffery was listed at 229 pounds last season, although there were rumblings he played at 235 or more.

How Jeffery looks and how fast he runs will be one of the more intriguing topics in Indianapolis this week.

“I don’t know what he actually played at,” said Mike Mayock of the NFL Network. “I know there were all those rumors out there that he put weight on. I don’t really care what he weighs in at. If he’s smart and his agent is smart, he’ll come in at 220, in the best shape of his life, ready to run a 40.”

Jeffery had a tremendous season in 2010, hauling in 88 passes for 1,517 yards and nine touchdowns. But his production slipped last year as a junior after Gamecocks quarterback Stephen Garcia was kicked off the team.

Jeffery finished with 49 catches for 762 yards and eight scores. But Mayock said South Carolina’s lack of a polished passer was not Jeffery’s only problem.

“Alshon Jeffery does not separate. He struggles getting off the line of scrimmage against quality press corners. Same with (Rutgers wideout) Mohamed Sanu. So what those guys run is important,” Mayock said. “He needs to run somewhere in those mid-4.5s. Worst-case scenario, you see … 4.6, it’s going to be a problem.”

Four other combine story lines to track:

The Panthers have their franchise quarterback. Who will they be watching?

After allowing franchise highs in yards, passing yards and points in 2011, it’s no secret the Panthers need help on defense. Most analysts believe the Panthers, who pick 8th or 9th pending a coin flip Friday with Miami, will go after a defensive tackle that can provide the interior rush that 2011 third-round picks Sione Fua and Terrell McClain could not generate.

Early in the buildup to the 2011 draft, many observers thought the Panthers would use the No. 1 overall pick on a defensive tackle such as Auburn’s Nick Fairley. Instead, the Panthers took Fairley’s teammate, and all Cam Newton did was rewrite the rooking passing records.

General manager Marty Hurney, coach Ron Rivera and the rest of the Panthers’ brain trust will keep a close eye on LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers, a big athlete who could be the penetrator the team has lacked.

The Panthers also figure to visit with several cornerbacks, including Morris Claiborne in the unlikely event the LSU corner falls out of the top 5.

Another week of quarterback talk in Indy

Super Bowl week in Indianapolis was dominated by discussions of Eli Manning winning a second ring in brother Peyton’s town – or soon to be former town. Questions about Peyton will only intensify this week with Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, the presumed heir apparent to Manning, in town.

The Colts still have said nothing definitive about Manning, who is due a $28 million option bonus on March 8 and still is not fully recovered from neck fusion surgery.

The only real question surrounding Luck, considered by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. to be the most complete quarterback prospect since John Elway, is whether he will actually throw at the combine.

Newton did last year, though several quarterbacks in recent years have waited until their pro day.

“He probably won’t throw the football,” Mayock said. “What we will see is a really athletic kid that runs a decent 40, probably in the 4.7 range, has good footwork. And more than anything, he’s going to win the battle of the board rooms.”

Can Russell Wilson be a starting quarterback?

Wilson’s 5-10 height would suggest he can’t. But Mayock, who watched Wilson carve up North Carolina’s defense in N.C. State’s 41-10 win in 2008, said Wilson does not fit the small quarterback stereotype.

“I saw him beat a pretty good (UNC) team without a whole lot of help. I remember thinking, ’Wow, that kid really gets it. He gets the game of football,’” Mayock said. “No matter how small he was, he scrambled. But he wasn’t just a scrambler. His eyes stayed down the field. He drew people up, he threw it over them. And he had a better arm than people think he has.”

Wilson is a proven leader and winner who took Wisconsin to the Rose Bowl last season after transferring from State. Teams will want to see Wilson up close and watch his mechanics.

The Panthers could be interested in Wilson as a backup to Newton. But his stock could rise if he shows he can be a starter.

Quinton Coples explains his senior season

Coples, North Carolina’s 6-6 defensive end, likely will impress in all the physical drills in Indy. Coples, is long, strong and athletic, as he proved last month during Senior Bowl practices.

But Coples’ most important work this week will come during his meetings with teams. General managers and scouts want to know whether they can count on Coples to show up every play after a mostly disappointing senior season.

The scuttlebutt was Coples played not to get injured, although he said shifting to right end – where he faced the opponent’s best pass-blocking tackle each week – was responsible for his slow start. Given the value of pass-rushing ends, some team will take Coples high.