Ben Tate said he lets his agent handle all the pre-draft speculation and projections, but he’s well aware of his presence among a logjam of talented running backs.

That’s why Tate is treating this week’s NFL Combine as importantly as the NFL Network and ESPN’s talking heads say it is, despite the biggest one of them all saying Tate’s workout probably won’t have much bearing on where and when he’s drafted in April.

“There’s nothing more important than what you do on the field,” Tate said. “But if there’s someone close to you who has similar numbers and you all are being seen as equal-type players, these numbers you put up at the combine can make a big difference.

“They can leapfrog you over a couple guys that are almost the same type of running back.”

The 2010 NFL Combine, dubbed as the league’s biggest annual job fair, kicks off today at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Tate and defensive end Antonio Coleman are Auburn’s two representatives, and both are likely to help maintain the Tigers’ streak of producing draftees for the past seven consecutive seasons.

For the next six days, their respective banner senior seasons will be tossed aside in favor of 40-yard dash times, vertical-leap measurements and bench press repetitions.

“Your stock can go up or down,” said Tate, who will be one of 29 running backs at the combine. “I’m going to the combine focused on bringing my stock up.”

ESPN NFL Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. said the combine won’t be as important for Tate as it will be for Coleman, who is likely set to play as a 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL.

“The workout, unless you’re going to be a Chris Johnson and be in the elite speed category, running backs are going to drop regardless,” Kiper said, referring to the speedy, 2009 NFL rushing leader. “That’s why in the fifth, sixth, seventh round you can always get good backs, unlike other spots where they come off a lot earlier.”

Tate, though, insured that he likely won’t go undrafted because of a strong finish to his Auburn career.

Revived by new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn’s run-heavy, play-action offense, Tate established himself as one of the best Auburn running backs in program history, rushing for 1,362 yards and 10 touchdowns.

He finished his career with 3,321 rushing yards, good for fifth-best in school history and just 47 behind Joe Cribbs for fourth. His 24 career touchdowns tied him for sixth in Auburn history.

“It was definitely needed,” Tate said. “My freshman and sophomore season, I was on the rise. My junior year, I completely fell off the map. I didn’t really play a whole lot, so I had to have a big season.”

Tate has taken it upon himself to get his name out into the mainstream.

Along with an agent, Tate hired a public relations firm, ESBL Sports Management.

Tate recently created a Facebook fan page, which includes chronicles of his everyday activities, interviews — coordinated by Tate — with players he is training with in Miami and contests for self-autographed memorabilia.

The Web page, which can be found at http://facebook.com/BenTateRB, currently has more than 13,000 fans.

“I’m trying to get some attention, especially with this combine coming up and with all these other things coming up,” Tate said. “I’m definitely trying to get my name out there so people have an idea of who I am.”

After he has more than 600 scouts, coaches and general managers watch, analyze and interview him, Tate shouldn’t have to worry about flying off the radar.

Former Auburn cornerback Jerraud Powers, who went through the process last year before landing with the Indianapolis Colts, said there isn’t one minute where players aren’t under the microscope.

“You’re interviewing for a job every time you work out in front of those coaches or talk to those coaches,” Powers said.

“They’re going to find everything out about you and you want everything to be good.”

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