Record-setting tailback Christian McCaffrey was projected to be Stanford’s top pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Then came the Sun Bowl, and everything changed.

McCaffrey skipped the game and tumbled down the first round in numerous mock drafts. Meanwhile, defensive lineman Solomon Thomas was a dominant force in the victory over North Carolina and zoomed up the draft boards.

Coincidence? Not in Thomas’ case. As for McCaffrey, we’ll see. The first step in assessing the repercussions of his controversial decision comes this week at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

He figures to ace the on-field work, but how will he handle the interviews? Will he be convincing in his responses to questions about commitment? How hard will teams press him on the Sun Bowl blow-off?

“It’s a tough one because it’s a new one,’’ NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said.

“The old-school football people are going to go a little bit more hard: ‘Hey, what are you thinking about here? You walked out on your teammates. You put individual ahead of team.’’’

McCaffrey wasn’t the only star to pass on the postseason: LSU running back Leonard Fournette skipped the Citrus Bowl.

But the circumstances weren’t identical. Fournette was recovering from an ankle injury that derailed his season. McCaffrey was healthy — the risk of injury was the reason he shut it down.

At the time, the most respected mock drafts projected McCaffrey to be a top-10 or 15 selection. Thomas, on the other hand, was viewed as a possible second- or third-round pick if he decided to leave school.

A few days after his overpowering performance (seven total tackles, two for loss), Thomas declared for the draft and zoomed into the first round … into the top 20 … into the top 10 in many mock drafts.

“There have been some comparisons to Aaron Donald,’’ Mayock said, referring to the Rams’ first-team All Pro lineman. “I’m not sure I see that, but I love his versatility.”

McCaffrey shares that trait, albeit with a wholly different skill set: He’s a running back who can be used as a receiver (out of the backfield or in the slot) and punt/kicker returner.

“I think he’s a major asset,’’ ESPN analyst Mel Kiper said. “He’s a versatile threat … The NFL loves versatility. He can help you win in a multitude of ways. When you have a guy like that, that’s why he’s a first round pick.’’

Not everyone is convinced. In contrast to his pre-Sun Bowl position in mock drafts, McCaffrey is now pegged as a late-first or early-second round pick.

CBSSports.com recently published mocks from five top analysts. McCaffrey was slotted into the first round by only two.

Is his slide simply a result of supply and demand? The post-bowl mocks take the draft order, team needs and the official prospect list into account. Or did the decision to skip the bowl game undermine his value?

“I think it’s an obvious question that will come up,’’ said former general manager Charley Casserly, now an analyst for the NFL Network. “Some teams will ask hard questions.”

But ultimately, Casserly believes, the impact of McCaffrey’s decision could be negligible — and perhaps non-existent.

“If his background holds up,’’ he said, “then people won’t spend too much time on it.”

There is every reason to believe his background will hold.

McCaffrey earned a reputation at Stanford as a relentless worker with a deep passion for the game. He has no known off-the-field transgressions; his father, Ed, is a respected former pro; and he will undoubtedly be prepared this week to allay any concerns teams might express.

It was, at its heart, a business decision, and there’s nothing NFL teams understand better than business.

“There are enough people out there that kind of look at the talent, and the fact that he’s completely clean off the field, and what he can present to an NFL franchise,’’ Mayock said.

“Now, that doesn’t mean he’s not going to have to answer some questions by every team. He is. But I ultimately don’t think it’s going to cost him.”