So, a rare double post day this week, but I’ve been at a conference most of the week. This weekend marks the unofficial opening of the NFL Draft Season (actually the College All Star Games last month start it). However, most people start to follow the big players now with the Combine. This will be the first in a series of NFL Draft posts to get you ready for this life changing event for these players. Let’s talk about what this is all about.

Combine Basics

So, the NFL Combine has its origins in the early ’80s when in 1982 there was a centralized group that invited players to workout for the entire league. Prior to that time, each team would invite individual players for a workout, so players would literally either workout at their schools for a group of scouts (that is what we call a Pro Day now) or the player would be flown in to work out for the team at their facility (which still happens today known as Individual Team Workouts). The NFL Combine really allows a multitude of players to work out for all the teams in one place running similar drills and each player is grouped by position. Now, the Combine is held in Indianapolis every year and has been shown on the NFL Network since the early 2000s.

In the past, some players have greatly increased their “Draft Stock” or a player is projected to be drafted with superior performances at the Combine. In 1995, Mike Mamula out of Boston College comes to mind who killed the combine and landed 7th overall, but turned out to be just a decent pro. The Combine is by no means the sole measuring stick for a player, however even the best talent evaluators can get enamored with a great combine performance. On the flip side, the Combine is a chance for the smaller school players to really dazzle their physical attributes in comparison to the large school players. Just 2 years ago, Cooper Kupp out of Eastern Washington after having a solid All Star game followed that up with a solid Combine leading to a selection by the LA Rams in the 3rd Round. Another Combine story from last year was Shaquem Griffin, who performed all the drills despite only having one functional hand, plus he ran the fastest 40 yard dash time for Linebackers (LB) all time.

Saquon Barkley dazzled at the Combine in 2018

The Underwear Olympics

One of the hallmarks of the Combine is the fact that the players will not actually play any football. In fact, the bulk of the combine is actually more like fitness tests, measurements, and interviews done in very short succession. The “Underwear Olympics” term comes from the fact that players are wearing tight workout gear instead of football pads or even helmets. So, the real goal of the Combine is gain what in Draft terms are called “Measurables.” Measurables are standard tests or measures used to compare players for a position.

Here are some of the key ones:

  • Height
  • Weight
  • Wing Span – how long are the players arms outstretched
  • Hand Size – we will go over this again, as some positions rely heavily on this one
  • 40 Yard Dash Time – a measure of speed
  • Vertical Leap – measure of explosiveness
  • Standing Broad Jump – another measure of explosiveness
  • 3 Cone Drill – measure of quickness and change of direction
  • Short Shuttle – another measure of quickness and change of direction
  • Bench Press – measure of strength

Now, most of the players will do the bulk of these tests. Some position groups do not do certain drills, and some players may opt to not perform certain tests. The reason a player may not test is due to injury or because their results may not help them in their Draft Stock. In addition to tests, players will run through a variety of position-specific drills to gauge their ability to run routes, use leverage techniques and catch the ball.

Position Groups and Schedule

The Combine breaks down to certain position groups. The NFL groups players into general categories, so the scouts and viewers can see players that are similar test together. A player could possibly test in multiple groups, but that is pretty rare.

Here is the schedule for the Combine this weekend:

http://www.nfl.com/network/combine

Running Backs (RB), Offensive Lineman (OL – OT and G), and Special Teams (P and K) – Friday, March 1st at 9 AM Eastern/8 AM Central – NFL Network

Quarterbacks (QB), Wide Receivers (WR) and Tight Ends (TE) – Saturday, March 2nd at 10 AM Eastern/9 AM Central – NFL Network plus on ABC 1-3 PM Eastern

Defensive Lineman (DL – DE and DT) and Linebackers (LB – ILB, OLB/Edge) – Sunday, March 3rd at 9 AM Eastern/8 AM Central on NFL Network

Defensive Backs (DB – CB and S) – Monday, March 4th at 9 AM Eastern/8 AM Central on NFL Network

Now, if you miss the live broadcast, NFL Network replays the combine often in the evening, which is how I usually catch it. Of course, you can follow live updates or us the #NFLCombine tag on Twitter to follow the action, too.

Big Storylines

  • Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma – Murray has already made Draft headlines with deciding to enter the draft. Murray won the Heisman Trophy as the QB at Oklahoma despite being drafted to play baseball with the Oakland A’s. One of the big knocks on Murray is his size at the position. He actually has already been measured as 5’10 & 1/8″ and 207 lbs. The height was about expected but being over 200 lbs is bit of a surprise. Clearly, he spent the last 6 weeks bulking up, but will that affect his agility which is his hallmark. I’m not sure he will throw at the Combine, but hopefully he does.
  • Deep DL Class – Unlike the past few classes, the QBs are not dominating the headlines. Instead, this 2019 Draft Class is supposed to be loaded with Defensive Line talent both inside (DT) and outside (DE). So, expect a lot of coverage and attention to Sunday’s group.
  • Failed Tests and Red Flags – It is during the Combine when stories begin to come out about players failing tests – drug tests or in the background checks major red flags appear. Now, these issues may come up at any time in the process (remember the Twitter Video of Laremy Tunsil on Draft Night). However, there have been high profile guys the past 2 years failing tests. Often, the tests are failed due to increased fluid consumption to make a higher or lower weight, but the test judges it as a masking effect as the samples are diluted.

So, before flipping on College Basketball or if you remember to DVR the Combine, it may be worth your time to check out some of these amazing athletes. I like starting to learn the players this way, so when we start doing Mock Drafts in March and April, you will remember who we are talking about.

Wegs

About the author

I'm a 49 year old, twice divorced guy with a 20 year old. The blog has morphed a bit lately. Not just sports or dating, social commentary and now some stories from my past experience.