The Excitement Of The Combine

I have to admit, I’m a big fan of watching the Combine. I’ve been on the treadmill the past couple of days watching the tests of agility, power, strength, quickness, and speed. It satisfies my football craving for now.

These guys have prepared their entire lives for a chance at going pro. A good performance at the Combine can get a player’s professional career off on the right foot. One missed catch, a slow jump on the 40, or just an overall bad day can make draft day a long and dreadful process for certain players.

I think I like the Combine so much because the various stations really test the football fundamentals of an athlete. The University name is tossed out the window. It’s just an athlete’s last name, a number, and his position posted on his jersey. He doesn’t get to choose who he catches balls from, or what order he goes in. It’s just about performing to the best of your ability given the situation in front of coaches and scouts from all 32 NFL teams. Talk about a pressure filled week.

The point of this is for teams to see what players will fit into their system right away. Does a WR have good instincts for where the sidelines are, does a QB have a good 3 step drop, 5 step drop, and 7 step drop. Can he work under center? Where does the RB carry the football? Does he tuck it in quickly? Everyone is there to see where the weaknesses lie.

Each team goes into this week with draft players in mind. However, a good performance from someone not on the list can surely throw a team’s draft in a different direction. That’s where the excitement of the Combine comes into play. If you have a chance, watch some of the Combine. It continues until March 2nd. You can catch coverage on the NFL Network or right here on NFL.com.