The NFL scouting combine returns starting Monday, with hundreds of draft hopefuls heading to Indianapolis to showcase their athletic talents and officially meet with teams as April’s draft slowly gets underway.
The scope of the combine has changed dramatically in recent years, altering the overall importance of the event. The days of the combine truly showcasing all of the best players in each draft are long over, leaving a product diluted by a lack of players and questionable demand for appearances on prime-time television.
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But there are still some hidden factors that are important to the overall health of the league. Of course, the list of important things to do in Indianapolis dwindles every year. The number of players participating in training and coaches participating in events continues to decrease. However, there is one part of the process that remains very important: the interview.
Shedeur Sanders became a hot topic in last April’s draft following his interview with the team at last year’s scouting combine. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)
(Brooke Sutton via Getty Images)
The combine remains the centralized hub for teams to have their first face-to-face meetings with prospects. These interviews could heavily influence a club’s decision to draft (or not draft!) in April.
Serving as a hub for league-wide communications is also important for the Combine. In addition to player interviews with potential teams, this is one of the few situations where an NFL team’s front office staff and agents stay in the same city for an extended period of time. The extended face time spurred preliminary discussions, allowing free agents to agree to terms the moment the “legal tampering” window opens — this year that’s March 9 at noon ET — before the new season officially begins on March 11 at 4 p.m.
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These conversations were unknown to the public, but they became important shortly after the combine.
Perhaps the most critical part of the combine that remains important is medical. Again, this information is largely hidden behind the scenes, but even if the information leaks out after the combine, it will play an important role throughout the draft process. Sometimes these questions aren’t heard until early April when players return to Indianapolis for re-examinations, which is very interesting information for fans.
On-field trials are still important for lower-level players and potential players who have the opportunity to put their names into public opinion, but from a consumer perspective, the number of high-profile players participating in trials greatly reduces the overall importance of the event. Considering the NFL has made it clear that players not participating in the event is not important to its teams, there’s no reason to think the sports showcase that was once a hot topic will return anytime soon.
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For players on the field, there are a few drills to note beyond the 40-yard dash.
long jump: This is great for measuring lower body explosions to predict how players will perform through contact. Some of the best tackles, running backs and tight ends have outstanding records in this area.
3 cone drill bits: This is crucial for wide receivers and defensive linemen. The ability to penetrate tight spaces in short bursts is crucial to getting open defenders or beating offensive tackles on the edge.
Short distance shuttle: Some of the best offensive linemen and defensive backs in the league score highly on this one because it shows the ability to explode immediately from bad positions. The Packers have historically placed an emphasis on offensive linemen who performed well in this practice.
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everything else, especially Throwing games are going to be loud. It’s nice to see how the players move in some drills, but game tape is more useful.
The sight of some rookies excelling in the 40-yard dash is always entertaining, but with fewer players practicing in Indianapolis, the level of fun has declined. For die-hard draft observers, there’s a lot to watch. For others, the most relevant information from the combine may remain hidden for weeks.