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Showcase can be one-stop shopping for NFL teams
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[SIZE=-1]12:44 AM CST on Thursday, February 23, 2006
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[SIZE=-1]By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News [/SIZE]
Unofficially, the NFL will move its headquarters to Indianapolis this week for the scouting combine. Every team will be represented. Just about every coach, even the Cowboys' Bill Parcells, is expected to be in attendance. So are some owners, general managers and personnel directors.
More than 300 players have been invited to Indianapolis to be poked, prodded and poked again. They will undergo physicals. They will interview with teams at night. And then, they will be asked to work out.
Players are asked to bench-press 225 pounds as many times as they can. They are asked to do a vertical jump and a broad jump. They are asked to go through a three-cone drill. They are asked to run a 40-yard dash. And finally, they are asked to go through drills specifically for their position.
For the teams, the combine is a one-stop shopping center. For the players, it can be something entirely different.
For as long as many can remember, getting players to work out at the combine has been an issue.
Some players choose not to work out because of injuries, which teams do not mind.
Some choose not to work out because of the rumored slow track inside the RCA Dome, even if that myth has been dispelled in recent years.
Some choose not to work out so they can focus on their pro-day workouts at their schools in the spring.
Some choose not to work out based on their agent's advice.
"I don't ever want to say a workout will hurt a player or make him fall because I don't think you really know that," Cowboys vice president of pro and college scouting Jeff Ireland said. "I just know when a player doesn't work out, the feeling is: What does he have to hide?"
Initially, quarterback Vince Young of Texas said he would throw at the combine, but he's decided he will wait to work out in Austin. His agent, Major Adams, cited unfamiliar receivers and surroundings as the reason to sit. Southern Cal's Matt Leinart also is not expected to work out in Indianapolis.
They won't be the only players passing up the opportunity.
"Sometimes, guys will feel comfortable where they are," said Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware, who went through the combine last year. "They'll say, 'I'm from a big school. I already had a good season. Why should I work out here?' But, to me, for guys like that it should be about the more times you can prove yourself, the higher you can get drafted. That was my whole idea."
Coming from Troy, Ware believed he had to work out. His agent, Pat Dye, figured Ware's draft status went from late first round to middle second round after the season to a potential 10-15 pick after his Indianapolis workout when Ware ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash.
"To me, a lot of what makes DeMarcus special is his intangibles and willingness to compete and play hard," Dye said. "For him to stand up and say he wouldn't work out would've been inconsistent."
But Dye, who has represented players for nearly 20 years, sees circumstances in which it is not in players' best interests to work out, especially quarterbacks. Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst, whom Dye represents, will not throw at the combine, but he will do every other drill. Whitehurst will have a scripted workout on campus.
"We feel like the chance to not be as impressive or as sharp as he can be is pretty great, whereas on his pro day he's going to certainly be in a much more comfortable environment," Dye said.
AP
Ex-UT quarterback Vince Young's agent Major Adams said Young won't throw at the scouting combine because of unfamiliar receivers and surroundings.
NFL Network has increased its combine coverage, and some personnel people believe that has encouraged more players to work out. A player does not want to look as if he is shying away from competition on television.
Last year, Auburn running backs Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams worked out at the combine and were top-five picks. Two years ago, Iowa's Robert Gallery had a great workout and was the No. 2 pick. Terence Newman worked out in 2003 and was picked fifth overall by the Cowboys.
"The other thing they forget is this: If they run and get it out of the way and do the drills, then when they have their pro day, they don't have to do all that running," said former Cowboys scouting director Gil Brandt, who works for NFL.com.
What troubles most teams is that not working out prolongs the scouting process. Teams have a working knowledge of every player before the combine, but being able to see players in neutral conditions makes the evaluation process less subjective.
"There are a lot more eyes on the players there that give you a different look at a player possibly," Ireland said. "The more exposure a player has, the better off he is."
For a player such as Young or Leinart, not working out probably won't cost them much. Neither should fall out of the top five come April. But for other players, it can be extremely costly.
As the 11th pick in the draft, Ware signed a five-year deal worth $13 million, including $10 million guaranteed.
"Here's what I try to tell the players," Brandt said. "Would you rather have two chances to win the lottery or one?"
E-mail tarcher@***BANNED-URL***
COMBINE WARRIORS
Every year, the scouting combine has produced workout wonders, who propel themselves into the early rounds of the draft. Here's a look at five prospects who helped themselves with their workouts.
Mike Mamula, Boston College: Defensive end blew away the competition in every drill going from a third-rounder to first-round pick by Philadelphia by 1995.
Michael Westbrook, Colorado: He ran a surprising 4.47 40-yard dash that shot him up to the fourth pick in the draft by Washington in 1995.
Steve McNair, Alcorn State: He didn't have to work out but did and wowed the scouts with his arm strength. Third overall pick by Houston Oilers in 1995.
Chaun Thompson, West Texas A&M: Coming from a small school, he ran a 4.44-second 40 and was chosen in the second round by Cleveland in 2003.
Matt Jones, Arkansas: He went from an intriguing QB/WR prospect, who ran a 4.40 40-yard dash, to the first-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars last year.
Todd Archer
Link
[SIZE=+1]
[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]12:44 AM CST on Thursday, February 23, 2006
[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]By TODD ARCHER / The Dallas Morning News [/SIZE]
Unofficially, the NFL will move its headquarters to Indianapolis this week for the scouting combine. Every team will be represented. Just about every coach, even the Cowboys' Bill Parcells, is expected to be in attendance. So are some owners, general managers and personnel directors.
More than 300 players have been invited to Indianapolis to be poked, prodded and poked again. They will undergo physicals. They will interview with teams at night. And then, they will be asked to work out.
Players are asked to bench-press 225 pounds as many times as they can. They are asked to do a vertical jump and a broad jump. They are asked to go through a three-cone drill. They are asked to run a 40-yard dash. And finally, they are asked to go through drills specifically for their position.
For the teams, the combine is a one-stop shopping center. For the players, it can be something entirely different.
For as long as many can remember, getting players to work out at the combine has been an issue.
Some players choose not to work out because of injuries, which teams do not mind.
Some choose not to work out because of the rumored slow track inside the RCA Dome, even if that myth has been dispelled in recent years.
Some choose not to work out so they can focus on their pro-day workouts at their schools in the spring.
Some choose not to work out based on their agent's advice.
"I don't ever want to say a workout will hurt a player or make him fall because I don't think you really know that," Cowboys vice president of pro and college scouting Jeff Ireland said. "I just know when a player doesn't work out, the feeling is: What does he have to hide?"
Initially, quarterback Vince Young of Texas said he would throw at the combine, but he's decided he will wait to work out in Austin. His agent, Major Adams, cited unfamiliar receivers and surroundings as the reason to sit. Southern Cal's Matt Leinart also is not expected to work out in Indianapolis.
They won't be the only players passing up the opportunity.
"Sometimes, guys will feel comfortable where they are," said Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware, who went through the combine last year. "They'll say, 'I'm from a big school. I already had a good season. Why should I work out here?' But, to me, for guys like that it should be about the more times you can prove yourself, the higher you can get drafted. That was my whole idea."
Coming from Troy, Ware believed he had to work out. His agent, Pat Dye, figured Ware's draft status went from late first round to middle second round after the season to a potential 10-15 pick after his Indianapolis workout when Ware ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash.
"To me, a lot of what makes DeMarcus special is his intangibles and willingness to compete and play hard," Dye said. "For him to stand up and say he wouldn't work out would've been inconsistent."
But Dye, who has represented players for nearly 20 years, sees circumstances in which it is not in players' best interests to work out, especially quarterbacks. Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst, whom Dye represents, will not throw at the combine, but he will do every other drill. Whitehurst will have a scripted workout on campus.
"We feel like the chance to not be as impressive or as sharp as he can be is pretty great, whereas on his pro day he's going to certainly be in a much more comfortable environment," Dye said.
Ex-UT quarterback Vince Young's agent Major Adams said Young won't throw at the scouting combine because of unfamiliar receivers and surroundings.
NFL Network has increased its combine coverage, and some personnel people believe that has encouraged more players to work out. A player does not want to look as if he is shying away from competition on television.
Last year, Auburn running backs Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams worked out at the combine and were top-five picks. Two years ago, Iowa's Robert Gallery had a great workout and was the No. 2 pick. Terence Newman worked out in 2003 and was picked fifth overall by the Cowboys.
"The other thing they forget is this: If they run and get it out of the way and do the drills, then when they have their pro day, they don't have to do all that running," said former Cowboys scouting director Gil Brandt, who works for NFL.com.
What troubles most teams is that not working out prolongs the scouting process. Teams have a working knowledge of every player before the combine, but being able to see players in neutral conditions makes the evaluation process less subjective.
"There are a lot more eyes on the players there that give you a different look at a player possibly," Ireland said. "The more exposure a player has, the better off he is."
For a player such as Young or Leinart, not working out probably won't cost them much. Neither should fall out of the top five come April. But for other players, it can be extremely costly.
As the 11th pick in the draft, Ware signed a five-year deal worth $13 million, including $10 million guaranteed.
"Here's what I try to tell the players," Brandt said. "Would you rather have two chances to win the lottery or one?"
E-mail tarcher@***BANNED-URL***
COMBINE WARRIORS
Every year, the scouting combine has produced workout wonders, who propel themselves into the early rounds of the draft. Here's a look at five prospects who helped themselves with their workouts.
Mike Mamula, Boston College: Defensive end blew away the competition in every drill going from a third-rounder to first-round pick by Philadelphia by 1995.
Michael Westbrook, Colorado: He ran a surprising 4.47 40-yard dash that shot him up to the fourth pick in the draft by Washington in 1995.
Steve McNair, Alcorn State: He didn't have to work out but did and wowed the scouts with his arm strength. Third overall pick by Houston Oilers in 1995.
Chaun Thompson, West Texas A&M: Coming from a small school, he ran a 4.44-second 40 and was chosen in the second round by Cleveland in 2003.
Matt Jones, Arkansas: He went from an intriguing QB/WR prospect, who ran a 4.40 40-yard dash, to the first-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars last year.
Todd Archer
Link