How would you improve the NFL combine?

[koolaid]

Hey Zoners,

We are almost to the 2015 NFL draft and I'm sure the rest of you are as excited as I am. I was pouring over combine data today looking for hidden gems in this years draft when it got me thinking. We all know that the combine is not a very accurate predictor of NFL success. Certainly some prospects who shine at the combine will go on to be elite NFL players, but every year you have some Vernon Gholston type of workout warrior who doesn't live up to the hype. Many of the workouts which guys are put through seem to have little relevance to the type of athletic moves required of football players.

So with that said, what type of physical or mental assessment would you add to the combine, if any?

Is it time to remove some of the events? Anyone think the Wonderlic matters?


I had some ideas, many of which are certainly not original.

- Have RBs run a 40 yard dash in pads with a football from a standing position or after taking a hand-off

- 7 on 7 football. I know this would be controversial with no pass rush or whatever but it would be great television.

- A type of sled drag event, where players have to run a set distance while pulling a weighted sled. Thus you get a measurement that combines power and speed.

- If I was to remove an event I would say get rid of bench press. It is certainly impressive if a guy can jack up 225 40 times but I don't know how useful that is on the football field. Brodrick Bunkley comes to mind as a guy who really helped himself out with his bench numbers. Google tells me Travis Frederick did 21 reps, a number attainable by many RBs.

 

[Tabascocat]

Remove or adjust the Wonderlick, it isn't a good litmus anymore.

 

[Idgit]

I think QBs need a way to test their decision making under pressure. I've heard Teddy Bridgewater, for example, used to load the Louisville playbook into his xbox and play that week's upcoming opponent virtually for the mental reps. Now, that might not be the best way to go about it since there's too much muscle memory involved, but maybe something with just 3-4 buttons that measures how quickly a QB can make a correct decision would make some sense.

I agree that players should do all of their drills in pads. And ball carriers should do theirs with pads and balls. It's silly to have them doing everything in shorts.

 

[endersdragon]

Maybe instead of getting rid of the bench press altogether change it so it is about maxing out, not about how many times you can lift a set of weight. Fredbeard is strong as hell... but he doesn't have the endurance to lift that many times which caused him to get a worse grade than he probably deserved. It seems to be asking them to lift as much weight as they can 5 times would be far more useful than 225 40 times.

 

[jazzcat22]

Have them run plays with and against NFL players, and see how they perform. As Idgit said, perform under pressure.
As teams do in TC in a way, but without the hitting.
I know they have game film, but some players are men amongst boys in college. But against equals, may show different, even that would not be a true gauge either. But could show something.

With the same routines players can practice those drills on their own. Then know what to do and expect at the combine, like studying for a test. But add some pressure and see how they respond.

 

[TheCount]

Maybe instead of getting rid of the bench press altogether change it so it is about maxing out, not about how many times you can lift a set of weight. Fredbeard is strong as hell... but he doesn't have the endurance to lift that many times which caused him to get a worse grade than he probably deserved. It seems to be asking them to lift as much weight as they can 5 times would be far more useful than 225 40 times.

Endurance is probably more important as a fitness test for a pro athlete than 1 (or 5) rep max, though, isn't it?

 

[TheCount]

The change I'd make is to have players wear pads for all the drills.

 

[Longboysfan]

Split the sites.
Have 3 separate sites.
1 - Offensr.
2 - Defense.
3 - Kickers / Special teams

 

[EST_1986]

some 7 on 7 would be awesome, non-contact of course. Split these guys into teams, figure our some draft thing to hype it for TV and play it out tournament style

 

[joseephuss]

I wouldn't change a thing. It is fine for what it is. The combine has a role, but it isn't as important as scouting games and reviewing game tapes of the players.

 

[Chuck 54]

I assume the players are doing what coaches and executives want them to do, so I approached your question from a fan's point of view.

I would love to make the interviews public. I would find watching those fascinating. And instead of changing direction based on cones and coaches pointing, I would use computerized lazer/light display that randomly moved the player in unpredictable change of direction, like a cat chasing a light....lol

Maybe they could even mirror (defense) or avoid (offense) actual hologram players...haha....that would be awesome!

 

[rynochop]

The change I'd make is to have players wear pads for all the drills.

Or at least cups, geez. Im not fond of watching dudes run around in underwear

 

[xwalker]

Hey Zoners,

We are almost to the 2015 NFL draft and I'm sure the rest of you are as excited as I am. I was pouring over combine data today looking for hidden gems in this years draft when it got me thinking. We all know that the combine is not a very accurate predictor of NFL success. Certainly some prospects who shine at the combine will go on to be elite NFL players, but every year you have some Vernon Gholston type of workout warrior who doesn't live up to the hype. Many of the workouts which guys are put through seem to have little relevance to the type of athletic moves required of football players.

So with that said, what type of physical or mental assessment would you add to the combine, if any?

Is it time to remove some of the events? Anyone think the Wonderlic matters?


I had some ideas, many of which are certainly not original.

- Have RBs run a 40 yard dash in pads with a football from a standing position or after taking a hand-off

- 7 on 7 football. I know this would be controversial with no pass rush or whatever but it would be great television.

- A type of sled drag event, where players have to run a set distance while pulling a weighted sled. Thus you get a measurement that combines power and speed.

- If I was to remove an event I would say get rid of bench press. It is certainly impressive if a guy can jack up 225 40 times but I don't know how useful that is on the football field. Brodrick Bunkley comes to mind as a guy who really helped himself out with his bench numbers. Google tells me Travis Frederick did 21 reps, a number attainable by many RBs.

Most of these have already been mentioned, but would be interesting:

1. RBs timed with the football in their hands.

2. Have the strong guys lift more than 225. I assume they don't because of the injury risk. They really need to warm up before throwing up big weight.

3. Some other timed events. Some that better simulates what a RB does than the 3-cone or SS. There is a drill used in practices where the blocking dummies are lined up in a straight row and the players weave in an out of them. That would be a good timed drill for RBs.

4. Use a high tech camera setup to film the forty and then convert it to a graph that shows their time at each point in the run. If not, include the 5 yard times.

5. I would keep the Wonderlic.

6. Use that test that measures "punch" which is a combination of power and speed. It's the test that Jerry said Parnell was the best that they had ever measured.

 

[Alexander]

Televise the player interviews with GMs/owners.

 

[Doomsday101]

Allow double header games every weekend in each market. Instead of CBS getting the double header one week and fox getting it the next just allow both networks to show double headers.
A pet peeve of mine is only allowing 46 players on game day roster. Way I see it if you earned the right to be part of the 53 man roster then you earned the right to dress on game day.

 

[endersdragon]

Endurance is probably more important as a fitness test for a pro athlete than 1 (or 5) rep max, though, isn't it?

I donno, ask Fredbeard.

 

[CyberB0b]

I think QBs need a way to test their decision making under pressure. I've heard Teddy Bridgewater, for example, used to load the Louisville playbook into his xbox and play that week's upcoming opponent virtually for the mental reps. Now, that might not be the best way to go about it since there's too much muscle memory involved, but maybe something with just 3-4 buttons that measures how quickly a QB can make a correct decision would make some sense.

I agree that players should do all of their drills in pads. And ball carriers should do theirs with pads and balls. It's silly to have them doing everything in shorts.

There's lots of cognitive tests like this for other professions. Not a bad idea.

 

[Idgit]

There's lots of cognitive tests like this for other professions. Not a bad idea.

Maybe they already do something like this and I just don't know about it. But it sure seems like quick decision making and massively improved accuracy are the two things that separate college QBs from good professional QBs. You'd think you'd design the test for those attributes and not necessarily for an ability to problem solve given significantly more time (eg, Wonderlic) than the 2-3 seconds an NFL QB typically gets during a play.

 

[Sasquatch]

Pads, televised interviews, and make them compete against each other in drills.

 

[jrumann59]

40 yard dash in gear, shuttles in gear, vertical in gear, all skill players (WR/TE/RB/DB)-speed tests in passing routes to test for speed in and out of breaks, overall route running