2014 NFL Combine - Schedule & Events

[Saccopoo]

The Schedule:

Saturday, Feb. 22: Tight Ends, Offensive Linemen, Special Teams
Sunday, Feb.23: Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers
Monday, Feb. 24: Defensive Line, Linebackers
Tuesday, Feb. 25: Defensive Backs

Day 1: Orientation & Interviews
Day 2: Measurements, Medical Examinations, Media, Interviews
Day 3: NFLPA Meeting, Psychological Testing, PK/ST Workout, Bench Press, More Interviews
Day 4: On-Field Workout (timing, stations, skill drills)

The Events:

40 Yard Dash: (Also known as the Al Davis Memorial Run): Measures speed over distance and purportedly was initially instituted to determine speed in covering punts as the typical NFL punt was approximately 40 yards”ish.” Current record holders:

4.24: Rondel Menendez, WR 1999, Chris Johnson, RB 2008
4.25: Randy Moss, WR 1998
4.26: Jerome Mathis, WR 2005
4.27: Stanford Routt, DB 2005
4.27: Marquise Goodwin, WR 2013
4.28: Champ Bailey, DB 1999; Jacoby Ford, WR 2010; DeMarcus Van Dyke, DB 2011
4.29: Fabian Washington, DB 2005; Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, DB 2008; Josh Robinson, DB
4.30: Darrent Williams, DB 2005; Tye Hill, DB 2006; Yamon Figurs, WR 2007; Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR 2009

- Bo Jackson was clocked at the NFL Combine running a 4.12 in 1986, though times prior to 1999 are somewhat disputed. However, he was also clocked running a 40 at 4.18 later that same week. Freak.

- Subcategory: 10 yard split: Measures/times the first 10 yards of the 40 yard dash. Burst speed is looked heavily at in the DL/LB/TE positions. As an example, Dontari Poe’s 1.7 10 yard split is good by linebacker standards, let alone a 350 lb. dude and was one of the reasons he jumped in the draft process.

Bench press: Measures strength and conditioning, particularly looked at in the OL, DL, LB positions where use of the upper body and hands is a constant during the course of an NFL game. Current record holders:

51 reps: Justin Ernest (1999)[16]
49 reps: Stephen Paea (2011)[16]
45 reps: Mike Kudla (2006), Leif Larsen (2000) and Mitch Petrus (2010)
44 reps: Brodrick Bunkley (2006), Jeff Owens (2010),[17] and Dontari Poe (2012)
43 reps: Scott Young (2005)
42 reps: Isaac Sopoaga (2004), and Tank Tyler (2007)
41 reps: Igor Olshansky (2004), Terna Nande (2006), and David Molk (2012)

Current World Record holder in the Bench Press: Ryan Kennelly, 1070 lbs. Here’s a video of him doing 405 for 20 reps. Not completely locking out, but no power shirt, nothing. I’d imagine he’d probably do about a million or so reps at 225.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/cGIPKxYIFJU?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Vertical Jump: Another measurement of explosion, used to assess muscular strength and anaerobic power and leaping ability. Current NFL combine record holders:

46”: Gerald Sensabaugh, DB, North Carolina
45.5”: Cameron Wake, LB; Penn State
45”: Chris McKenzie, DB, ASU; Chris Chambers, WR, Wisconsin; Don Washington, DB, Ohio State
44”: Al Jefferson, DB; Fresno State
43.5”: Dorin Dickerson, TE, Pitt; Kashif Moore, WR, UConn
43”: Eric Berry, DB, Tennessee; Darius Butler, DB, UConn; Christine Michael, RB, Texas AM

World Record Vertical Jump: Reggie Thompson has the Guiness World Record at 56”

Broad Jump (Standing Long Jump): (Aka: The Donald Washington Experience) An indicator of explosiveness and leg power. Current NFL combine high scores:

11’7”: Jamie Collins, LB, Southern Miss
11’4”: Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee; Jerome Simpson, WR, Coastal Carolina
11’3”: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama; Don Washington, DB, Ohio State

World Record Holder: Arne Tvervaag of Norway with a 12’2” leap in 1968.

3-cone drill: (Aka: The “I’m not going to amount to shit in the NFL test”) Essentially a change of direction drill. Shows off lateral agility and ability to accelerate out of a turn. One of the drills that translates best on the field. Recent NFL Combine high scores:

6.42 sec: Jeff Maehl, WR, Oregon
6.44 sec: Buster Skrine, DB, Tenn-Chattanooga
6.45 sec: Scott Long, WR, Louisville
6.46 sec: Dane Sanzenbacher, WR; Ohio State
6.48 sec: Terrence Toliver, WR, LSU
6.53 sec: TJ Moe, WR, Missouri

20 Yard Shuttle: Shows the ability to come to a complete stop and accelerate. Obviously important for any position and a good score here is indicative of explosion and body control. Recent high scores:

3.81 sec: Jason Allen, Tennessee
3.84 sec: BW Webb, DB, William & Mary
3.85 sec: Desmond Trufant, DB, Washington
3.88 sec: Austin Pettis, WR, Boise State
3.90 sec: Casey Hayward, DB, Vanderbilt; Shiloh Keo, DB, Idaho; Sabby Piscitelli, DB, Oregon State
3.94 sec: Jeff Maehl, WR, Oregon
3.96 sec: TJ Moe, WR, Oregon; AJ Hawk, LB, Ohio State

60 Yard Shuttle: (Aka: The TJ Moe/Jeff Maehl/Dane Sanzenbacher“ Honkey Slot WR King of the NFL Combine Burst Measurement Tests” Test #3.) The marathon of the NFL Combine. Measures burst, power, control and endurance. Recent Combine Top Performers:

10.75 sec: Jamell Fleming, DB, OU; Buster Skrine, DB, Tenn-Chattanooga
10.87 sec: TJ Moe, WR, Missouri; Cortez Allen, DB, Citadel; Arman Shields, WR, Richmond
10.88 sec: Jeff Maehl, WR, Oregon
10.92 sec: Brian Hartline, WR, Ohio State
10.94 sec: Dane Sanzenbacher, WR, Ohio State

Position-specific drills: Each position has specific drills that test for many different attributes. Change of direction and hip swing for defensive backs, hands skills for wide receivers during the "gauntlet," kick slide drills for the offensive linemen, power for the defensive linemen in hitting bag drills and accuracy for quarterbacks in throwing drills. Most likely, much more important than the Underwear Olympics events above.

In addition, in 2013, the NFL Combine re-addressed the Wonderlic test and a new addendum was added. Per the NFL:

“The NFL will implement a new, expanded player-assessment test designed to provide a comprehensive look at a player's "non-physical capabilities, aptitudes and strengths," according to an NFL memo obtained by NFL.com's Steve Wyche. The memo, which was sent to team presidents and general managers, says the new assessment tool is not being introduced as a replacement for any other tests, but rather as a way to provide new measurements over a range of non-physical capabilities.

This new test measures a wide range of competencies, including learning styles, motivation, decision-making skills, responding to pressure or unexpected stimuli, and core intellect.”

[Direckshun]

Q

[Saccopoo]

Q

You wish.

[Saccopoo]

Besides, when I started this, you hadn't posted anything. I figured you were working on mock draft #463 or player #217 of the Three you don't like.

My sincerest apologies.

But let's be honest - you don't have a video of a guy bench pressing. :p

[Saccopoo]

Interesting combine article from MMQB/Peter King:

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/02/20/peter-king-malcom-smith-2014-nfl-combine/3/

INDIANAPOLIS — You’re not here. You were a star on your college team last fall, and you waited for the invitation to the scouting combine, and one never came. The fuzzy process of inviting the 335 prime college prospects to Indianapolis in late February is over, players are teeming into the new airport here, and you’re not one of them. You’re bitter. You’re angry.

You have company: the reigning Super Bowl MVP.

“It hurt then, and it still hurts,” said Malcolm Smith, the Seahawks linebacker who wasn’t invited to the 2011 combine. Somehow, he lived. Smith had nine tackles and a fumble recovery, plus a 69-yard interception returned for a touchdown when the Seattle-Denver Super Bowl was still a game.

In fact, three starters from the world champions didn’t get combine invitations. Wide receiver Doug Baldwin is one; he had a team-leading five catches in the Super Bowl, one for a touchdown. Defensive tackle Clinton McDonald had five tackles and recovered a Peyton Manning fumble. No combine for him either.

Smith figured he’d follow in the footsteps of USC linebackers Clay Matthews and Brian Cushing at the end of his playing career with the Trojans. He knew his size (6-0, 228 pounds) would preclude him from being a very high pick, but the combine? A gimme. His older brother, USC wide receiver Steve Smith, went to the combine and had a nice NFL career, mostly with the Giants.

“I remember after the season calling this combine hotline number I had, to find out if I was invited,” Smith said from California this week. “This person checked the list and said, ‘No.’ I was shocked. I didn’t make the cut. I was too shocked to even ask why. How the hell does a starting linebacker at USC not get invited to the combine?

“I was angry at the whole process. I was angry at my agent. I was angry at the combine, at whoever these mystery people are who make the choices for who goes. Who are those mystery guys? How do they decide? I love the combine. I’d sit there and watch it every year, as much as I could. The combine is a spectacle, a show, and every college player wants to get invited and show all those coaches what they can do.”
Doug Baldwin, another combine non-invitee. Super Bowl XLVIII: Five catches, 66 yards, one touchdown. Combine non-invitee Doug Baldwin’s Super Bowl XLVIII numbers: five catches, 66 yards, one touchdown.

That year Smith watched the combine as much as always. At USC his 40 time was 4.44 seconds, which was better than almost all of the linebackers at the 2011 combine. He watched the workouts, and he kept shaking his head at the TV. He remembers being confounded by the presence of one linebacker, Lawrence Wilson from UConn. Wilson was 6-1 and 229. He ran a 4.75 40. Wilson’s vertical jump was 32.5 inches; Smith’s was 39. And so on.

Wilson was a sixth-round pick of the Panthers, 166th overall. Smith got picked in the seventh round by the college coach who recruited him at USC, Pete Carroll, number 242 overall.

“Absolutely I would have been drafted higher if I’d been at the combine,” Smith said. “Because I was under the radar and Seattle knew me so well, they knew they could wait and get me late, and they did.”

That year, 33 linebackers were invited to the combine. Ten went undrafted. Six uninvited linebackers, including Smith, were picked in the 2011 draft.

“I have the 2011 draft bookmarked on my computer. Once a month at least I open it up and scroll through the names. I just want to see all those people picked ahead of me and what happened to them.”

Lawrence Wilson, picked 76 slots ahead of Smith, has been on practice squads in Carolina and Chicago; he hasn’t played a regular-season snap in the NFL. Smith has played in 48 NFL games and emerged as a star in Seattle’s postseason run. He’s the guy who caught the deflected Richard Sherman tip to clinch the NFC Championship Game against San Francisco. And in the Super Bowl he grabbed the Manning passing and sprinted for the touchdown that made it 22-0 before halftime. He’s an instinctive playmaker on the inside of Seattle’s marauding defense.

I asked Smith what he’d say to good players who didn’t get invited to the combine.
Clinton McDonald was ignored by the combine in ’09, but Peyton Manning got to know him well in SB XLVIII.

“It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” he said. “Let it humble you, and let it give you fire. You know, I have the 2011 draft bookmarked on my computer. I’d say once a month, at least, I open it up and scroll through and look at all the names, one through 254. I still do now. I just want to see all those picked ahead of me and what happened to them. Winning the Super Bowl validated my progress and validated that I can play.”

Over the next few days, America will get lots of news from here in Indianapolis, because the draft, in the words of one club president, “is the fourth-most-popular sport in the country”—behind the NFL, major-league baseball and the NBA. (I don’t know about that; college football and college basketball would argue, but you get the point. The draft is a very big deal.) Last year 7.25 million viewers watched part of NFL Network’s combine coverage on TV, which is almost four times the number of viewers for an average Sunday night regular-season baseball game on ESPN. So it’s big, and getting bigger.

Just be careful when you watch, and not just because there are some very good players who are not here. I say it every year: It is nonsensical to believe that the scouting combine hugely inflates or deflates a player’s draft stock. The most important thing that happens here takes place during the physical exams, when four groups of eight NFL medical teams—doctors, trainers, orthopedists—examine every player from head to toe. Second-most important thing: the interviews. Teams can chose up to 60 players to interview for 15 minutes each in the evening. For most teams it’s the first time coaches and GMs have met the players they may draft, so that is significant.

Malcolm Smith will be watching too, because he’s a football junkie. But he knows the next Malcolm Smith will be watching too—because good players who will be drafted weren’t invited.

[Saccopoo]

Two interesting research studies of NFL Combine vs. Actual NFL results:

Abstract

The authors investigate the correlation between National Football League (NFL) combine test results and NFL success for players drafted at three different offensive positions (quarterback, running back, and wide receiver) during a recent 6-year period, 1999-2004. The combine consists of series of drills, exercises, interviews, aptitude tests, and physical exams designed to assess the skills of promising college football players and to predict their performance in the NFL. Combine measures examined in this study include 10-, 20-, and 40-yard dashes, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, 20- and 60-yard shuttles, three-cone drill, and the Wonderlic Personnel Test. Performance criteria include 10 variables: draft order; 3 years each of salary received and games played; and position-specific data. Using correlation analysis, we find no consistent statistical relationship between combine tests and professional football performance, with the notable exception of sprint tests for running backs. We put forth possible explanations for the general lack of statistical relations detected, and, consequently, we question the overall usefulness of the combine. We also offer suggestions for improving the prediction of success in the NFL, primarily the use of more rigorous psychological tests and the examination of collegiate performance as a job sample test. Finally, from a practical standpoint, the results of the study should encourage NFL team personnel to reevaluate the usefulness of the combine's physical tests and exercises as predictors of player performance. This study should encourage team personnel to consider the weighting and importance of various combine measures and the potential benefits of overhauling the combine process, with the goal of creating a more valid system for predicting player success.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the predictive ability of National Football League (NFL) combine physical test data to predict draft order over the years 2005-2009. The NFL combine provides a setting in which NFL personnel can evaluate top draft prospects. The predictive ability of combine data in its raw form and when normalized in both a ratio and allometric manner was examined for 17 positions. Data from 8 combine physical performance tests were correlated with draft order to determine the direction and strength of relationship between the various combine measures and draft order. Players invited to the combine and subsequently drafted in the same year (n = 1,155) were included in the study. The primary finding was that performance in the combine physical test battery, whether normalized or not, has little association with draft success. In terms of predicting draft order from outcomes of the 8 tests making up the combine battery, normalized data provided no advantage over raw data. Of the 8 performance measures investigated, straight sprint time and jumping ability seem to hold the most weight with NFL personnel responsible for draft decisions. The NFL should consider revising the combine test battery to reflect the physical characteristics it deems important. It may be that NFL teams are more interested in attributes other than the purely physical traits reflected in the combine test battery. Players with aspirations of entering the NFL may be well advised to develop mental and technical skills in addition to developing the physical characteristics necessary to optimize performance.

Both seem to come to the conclusion that the Combine, at least the Underwear Olympics portion of it, is crap.

[Saccopoo]

Combine tidbits from NFL.com:

In the last five years, 15 wide receivers have run a sub-4.40 40-yard dash. Of those 15, Mike Wallace is the only player to produce a 1,000-yard season (2010 and 2011). Wallace, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Johnny Knox are the only three players to have even reached 1,000 career receiving yards. The receiver with the best 40-yard dash time, Marquise Goodwin (4.27 in 2013), had 17 receptions for 283 yards and 3 touchdowns for the Bills last season.

Over the last 10 years, just 14 players not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine have been selected in the first three rounds of the NFL draft.

Over the last eight drafts, on average, the first player picked that did not attend the NFL Scouting Combine has been selected with the 90th pick. The earliest drafted non-combine invitees since 2006 have been Duron Harmon in 2013 (third round, 91st overall by the Patriots), Tavon Wilson in 2012 (second round, 48th overall by the Patriots), Kris Durham in 2011 (fourth round, 107th overall by the Seahawks), Jacques McClendon in 2010 (fourth round, 129th overall by the Colts), Mike Mitchell in 2009 (second round, 47th overall by the Raiders), William Hayes in 2008 (fourth round, 104th overall by the Titans), Usama Young in 2007 (third round, 66th overall by the Saints) and Domenik Hixon in 2006 (fourth round, 130th overall by the Broncos).

Since 2004, 29 combine quarterbacks have been drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft. What does the average first round combine QB look like? He is 6-foot-4, 232 pounds, and runs the 40-yard dash in 4.71 seconds. In other words, Andrew Luck, who measured in at 6-4 and 234 pounds at the 2012 combine and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.67 seconds.

[Saccopoo]

Another interesting study on the Combine and it's correlation to NFL success (or lack thereof):

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08959285.2011.555218#.UwZ_u62YaUk

Abstract

This study investigated the criterion-related validity of past performance and physical ability tests over time in a physically demanding context, the National Football League (NFL). Results suggested that an indicator of past performance, collegiate performance, engendered a stronger relationship with future NFL performance than a variety of physical ability tests administered during the NFL Combine. Unlike physical ability, past performance remained a valid predictor across four years of the criterion domain; however, the validity coefficients eventually deteriorated over time, following a simplex pattern commonly found with general mental ability tests. Implications germane to staffing research and practice are discussed.

Summary/lay terms commentary on study:

Basically, this study tells us much of what we, as evaluators, have come to learn and expect: College production is a much greater indicator of future NFL success than tests which are meant to gauge physical ability (specifically NFL Scouting Combine drills.)

The tests that were in this study were the 40-yard dash, the 3-cone drill, the 20-yard shuttle and the vertical leap as recorded at the NFL Scouting Combine over a 3 year period. The test did not take into account passing and route-running performance because those abilities are not easily quantified like exact times and distances can be. Also, no offensive linemen were used in this study because OL statistics (that do exist) do not always translate directly to productivity as we know. The bench press was not taken into consideration, because the sample size was smaller than the other four drills with many prospects not partaking in the drill. Hoffman said if they had seen reason to keep it in because it may offer a correlation, they might have- but it appeared to be absolutely worthless as an indicator anyway. As for the four drills studied, only one correlated with NFL success. The 40-yard dash.

The 3-cone, shuttle and vertical tests showed statistically insignificant correlations with prediction of future NFL production across all positions other than OL.

The 40-yard dash had a small negative correlation, which is actually a “positive” correlation regarding productivity since the lower the 40-time, the faster the player is. People always talk about the 40 yard dash, and seemingly it is the most popular test that the general public uses in making their own evaluations. The first question people generally ask me about prospects is their 40-time. Analysts and draftniks are always downplaying the significance of the test, but apparently the human eyeball is right in this case. It is the only test at the combine that gave any sort of predictor of future NFL production. They tried testing 10 and 20 yard splits, but left them out of the study as they correlated exactly the same way the 40-time did across all positions. “The guys with the faster split almost always had the faster overall times. It made the findings negligible which was surprising to me, especially for defensive linemen who would seem to need that short area burst” Hoffman said.

Using multiple regression analysis, Dr. Hoffman was then able to compare the significance of college production in evaluation versus that of these tests. Statistical controls were made for level of competition and college conference. The correlation between college production and NFL production was so decidedly positive that it basically comes down to these three overriding conclusions:

1) The 40 yard dash is a small indicator, as mentioned previously.
2) Level of College Production is a 2 to 3 times better indicator of future success than the 40 yard dash.
3) Level of College Production is a 4 to 5 times better indicator of future success than any other drill at the Combine.

So, like so many of all of our coaches have said through the years-

“The game tape don’t lie, son.”

It’s easy to fall into the “paralysis by analysis” trap that the Draft media tends to during these final weeks of hand-wringing leading up to the Draft. If you believe this study, however, your work is already done if you’ve done your film study. I have always said that I highly enjoy the Combine and college pro days, but always use them to either affirm (or make me question) the conclusions I have independently come to regarding the talent of NFL prospects.


Full article:
http://rosterwatch.com/nfl-draft-exclusive-what-the-combine-really-tells-us

[Rain Man]

Interesting combine article from MMQB/Peter King:

http://mmqb.si.com/2014/02/20/peter-king-malcom-smith-2014-nfl-combine/3/


Who does make the decision on who to invite and who not to invite?

If it's representatives of the teams, I wonder if they intentionally snub some small-college players that they're hoping to sneak under the radar. Obviously that won't work with a guy like a USC linebacker, but I could see where a cornerback from some lesser school will get passed over for that reason.

I think back to John Stalworth's story with the Steelers. He played at a small school and they gave the Steelers the only game tape they had of him. The Steelers then sat on it and never gave it back, so no other NFL teams got to see it, and they ended up drafting him pretty low for his abilities.

[Saccopoo]

Who does make the decision on who to invite and who not to invite?

Per the NFL:

Participants are determined annually by a Selection Committee. The Directors of both National and BLESTO scouting services, which combined represent twenty-five NFL teams, are joined by members of various NFL player personnel departments to form the committee. The participating NFL executives can rotate on a yearly basis, and remain anonymous. ALL eligible players are reviewed and voted on by the committee members. Each athlete receiving the necessary number of votes, by position, is then extended an invitation. While it is not a perfect science, the goal of the committee is to invite every player that will be drafted in the ensuing NFL Draft.

[Saccopoo]

I think back to John Stalworth's story with the Steelers. He played at a small school and they gave the Steelers the only game tape they had of him. The Steelers then sat on it and never gave it back, so no other NFL teams got to see it, and they ended up drafting him pretty low for his abilities.

I think those days are long gone. With the immediacy that modern technology provides, I doubt that there are a lot of "hidden gems" out there, especially at any college level.

The one problem is that as the NFL becomes more focused on speed and physical parameters, they are somewhat losing sight of the basics of the game and how much passion and instincts play into what makes one player better than the other.

It's why I posted the previous studies findings in this thread as it relates to the Combine and subsequent production at the NFL level.

It's also why a guy like Richard Sherman gets drafted in the fifth round and a guy like Heyward-Bey goes in the first - some teams forget about a guy playing the game versus his measurables. (And Sherman, while he did run a 4.54 40 at the Combine, was also an HS All-American at the triple jump and ran the triple, long jump and 110 hurdles at Stanford. 40 be damned, you don't do those unless you've got sick speed and burst/leaping ability.)

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

Lol at this thread. Saccond fiddle

Team D

[Saccopoo]

Interesting info on the interview process at the Combine:

Manziel, like every other player at the Combine, was not informed of the identities of the individual teams that wish to interview him in Indianapolis. Players are given a time and room numbers -- not team names -- to maintain the secrecy of this process. Given his talents, questions and the value of the quarterback position, however, expect Manziel to be among the most popular interviews for NFL teams this year.

I guess that it makes sense that the player doesn't know the teams he'll be meeting with so that he doesn't automatically generate a canned response.

[Direckshun]

It's also why a guy like Richard Sherman gets drafted in the fifth round and a guy like Heyward-Bey goes in the first - some teams forget about a guy playing the game versus his measurables. (And Sherman, while he did run a 4.54 40 at the Combine, was also an HS All-American at the triple jump and ran the triple, long jump and 110 hurdles at Stanford. 40 be damned, you don't do those unless you've got sick speed and burst/leaping ability.)

Huh.

I didn't know any of that.