NFL Scouting Combine: 2017 Primer with Dates, Players & Information
By Peter Panacy
Things to Note for the NFL Scouting Combine
The majority of NFL Scouting Combine focus obviously falls on what prospects will do throughout their respective on-field drills.
The 40-yard dash, bench-press reps, shuttle times and various other drills garner all the attention. This information winds up going into prospects’ draft bios and breakdowns leading up to the NFL Draft itself.
But there’s more to it than that.
Not All Prospects Are Invited
Just because a player declared for the NFL Draft doesn’t mean he’ll get a combine invite. Case in point, Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly wasn’t invited to participate.
Uninvited players, like Kelly, can still audition for NFL teams at their respective pro days.
Agents Often Pick Over the Prospect List
Player agents have an interesting role in the combine. And it goes beyond just looking for prospective clients entering the NFL.
From a behind-the-scenes perspective, agents also wind up engaging in talks with scouts and general managers on hand for combine events. Surely, the talk winds up being more than just about collegiate talent. Remember, those agents represent NFL players too.
And some feel the groundwork for free-agency contracts is laid out here.
Prospect Interviews Can Be Intriguing
As Niner Noise previously pointed out, the NFL Scouting Combine can essentially be an “apology” day.
It never fails a good chunk of prospective talent will be asked during interviews about off-the-field incidents and run-ins with the law. It happens. The key thing to remember here is both the media and team representatives want to see how each player handles the Q&A sessions.
Teams almost always know what the answers will be, if they’ve done their homework. They just want to see how any prospect will account for what happened.