Combine Workout Drills

[GimmedaBall]

Here's the list of the standard Combine 'Olympic' track meet events used to judge the players:

40-yard dash
The 40-yard dash is the marquee event at the combine. It's kind of like the 100-meters at the Olympics: It's all about speed, explosion and watching skilled athletes run great times. These athletes are timed at 10, 20 and 40-yard intervals. What the scouts are looking for is an explosion from a static start.

Bench press
The bench press is a test of strength -- 225 pounds, as many reps as the athlete can get. What the NFL scouts are also looking for is endurance. Anybody can do a max one time, but what the bench press tells the pro scouts is how often the athlete frequented his college weight room for the last 3-5 years.

Vertical jump
The vertical jump is all about lower-body explosion and power. The athlete stands flat-footed and they measure his reach. It is important to accurately measure the reach, because the differential between the reach and the flag the athlete touches is his vertical jump measurement.

Broad jump
The broad jump is like being in gym class back in junior high school. Basically, it is testing an athlete's lower-body explosion and lower-body strength. The athlete starts out with a stance balanced and then he explodes out as far as he can. It tests explosion and balance, because he has to land without moving.

3 cone drill
The 3 cone drill tests an athlete's ability to change directions at a high speed. Three cones in an L-shape. He starts from the starting line, goes 5 yards to the first cone and back. Then, he turns, runs around the second cone, runs a weave around the third cone, which is the high point of the L, changes directions, comes back around that second cone and finishes.

Shuttle run
The short shuttle is the first of the cone drills. It is known as the 5-10-5. What it tests is the athlete's lateral quickness and explosion in short areas. The athlete starts in the three-point stance, explodes out 5 yards to his right, touches the line, goes back 10 yards to his left, left hand touches the line, pivot, and he turns 5 more yards and finishes.

(Cut-and-paste from: http://www.nfl.com/combine/workouts

Another link that looks at the drills and results before the 2017 Combine: http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/new...ertical-broad-jump/1k0jmk286inlh1dtelmjqzd7mj

Questions to consider:

• Are the drills measuring anything that relates to being a football player? Check the 'leaders' in each category from the second link posted---looks like the 40 yard dash has some predictive value as to which players are going to excel since it is a measure of speed. Check the 'winners' in the other categories---where are they in the NFL career??

• The phrase 'work-out warrior' comes to mind when looking at the drills. Players can train for the Combine events to up their draft rating. How can teams control for that effect? Are they getting a good read on the guy as a football player or a track-and-field star?

• The drills do put every player on the same scale. Should the events continue to be used? If not, what would you replace them with?

The QBs have the additional passing drills. Do these drills add anything over the game tape? Would the Cardinal QB game of trash-can toss give better info regarding accuracy? That or the Pro-Bowl challenge with moving targets:

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