2009 NFL Combine Preview

From February 18-24, coaches and scouts will gather for the first Scouting Combine to be held inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Over 300 invited prospects will be given the opportunity to interview for a job next season in the NFL. They’ll be measured and have the chance to put their athletic prowess to the test. All 32 teams will be closely eyeing prospects as they go through a number of drills and test them inside the football classroom. Teams will want to know exactly who they’re investing millions of dollars in and draft fans will want to see what type of athletes they’ll be getting. Here’s what to look for.

Potential Workout Warriors

Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina. The Gamecocks’ tight end will threaten to run the best time of all tight ends. He was once compared to Calvin Johnson by Coach Spurrier and is hyped to crack the 4.4’s in the 40 yard dash. Cook has gone a little under the radar, but if he lights up the Combine, as expected, he’ll certainly get some looks at the end of the first round.

Brian Cushing, OLB, USC. Cushing is a true physical specimen and before this season, was getting his dues solely because of it. Cushing should have no problem putting on a pair of shoes and shining in every event. He, too, has flown under the radar, but will be getting some serious consideration for the first 15 picks after this week is over.

Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois. If you’ve been following the draft for several years now, you’ll remember what Vernon Davis did a couple years back, catching everyone by surprise. After running a 4.38 40 at the Combine, he went sixth overall to the Niners and became the highest paid tight end at the time. Look for his brother Vontae to run remarkably as well and garner some attention as perhaps the top corner prospect in the draft.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland. After being underutilized at Maryland, Heyward-Bey decided to leave a year early and now faces the biggest interview of his life. He’ll be one of several receivers expected to break the 4.4’s and compete for the fastest time with Percy Harvin as his main competitor.

Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech. Looking around the web and at some of the key draft analysts, Michael Johnson is slipping. Some even project him to go in the second round. If Johnson participates in all of the events, he’ll be a first round lock. He’s lean, cut up, and may run the fastest time of all defensive ends.

William Moore, S, Missouri. After a poor season and a disappointing week in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, Moore should finally get his opportunity to shine. He’s a good athlete who just couldn’t replicate his junior season.

Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas. Some hail Orakpo to be the freak that Vernon Gholston was a year ago. He looks incredibly strong and plays lightning fast. Let’s see if he decides to participate this week. Depending on how fluid an athlete he is, he could be a potential 3-4 outside linebacker. The Packers have just switched to the 3-4 defense this offseason and have a vacancy at the position. Could this be his interview for that position?

Lawrence Sidbury, DE, Richmond. Not too many people know Lawrence Sidbury and even less are talking about him. He’s a freakish defensive end who will run fast and jump high. He’s the standard small school player who will begin to garner some attention after a strong week in Indy.

Jason Smith, OT, Baylor. Smith is a phenomenal athlete and if he decides to go through the workouts, he could be the offensive tackle we’re talking about next week. He has an incredible skill set and appears to be a phenomenal athlete on tape. Look for him to leapfrog the big names such as Oher and Andre Smith if he has a huge week.

The Events

Weigh-in: Nearly every player in Indianapolis will be measured for height, weight, arm length, and hand length. Scouts will be watching as the players stand shirtless and get their measurements. It will also give NFL personnel the opportunity to see whose carrying those extra pounds and who looks ready to play football. Separate from the weigh-in, players will also be medically examined and marked up for all prior injuries. This information will rarely leak out to the public, but can be pivotal in the decision-making process for General Managers.

40 Yard Dash: The 40 Yard Dash is the most hyped event at the Combine. Players run from point A to point B 40 yards away and are timed at intervals of 10, 20, and 40 yards. While the 40 time may get the glamour, look for the 10 and 20 yard times that test explosion and have more relevance at most positions.

Bench Press: Players lie on a bench and lift a 225 pound bar and barbell as many times as they can. It tests upper body strength and is most important for offensive and defensive linemen. Keep in mind that this isn’t the ultimate strength test. Shorter armed players will have the opportunity here with less distance to extend the bar.

Vertical Leap: Players stand flat-footed underneath plastic flags raised in the air and supported by a vertical bar. They jump with an extended hand to see how many flags they can rotate. It tests vertical leg explosion and is most important for receivers and corners to see how well they can compete for jump balls at the next level.

Broad Jump: Players stand flat-footed and try to jump as far as they can. This also tests leg strength and explosion. The broad jump is most important for running backs.

20 Yard Shuttle: Perhaps one of the most important tests at the Combine that goes widely unnoticed by fans. Players run in a straight line, 5 yards to the left, 10 to the right, then 5 to the left again. It tests lateral quickness and change of direction and is equally important for all positions.

60 Yard Shuttle: Also known as the long shuttle. It has the same format as the 20 yard shuttle, except longer. It is a better test for speed and endurance than the 20 yard shuttle or the 40 yard dash.

3 Cone Drill: Cones are placed in the shape of an “L” and players are forced to run around them starting and ending at the same line. It tests explosion, change-of-direction, and also body control. Like the 20 yard shuttle, this is also equally important for all positions.

Interviews: Teams will have the opportunity to speak with up to 60 players at the Combine. The interview will allow teams to ask just about anything ranging from football knowledge, off-field issues, to family. Nothing is off limits. More than the rest, this could be the most important aspect of the Combine for every player. A wrong response could cost them a chance at a job in April.

The Wonderlic Test: The Wonderlic is similar to the IQ test in testing intelligence. Players will get 12 minutes to answer 50 questions. Low scores for quarterbacks could spell disaster and have teams asking more rigorous questions in the classroom. If they can’t handle this material, can they handle the volumes of an NFL playbook?

The Schedule

Thursday, February 19:
Group 1(PK, ST, OL), Group 2 (OL), Group 3 (TE) – Measurements

Friday, February 20:
Group 4(QB, WR), Group 5 (QB, WR), Group 6 (RB) – Measurements

Saturday, February 21:
Group 7 (DL), Group 8 (DL), Group 9 (LB) – Measurements
Group 1, Group 2, Group 3 – Workout (timing, stations, skill drills)

Sunday, February 22:
Group 10 (DB), Group 11 (DB) – Measurements
Group 4, Group 5, Group 6 – Workout (timing, stations, skill drills)

Monday, February 23:
Group 7, Group 8, Group 9 – Workout (timing, stations, skill drills)

Tuesday, February 24:
Group 10, Group 11 – Workout (timing, stations, skill drills)