How do Buccaneers fans make sense and get value out of watching the NFL Combine?
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The league year may not begin until March 9th, but Buccaneers fans and fans all over this nation have something to smile about. The first workouts of the NFL Combine are just about 48 hours away.
It feels like yesterday that the Patriots walked off the field as Super Bowl champions, yet here we are. It’s time to find the next group of NFL players ready to make their dreams come true.
Jason Licht and company are preparing to watch drills, interview players, and start to formulate their plans for the NFL draft.
We too, thanks to the NFL Network, get the unique opportunity to evaluate these players as well, and we don’t even have to head to Indianapolis to do it. But it can be confusing at times. What are we watching? What should we pay attention to?
Here are three simple rules for watching the workouts that will make it more enjoyable and give you the best insights possible from an isolated day of drills.
Mute the Sound
It’s going to sound crazy but you will understand after I complete the explanation.
The bulk of the coverage is handled by Rich Eisen and Mike Mayock. Eisen does a great job at moving the action from drill to drill, getting it to on field experts when appropriate, and generally keeping the telecast moving. Mayock is well-known as a draft expert. He has been watching a lot more college football than the rest of us, and gives some great insights on the players and their performances.
Remember, however, that these are only opinions. The NFL Combine, and subsequently the draft, are chances for NFL staffs to express their opinions, and make educated guesses based on those opinions. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Any of you that are taking the time to watch the Combine understand a great deal about football. Football fans have a pretty good idea of what makes a good football player and what doesn’t.
Mute the sound while you watch the day’s events. You know what that does? It forces you to rely upon your eyes. We all have our opinions influenced by what the talking heads are saying on the air. If we take the sound out of the equation, we can experience the Combine the way the scouts do.
Try it, you will be surprised how much you really know about the game.
Take Numbers with a Grain of Salt
The numbers that these young players put up in Indianapolis can be exciting. Most of us remember when Chris Johnson posted a 4.24 time in the forty yard dash, still a record today. It’s easy to get excited watching the skilled position players run the dash. After all, their game is in part about speed. It gets the athlete in all of us, even the latent one in my case, going to watch these guys run fast.
How about when they flash to the bench press? Isn’t it cool when these linemen due 20 or 30 reps, sometimes more, on the bench? All of us, even the scrawny guys like myself, wish we could do it. We also envision these strong players throwing around our team’s opponents like rag dolls. We imagine defensive linemen running over linemen and backs like they aren’t even there on their way to the quarterback.
Remember, however, that these are isolated drills. The 40 yard dash is out of context. It’s not very often that straight-line speed is a factor during the game. If a lineman doesn’t have proper technique, it will make no difference how strong he is. He will find his rear end on the ground, and soon enough on the bench.
Enjoy the measurable numbers, but don’t treat them as the most important notes to make on a player.
Position Specific Drills
If the big drills like the 40 yard dash aren’t what to pay attention to, what is? The drills that are relevant for a particular position are the most important. For example, look at the running backs. We can all agree that they often have to change directions, and do it quickly. Which drill tests that skill? The Three Cone Drill. Take a look at the timings on that. It will give you a bit of insight to the running backs coming out. Who does better, Leonard Fournette or Dalvin Cook? It will be interesting.
Buccaneers fans will be looking at wide receivers. How do they catch the football? Do they let the ball into their bodies or do they catch it with their hands? No matter how fast they are, if the ball gets into their body consistently, it should be a big red flag. Back in 2012, the New York Jets were impressed by a wide receiver out of Georgia Tech that ran a 4.36 forty yard dash. The trouble was he couldn’t make a catch with his hands. The Jets didn’t care and selected him with their early second round pick. His name is Stephen Hill, and he caught 45 passes over two seasons for the team before he found himself out of the league.
If offensive linemen are more your thing, watch their feet when they go through their drills. How is their slide step? Do they move smoothly or do they get tangled up? How does he distribute his weight? Does he get too bent over at the waist, or is his center of gravity good? These are just a sampling of some of the things to watch for as you watch what some call the “Underwear Olympics”. Yes I’m serious.
Next: Bucs Seven Round Mock Draft
Follow these simple rules, and you will enjoy the Combine just a bit more. You too can scout the next Buccaneers star.