OK, let’s talk about Day-3...the offensive skill player day (QBs, RBs, WRs).
Another day of record setting performances. Ross asked me a question yesterday, during the event...a question some are starting to raise -- are these guys all that athletic or are the measuring devices off, or being manipulated? After a day of thinking about that, I have a theory...
YES...it is being manipulated...manipulated by the prospects themselves.
I think this ‘all of a sudden’ greatest athletes of a generation, setting Combine records at every position group is coming from the fact that all they do is train to beat this Combine. I would hazard to guess that a guy from like a college team that isn’t headed to the CFB field of 64, ends their regular season early December and then goes on a maniacal, high cost training regiment at an ‘academy/training facility, where their job is to get you ready for the Combine...and not just get you ready, probably get you in the best shape of your life. A 2-3+ month boot camp for guys already in good shape to get into the best shape of their lives...specifically the best kinda/certain shape to ‘beat’ the Combine.
I think the vertical leap records being blown away by individuals and position groups tells the tale -- I theorize that the training methodologies have figured out a way to unlock more spring out of the athlete’s legs recently, which also helps speed times...or vice-versa maybe. It wasn’t just speed setting records; it was also verticals.
These players aren’t getting better at ‘football’, they are getting better at ‘Combine’.
You see the way they get ready to run their 40-yard dash...it’s professional 40-time training techniques...maximizing hand position and crouch and explosion and when is the best time to go upright, etc.
What isn’t improving much = bench press and three-cone. In fact, the players don’t even bother with it anymore. They aren’t being trained on that...it gets in the way of straight-line explosion. You can professionally train your body and eat with top nutritionists and do high-level physical therapies and everything for a 2-3+ month boot camp and crush the Combine. And then you immediately stop that training and do whatever you want from there once the Combine is over...which is probably add bulk, many of them getting away from the wispy, lean body that they created with a 2-3-month hardcore training...a body they won’t have in the NFL but was needed for the Combine now gets left behind.
The Combine isn’t an accurate judge of things anywhere near like it used to be. It’s awarding Dog and Pony Show awards for being good at ‘Combine’.
And if I were in their shoes it is exactly what I would do. I don’t blame them one bit.
And I can see the Combine being a judge of -- how seriously did you take/train for the Combine, we’ll reward that work ethic. Everybody has to take ‘Algebra’, I was told in high school...’but when am I ever gonna use this?’, I cried as the young metrics guy (me) got an ‘F’ in high school algebra (but an ‘A’ in statistics and ‘A+’ in college accounting...so don’t come at me...letters are not real math). I was too young and dumb, and quite frankly too lazy to realize what I realize today: The point isn’t necessarily to be good at Algebra or applying it to daily life...the point was...would I do the work and extra training and extra study to figure it out (if I didn’t naturally figure it out). Would I work to overcome? Or would I adopt the mindset of...this Algebra/Combine stuff is stupid, underwear Olympics for dummies. Maybe it is, but you gotta honor the guys who took their profession seriously and they trained for the millions of dollars opportunity.
I’ve got prostate cancer spread to the surrounding lymph nodes. I am manically doing what I have to do to win (and I am winning)...including going to, arguably, THEE top cancer group in the USA versus a good/OK location. I’m doing everything I can to beat the task in front of me. Credit the athletes for doing all they can do to win the Combine. Motivation comes in many forms.
We don’t have better athletes in this generation, per se...but we do have WAY better trained, committed to their body athletes...and thus they ARE better athletes than their forefathers.
On to the awards at each position group (strictly judging ‘Combine’)...
Running Backs...
#1/GOLD = Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas...are you serious? 4.33 40-time and 1.51 10-yard at 223 pounds? That’s sick! Also, a 39” vertical and 10’8” broad jump. But like Ross said to me yesterday...it doesn’t mean he’s good at football. But we are both now way more intrigued than we already were...our #2 ranked RB going into the Combine.
#2/SILVER = Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame...credit to him for a couple things...(1) He should’ve never participated in this, but he did. He obviously trained and killed it. Kudos. (2) I would’ve bet he’d cut weight to like 205 to run faster, but he actually came in at 213...a few pounds bigger than his play weight.
#3/BRONZE = Seth McGowan, Kentucky...6’0”/223...and ran a 4.49 with a 42.5” vertical.
HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT = Emmett Johnson, Nebraska...I saw so many ‘this guy’s a sleeper’ videos pop up in my feed when I preview studied him. I didn’t get it, and a 4.60 40-time at 202 pounds with a 7.32 three-cone means he is headed to UDFA-land.
Wide Receivers...
#1/GOLD = Jeff Caldwell, Florida...by a mile...6’5”/216, 4.31 with a 42” vertical! Bro, are you serious? I couldn’t pick this guy out of a lineup. I have him on my list to get to watching right away.
#2/SILVER = Bryce Lance, NDSU...6’3”/204 and ran a 4.34 with a 1.49 10-yd split with a 41.5” vertical and a 4.15 shuttle.
#3/BRONZE = Zavion Thomas, LSU...a 4.28 40-time at 190 pounds is more impressive than Brenen Thompson running a 4.26 at 164 pounds.
HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT = Carnell Tate, Ohio State...who advised him to do things at the Combine? Had he just dodged this event, he would’ve been a top 10 pick. Now, he’s gonna fall outta of the top 10. He cost himself a lot of money running here, I think. A 4.54 40-time and a 1.61 10-yd split at 192 pounds is no bueno.
Quarterbacks (again, just judging ‘Combine’)...
#1/GOLD = Cole Payton, NDSU...his stock was already on the rise, but now add that he can run a 4.56 at 232 pounds...with a 40” vertical leap. Ty Simpson as the #2 QB in the draft is now under fire. You’re gonna see Payton move into the 1st-round of mocks now. All it takes is one bold leader among the experts to do it and everyone else will follow.
Payton’s Combine has singlehandedly cost Ty Simpson millions of dollars, you watch.
#2/SILVER = Taylen Green, Arkansas...sure, best athlete among the QGBs but not the best QB, or even close. Payton throwing vs. Green throwing is no contest. Green should have worked reps with the WRs. I wonder if he did.
#3/BRONZE = Hayes King, Ga Tech...on the list just by making me go ‘who the hell is Hayes King?’ with his 4.47 40-time and 6.89 three-cone.
HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT = Diego Pavia, Vandy...dude...you’re in no position to be skipping things. He did have a partially torn hamstring last season that he played through, so he has reason to skip...but then don’t do the throwing drills. Keep up the ruse.
I’m still intrigued, just disappointed.
On to the final day with the always ignored, completely disrespected...but most important thing in the NFL right now -- Offensive Line.
