What Does the NFL Combine Consist Of?
Contents
The NFL Scouting Combine is a week-long showcase of the best college football players eligible for the NFL Draft. Here’s what prospects are put through at the event.
The 40-Yard Dash
Why the 40-Yard Dash is Important
The 40-Yard Dash is one of the most important drills at the NFL Scouting Combine. It is a test of speed and explosion that allows NFL personnel to compare players in terms of their straight-line speed.
The40-Yard Dash is also a good measure of a player’s change-of-direction ability, as it requires them to start and stop quickly.
A good time in the 40-Yard Dash can help a player increase their draft stock, while a poor time can cause them to slip down the draft board.
The 40-Yard Dash is just one of many drills that players will participate in at the Combine, but it is often one of the most talked about.
How the 40-Yard Dash is Scored
The 40-yard dash is one of the most important drills at the NFL Scouting Combine. It’s a test of speed and explosiveness that’s used to evaluate prospects for the draft.
Players are given three chances to run the 40-yard dash, and their times are averaged. The best time is then used for their official score.
The 40-yard dash is timed with electronic timing gates at the start and finish line. There are also hand-held stopwatches that record split times at 10, 20 and 30 yards.
The Bench Press
The bench press is a measure of upper body strength and is performed at the NFL Combine. Each prospect is given the opportunity to attempt to lift 225 pounds as many times as possible. This is a good measure of raw strength and can give teams an idea of how a player will fare in the trenches.
Why the Bench Press is Important
The bench press is one of the events at the NFL Combine that scouts use to evaluate potential prospects. It is also one of the most popular exercises among football players at all levels. The bench press measures the amount of weight a player can lift in one repetition.
A higher score in the bench press demonstrates better upper body strength and power. This is important for football players because they need to be strong to be able to block and tackle opponents. The bench press can also be a good indicator of how explosive a player is.
Players who can lift a lot of weight in the bench press are usually able to translate that strength into power on the field. This is why the bench press is such an important event at the NFL Combine. It can give scouts a good idea of how strong and explosive a prospect is, which are two very important qualities for a football player.
How the Bench Press is Scored
The benchmark for NFL Combine success in the bench press is 225 pounds. prospects are allotted a specific amount of time to bench press as much weight as they can. The number of reps they complete at 225 pounds is recorded and used as a measure of their brute strength and explosiveness.
For example, if a player benched 225 pounds 15 times, he would have completed what’s called a “repetition max,” meaning he lifted the maximum amount of weight he could lift for 15 reps.
Players are also scored on how much weight they can bench press in relation to their body weight. This number is called the “bench-press index,” with the best score possible being 1.0.
The Vertical Jump
The vertical jump is one of the drills at the NFL Combine. It’s a test of explosive lower-body power and it’s one of the key measures of athleticism for potential NFL players. The vertical jump is also a good indicator of lower-body strength.
Why the Vertical Jump is Important
The vertical jump is one of the most important tests at the NFL Combine. It is a measure of a player’s explosiveness and lower body power. A higher vertical jump indicates that a player has the ability to generate more force and can explode off the ground more quickly. This is important for a number of reasons.
First, the vertical jump is a good indicator of how well a player will be able to accelerate. When a player is running down the field, he needs to be able to reach top speed quickly in order to make plays on the ball. If he can’t accelerate quickly, he won’t be able to make plays on the ball.
Second, the vertical jump is also a good indicator of how well a player will be able to change directions. When a player is running down the field, he needs to be able to change directions quickly in order to avoid defenders and make plays on the ball. If he can’t change directions quickly, he won’t be able to make plays on the ball.
Finally, the vertical jump is also a good indicator of lower body strength. Lower body strength is important for two reasons. First, it helps players absorb impact when they are tackled. Second, it helps players generate force when they are making tackles themselves. Players who have stronger lower bodies will be better at both of these things.
How the Vertical Jump is Scored
There are a few ways that the professional scouts score the Vertical Jump, but the two most common ways are the Vertec and the OptoJump. The Vertec is a series of vertical pins that measure how high you can reach; this is the system that is most commonly used by NFL scouts. The OptoJump uses a system of infrared beams to measure how high you can jump; this system is used more often by college scouts.
The goal of the Vertical Jump is to see how explosive an athlete is and how well they can generate power. This drill also measures an athlete’s ability to accelerate quickly and change directions efficiently.
The Broad Jump
The broad jump is one of the tests that are done at the NFL combine. The goal of the broad jump is to measure an athlete’s lower body explosiveness and power.
Why the Broad Jump is Important
The broad jump is one of the most important tests at the NFL Scouting Combine. This test measures a player’s explosiveness and lower-body strength, which are both important traits for football players.
The combine has been using the broad jump as a testing tool since its inception in 1982. In recent years, some players have even used it as a way to show off their athleticism (see: Odell Beckham Jr.’s 2013 combine performance).
While the broad jump isn’t the only way to measure a player’s lower-body strength and explosiveness, it is still an important tool for scouts and coaches. Here’s why:
1. It’s a good indicator of lower-body strength.
2. It shows how well a player can explode off the line of scrimmage.
3. It indicates how well a player can change directions.
4. It measures a player’s balance and coordination.
How the Broad Jump is Scored
The broad jump is measured from the point where the athlete first jumps, to the point where the athlete’s momentum is finally halted by either landing on his rear end or taking a few steps. The measurement is made in feet and inches, and is usually stopped at the nearest whole foot/inch mark. If an athlete steps out of bounds before coming to a complete stop, his jump distance will be reduced by the amount that he stepped out of bounds.
The 3-Cone Drill
Why the 3-Cone Drill is Important
The 3-cone drill tests an athlete’s ability to change directions quickly. This is important for football players because they need to be able to quickly change directions when they are on the field. The 3-cone drill is also known as the “L-drill” or the “Pro Agility Drill.”
The 3-cone drill is often used as a predictor of success for wide receivers and defensive backs. This is because these positions require players to be able to change directions quickly. The 3-cone drill is also a good test of an athlete’s explosiveness and lower-body strength.
How the 3-Cone Drill is Scored
The 3-cone drill is one of the most important drills at the NFL combine. It is used to measure a prospect’s agility, explosiveness and ability to change directions. The drill is run by having the prospect start from a standstill at one of the cones, then run around the second cone, back around the third cone and back to the start/finish line. The goal is to complete the drill in as little time as possible.
Times are typically in the range of 6.5 to 7.5 seconds for defensive backs and wide receivers, and 7.0 to 8.0 seconds for running backs and quarterbacks. Linebackers generally have times that fall somewhere in between those two groups.
The Shuttle Run
The shuttle run is one of the events at the NFL combine. It is a timed event that tests the athlete’s agility. The shuttle run is often used to help coaches and scouts determine how well an athlete can change directions.
Why the Shuttle Run is Important
The amount of distance that a player can cover in the shortest amount of time is a predictor of success in many sports. In the National Football League (NFL), the shuttle run is used as a Combine test to help determine which college football players have the potential to be successful at the professional level.
The shuttle run is an important predictor of success in the NFL because it is a measure of a player’s change of direction speed and lower body explosive power. These are both important attributes for success in football.
Players who can change direction quickly and explode out of their cuts are more likely to be successful in football. The shuttle run is just one part of the Combine, but it is an important part of the evaluation process for NFL scouts.
How the Shuttle Run is Scored
At the NFL Scouting Combine, prospective NFL players are put through a series of physical and mental tests. One of these tests is the shuttle run, which is used to measure an athlete’s lateral quickness and agility.
The shuttle run is also known as the 5-10-5 drill. It is performed by having the athlete start in a facing position, sprint five yards to one side, touch the line, sprint 10 yards in the opposite direction, touch the line again, and then sprint back to the starting point. The entire drill is timed, and a player’s score is based on how fast he completes it.
Athletes who perform well in the shuttle run are typically able to change directions quickly and efficiently, which is an important skill for many positions in football. For example, cornerbacks and wide receivers need to be able to make sharp cuts while running routes, and linebackers need to be able to quickly change directions when pursuing a ball carrier.
Players who score poorly in the shuttle run may still be drafted by an NFL team, but they may be considered at a disadvantage compared to other prospects.