The NFL Scouting Combine, sometimes referred to as the “underwear Olympics”, takes place every February in Indianapolis, IN. It is truly a huge event with hundreds of athletes, scouts, agents, and media all descending on Lucas Oil Stadium to talk shop, analyze, and interview anyone and everyone who is willing to give a good soundbite. So what if anything is worth paying attention to as a NFL fan? Well, that’s a great question, and the purpose of this article is to help understand what is and isn’t important to watch for.
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There are three main purposes the Combine serves for NFL teams: medical evaluations, interviews, and drills/athletic testing. While, the drills and athletic tests are the “sexy” aspects of this gathering, I would purport that the medical evaluations, which include measurements, are the most important function that is served. Every team is given detailed information on each player, and a failing grade for a prospect can end his career before it ever gets started. A player with a history of surgeries or a knee with a degenerative condition could go from a likely first round selection to a late rounder or UDFA.
Secondly, the Combine serves as an opportunity for a team to gather information on virtually every player present. While teams are limited to sixty official 15 minute interviews, it is well known that scouts seek out and talk with any number of other prospects on a casual level. These interviews provide a wealth of information about the players’ past indiscretions, their work ethic, their devotion to the game and understanding of scheme. There are lots of anecdotal reports out there describing how players have aced or bombed these interviews, but the general perception is they can be a very important aspect of player evaluation.
Lastly are the drills and tests which for the most part are not going to have major influences on draft grades, but still do have some utility for evaluators. So what are scouts and evaluators looking for in these drills and athletic performances? Well for one, there are certain thresholds that prospects at each position are expected to meet. I will go into more detail about this, but an example would be 40 time for speed positions like WR and CB. They don’t have to run a 4.40, but running slower than say 4.70 is going to hurt a player’s stock. Secondly, evaluators are going to ask if the athletic scores match up with what they see on tape. If the answer is no, there might be some going back and re-watching to ask why.
To help understand what drills and tests are important, I am going to discuss specific positions the Ravens are expected to address, and breakdown the important drills and tests for each one in addition to highlighting a few players that may be of interest to the Ravens with links to BSL content on these prospects.
Offensive Tackle (Laremy Tunsil, Ronnie Stanley): Tunsil and Stanley are the top two prospects at the position and both are potential targets for the Ravens in the first round. For offensive tackle, measurements like height and arm length may be the most important aspect of the combine. Long arms, ideally 34” or longer, are critical for offensive tackles’ success in the NFL. Bench press is also generally regarded as a measure of functional strength for an OT with 25 reps being a general baseline number, but lower body strength is probably more important in the long run. Evaluators will also be paying attention to how OTs carry their weight. Thick and powerful legs provide a good base, while too much weight around the mid-section is a negative. Offensive line drills like the kick-slide are also important to watch as they give a good measure of a prospects movement skills.
Running Back (Ezekiel Elliot, Derrick Henry): While it may seem unlikely that the Ravens use a high pick on a RB, a true feature back could be a massive boon the Ravens offense. For RBs, tests of explosiveness like the 40, vertical jump (VJ), broad jump (BJ), and 3 cone drill (3C) are probably most important. Running anything in the 4.6s is generally acceptable for a RB, while the first 10yd split is often more revealing with a number under 1.70 being important. A 3C around the 7.00 second mark demonstrates lateral agility and quickness. A VJ of 36” and a BJ of 120” are good benchmarks of explosiveness for a RB. Of course it is also important to consider the size of the player as larger mass makes it harder to run and jump, so Derrick Henry will not be expected to post the same numbers as a smaller player. Drills where the RBs are asked to catch passes will help demonstrate ball-skills and a comfort level as a receiver out of the back-field.
Wide Receiver (Laquon Treadwell, Corey Coleman, Josh Doctson, Will Fuller): Wide receiver is one of the most fun positions to watch at the combine because these prospects are generally the elite of the elite in terms of athleticism. With Steve Smith Sr. in his last year, the Ravens are likely in the market for a WR. From a measurement perspective, 5’10” is probably a threshold most prospects will need to clear, and hands bigger than 9” is also a good benchmark with bigger being better. Speed is also paramount for WRs, so 40 time will be part of the evaluation, and just like RBs, the 10 yd split may be more important than the final number. Size is also a big variable here, as smaller WRs, especially those perceived as “deep threats” like Coleman and Fuller, are expected to run in the 4.40 range. Bigger WRs like Treadwell should come in under 4.60, but the faster the better. A 10yd split between 1.50 and 1.60 is a good range for an explosive WR. BJ and VJ should be similar to what RBs post, if not a little better. The 3C is also important as it demonstrates quickness, suddenness, and agility. Look for a number below 7.00. For WRs, the gauntlet drill where the prospect runs across the field catching balls from both sides demonstrates balance, body control, and catching technique.
Edge Rusher (Joey Bosa, Noah Spence, Shaq Lawson, Shilique Calhoun): My fellow BSL analyst Shawn Brubaker, wrote earlier about the need for the Ravens to find some speed at the edge rusher position and I wholeheartedly agree. Athleticism for pass-rushers is perhaps more important than for any other position. Edge rushers have to possess the speed and power to win 1v1 matchups every single play, and they are often truly on an island. Like the skill positions, 40 time is important with an emphasis once again on the 10yd split. Ideally, an edge rusher runs sub 4.70 with some of the more explosive player running in the 4.50 range. A 10 yd split around 1.60 is excellent, with anything over 1.70 considered sluggish. Strength is also important for Edge rushers so a Bench Press over 20 reps is a good baseline number. 3C is also important, especially for OLBs who will be asked to drop in coverage. Look for a number below 7.30 with anything close to 7.00 being elite for the position. VJ and BJ are markers of explosiveness and should be in a similar range as the RB and WR jumps. Position drills for Edge rushers are not particularly relevant.
Cornerback (Jalen Ramsey, Vernon Hargreaves, Mackensie Alexander): The Ravens have struggled mightily with a dearth of quality corners for the better part of 10 years, so getting an elite CB prospect with the #6 overall pick makes a lot of sense. Speed is obviously a very important aspect of the CB position because they have to keep up with speed merchant WRs running sub 4.4 40s. While there are certainly some very good CBs who have posted relatively poor 40 times and still succeeded, a good benchmark to look for is the 4.55 mark. Because the CB position is reactionary in nature, I believe agility and quickness to be extremely important making the 3C a critical tool for evaluators with a time near 7.00 serving as a baseline and an ideal number closer to 6.80. The VJ is also important as CBs will have to battle with oftentimes bigger WRs in the air. Ideally a CB posts a 36” or better in this metric. Long arms over 31” are also a big bonus for CBs to help poke away balls and land a jam. For CBs, aIso pay attention to the position drills and look closely at fluidity of the hips and ball-skills.
Linebacker (Myles Jack, Jaylon Smith): Picking at #6 could be considered by some too early for a non-edge LB, but there are two incredibly talented LBs in this draft in Myles Jack and Jaylon Smith that may be close to the top of the Ravens’ board. LBs are asked to do pretty much everything on the field so every athletic test has some merit. The 40 time should be under 4.70, with the more athletic players like Jack checking in closer to the 4.50 range. I don’t put as much stock in the jumps as LBs are often moving in confined areas, and do not require the same level of explosiveness as other positions. Change of direction skills are important so a 3C under 7.00 is ideal. Size is also fairly important for LBs, with measurements of 6’0”, 240 lbs, and arms over 31”.
It’s important to remember that in the end, Combine numbers will only be a small part of a prospect’s evaluation, but it is important for these young men to put their best foot forward as the whole scouting world will be watching. For the hardcore NFL fan, the Combine is great entertainment. The auras of possibility and optimism surround the entire endeavor, and the event serves as a surrogate for the start of the new NFL season. Every team starts fresh, and we the fans get a chance to look at some of the players that might be donning our favorite team’s uniform in a few short months.
Ravens Analyst
Gabe is an avid fan of the NFL and Ravens football. He grew up in Westminster, MD, and attended college at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Biology. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and now works as a R&D Scientist developing Transplant Diagnostics assays. Gabe has appeared as a guest on 105.7 The Fan.