NFL Combine: Head Scratching Questions and a No-Brainer
Some thoughts on this year’s NFL Combine.
The NFL Combine never disappoints. There are terrific performances every year at the “Underwear Olympics” as well as ones that don’t meet expectations. There are also goofy things that take place that make you scratch your head and wonder how or why something happened.
I would like to share a few of those questions running through my warped mind at the moment, and possibly some of you will have the answers. First, a question for the NFL about this event.
Why do these players run the 40?
Punters: Does it matter that Cameron Johnston ran a 4.92 in the 40? Do scouts wonder if he’s fast enough to track down a player who scoops the ball up after his punt is blocked? I guess his 40 time tells scouts that Johnston can only catch the guy if he happens to be a lineman.
Offensive Linemen: How often do you see a guard or tackle 40 yards downfield during an NFL game? Probably just when he jogs to the end zone to celebrate with a RB after a long TD run?
Annual Question concerning an NFL team: Which unlucky players will impress the front office personnel of the Cleveland Browns?
Not performing, kind of: WR Noah Brown has a lot of people wondering why he entered the draft after his third season at Ohio State, following a less than spectacular season. NFL scouts and general managers are the nervous types anyway and Brown may have given them another reason to be concerned.
The wide receiver performed well in the bench press but didn’t run the 40. That sometimes is the case when a player is nursing a slight injury, but he then participated in the 20 yard shuttle. He didn’t exactly blow anyone away with his time of 4.33. My question is, who is advising this guy?
Anger issues? Alabama LB Reuben Foster got into an argument and was sent home before he was able to perform or be interviewed by NFL teams. Seriously? He worked hard for all those years preparing for his big moment, and then threw the chance away by getting into an argument with a medical employee?
If I was an NFL general manager I would think twice about drafting him. Just think what may happen sometime down the road at two in the morning and alcohol is involved.
More from Scarlet and Game
- Ohio State Football: How Denzel Burke has bounced back so far this season
- Ohio State basketball: Buckeyes conference schedule is set
- Ohio State Football rolling into form at the perfect time
- How Ohio State football has done historically versus new Big 12
- Ohio State Football: We need to see “Killer Ryan Day” at South Bend
Now for the no-brainer: After WR John Ross broke the NFL Combine record with a time of 4.22 in the 40, he declined to run a second one. He said he tightened up at the end of the run and I believe him, and I don’t blame him for not running another.
In fact, if it were me and I didn’t cramp up, I would fake some kind of injury. I would never run a 40 yard dash again and the 4.22 would be the last thing on everyone’s mind forever. How likely are you to improve on that time?
Anyway, it was another fun Combine and Ohio State players finished strong. The last two Buckeyes who ran the 40 were Marshon Lattimore (4.36) and Gareon Conley (4.44), and both performed well in their other workouts as well.
Must Read: Raekwon McMillan Made Some Money
The Buckeyes had an excellent Combine overall again this year. All but one player should have held onto, or raised their draft status with their performance. This should lead to another strong draft class for the Buckeyes in April with at least five players chosen in the first two rounds.