The NFL Combine was a revolutionary idea when it was started in 1977. With hundreds of draft prospects and NFL scouts in the same building, every team would get a look at every player and the entire draft process would be streamlined.
It’s a relatively simple idea, but somewhere down the line, this non-event turned into a media circus. What was once a golden opportunity for draft prospects has turned into something much flashier and larger to fill the post-Super Bowl football void.
This year, more than 900 media credentials were issued for the four days of on-field action at the NFL Combine. To put that into perspective, that’s more than any regular season college football game this past season.
So, rather than watching the Southeastern Conference or Big Ten Championship, people would rather see coverage of those same players practice in spandex? Call me crazy, but I don’t see the appeal.
From the perspective of a draft prospect “competing” at the Combine, it must have somewhat of a romantic feel to it. It’s the realization of a dream come true for a lot of these young men and it’s a special opportunity for these guys to showcase their talent in front of all 32 NFL teams.
There have been some really great stories of nobodies becoming pre-draft stars because of the opportunity the Combine presents, like Ali Marpet. Marpet, a 307-pound offensive lineman from D-III Hobart & William Smith, ran the 40-yard dash in 4.98 seconds (almost the same time as Florida State superstar quarterback Jameis Winston) at the combine this past weekend, shooting up in the draft boards.
Marpet probably wouldn’t have received the same opportunity to impress NFL teams without his combine invite. That’s a great story, and it’s what makes the combine special.
But unfortunately, now, it’s the exception. There are inspirational stories like Marpet’s every year, but far too often, those stories get overshadowed by the other nonsense that goes on at the combine.
Maybe if you were attentive enough, you caught the five minutes the NFL Network and ESPN spent talking about Marpet during their 168 hours of contiguous coverage. But in all likelihood, you probably heard a lot about Marcus Mariota throwing two incompletions.
Or maybe you didn’t even catch that because you followed the lead of the Oakland Raiders scout who just decided to take a nap on the sidelines.
Laugh all you want, but I don’t blame him. You couldn’t pay me to watch that, either. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with watching men in tights, but Broadway kind of has that market covered already.
At the end of the day, the NFL Combine serves its purpose. Players get their chance to shine and make a lasting impression and scouts get some valuable information on hundreds of players at once.
But that’s all the combine should ever be. Sure, it’s kind of interesting, but I don’t need to watch on my laptop in class as Jameis Winston runs in a straight line or as Dorial Green-Beckham jumps in the air.
With the Super Bowl in the books and the season still six months away, America is understandably starving for football. But I’m still not hungry enough to tune in to the “Underwear Olympics.”