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Reaction: Combine or College? Users think college careers are more importantPosted: Friday April 20, 2001 4:09 PMUpdated: Friday April 20, 2001 4:09 PM CNNSI.com's Marc Stein and Dave Cotton went head-to-head on which is more important for the draft, the Combine or college careers. We wanted to know who you agreed with, and most of you sided with Cotton that the college career is more telling. Read on for a sample of your repsonses. If fans paid to see how many reps at 225 pounds a guy can do, or to see how fast he can run the 40, or how great his vertical is, then draft players based on the combines. But they don't. They don't care how strong he is, how fast he is, or how high he can jump as long as he can make the tackle and catch the ball. Players are more than the sum of their parts, so pay more attention to the player and less to the parts.
I agree that football is played on a field, not in a 40-yard dash. How many times does a defensive lineman run 40 yards in a game, and if he does, there is something very wrong. I think the combine does help in deciding on two players who are very close, but to often a player's heart and football savvy go overlooked. That is what makes general managers great on who can look through the 40-yard dashes and see the player himself.
I don't believe that there is anything that can replace actual playing conditions. Granted a move up to the pros is several steps up in the level of play and talent, but many of these players have gradually moved up to higher levels before. I think the mental aspect is one of the most important. Can they handle the money and spotlight? In most cases their God-given talents are there, but putting the package together mentally and psychically is the key.
Stock in a Combine workout over college performance? Give me a break. If this was the case, I know of about five guys in my gym who should be considered in the first round of Saturdays draft. The Combine workout is nothing more than a means by which NFL owners can verify the health of potential prospects.
I think that what a player does in a 25- to 50-game college career (depending on how long they stayed in school) is more important because everyone has a bad day here and there. The whole should count for something, not just two or three workouts. There is no way to measure football savvy or a player's recognition of events as they transpire on the field and their reaction and decision-making in regards to those stimuli. Personally, I'm sick of hearing about the stupid Combine. Take St. Louis's own Kurt Warner. A great football mind that is able to anticipate is better than some "slash" or super athlete.
I think that the position the person plays should influence which is more important. An offensive lineman's numbers in camps shouldn't mean as much as how many times his quarterback ate grass because of him. A defensive back may be able to cover all day, but if he isn't strong enough to tackle a wideout like Terrell Owens, is he worth it?
Hey, in practice Shaq can make 20 free throws in a row, but in a game how often does that happen? Decisions during a game must happen 10 times faster than in practice, and the tension during a game change your athletic ability. So who cares if a quarterback can throw a ball to a wide open receiver 70 yards down the field in a Combine! Bigger question is can he do it with four 300-pound linemen wanting his head, and five of the most talented athletes in the league making sure their man doesn't catch the ball? Combines are good for enhancing your knowledge of the athlete, but not to be used as the sole basis of your decision!
I think that it is important to take a holistic look at every player. You can't just look at a player's performance in college along with his intangibles. My favorite player, Dat Nguyen, is a prime example. He was such an overachiever in college because of his intangibles. I still think he will be a great player and I so badly want him to succeed. But there is no way that he is better suited to the NFL than a Chris Claiborne or a La'Var Arrington. Conversely, you can't judge a player solely on his numbers. You have to consider the environment (system) he played in, his maturity, his emotional and mental stability as well as his physical makeup (durability, etc). I don't think Randy Moss is as good as he is without the tutelage and mentorship of Chris Carter. I think most general managers know what they want and they just need to look at the overall picture. Forget Senior Bowl performances, forget 40 times, look at the player.
Not to be wishy-washy, but I think both are important. How a player plays says a lot about attitude, and the will to be the best. Unfortunately, in scouting players, it is nice to have the same set of numbers. Therefore, the Combine has a place, too. Any team that relies too much on the Combine, or too much on game scouting will not have successful drafts.
I agree with Dave Cotton. You've got to go by football smarts and performance. Use the Combine as a supplement to assess a guy. Draft history is filled with workout freaks who have done nothing in their careers.
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