What does the NFL Scouting Combine tell us? Let's get real.

[Guest guest]

This may have been posted in the past, but for those who might not have

remembered, it's an interesting take on the " Football Forty " :

Time the forty first or have access to the athlete's best forty times.

Then, time the athlete doing the following: backpedalling ten yards , then

breaking to the right and sprinting 20 yards. Scouts look to see if the

athlete is able to match their 'forward forty' doing this backpedal and cut.

The 'better' the athlete, the closer they are in times.

Ken Jakalski

Lisle HS

Lisle, IL USA

[Guest guest]

> . Scouts look to see if the

> athlete is able to match their 'forward forty' doing this backpedal and cut.

> The 'better' the athlete, the closer they are in times.

>

Hi Ken,

I can't believe this wouldn't be a primary secondary requirement!

Jerry Telle

Lakewood CO USA

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/31/2008 12:45:13 P.M. Central America Standard,

JRTELLE@... writes:

I can't believe this wouldn't be a primary secondary requirement!

Hi Jerry!

I agree. As Mel used to say, athletes need to demonstrate the ability not

just to accelerate, but to decelerate--and then re-accelerate--in a different

direction.

Ken Jakalski

Lisle HS

Lisle, IL USA

[Guest guest]

Colleagues,

I'm following up the thread'Does the NFL Combine Predict Performance?'that began

on Dec 16. cited the recent study by Kuzmits & in the Journal of

Strength and Conditioning Research questioning whether the Combine predicts

performance. Their conclusion: " We find no consistent

statistical relationship between combine tests and professional

football performance, with the notable exception of sprint tests for

running backs...consequently, we question the overall usefulness of the

combine.. " If/when the media gets hold of that statement in the next month, it's

likely

to get hackneyed all over the place -- especially as the talking heads

start weighing in on this issue during Combine season.

It turns out two other studies have also examined the predictive ability of the

Combine in terms of draft status or job performance, and there's a bit more to

it. Here's a blog discussing that, plus a bigger practical issue:

www.strengthperformance.com/profiles/blogs/what-does-the-nfl-scouting

Disclosure: My colleague Doug Harney and I have created a DVD set on NFL

Scouting Combine Preparation that we're selling through a vendor.

Regards to everyone for the holidays,

Plisk

Excelsior Sports •Shelton CT

www.excelsiorsports.com

Prepare To Be A Champion!

[Guest guest]

>

> This may have been posted in the past, but for those who might not

have

> remembered, it's an interesting take on the " Football Forty " :

>

> Time the forty first or have access to the athlete's best forty

times.

> Then, time the athlete doing the following: backpedalling ten

yards , then

> breaking to the right and sprinting 20 yards. Scouts look to

see if the

> athlete is able to match their 'forward forty' doing this

backpedal and cut.

> The 'better' the athlete, the closer they are in times.

***

As Mel noted some years ago also:

" " One can have all the

sprinting speed in the world, but if reactive and decision making

abilities

are poor, all of that superior sprinting skill and overall power will

be

wasted. How many teams actually devote serious time to enhancing

various motor

skills, especially reaction time and decision making abilities under

stress?

How many teams have measured the peripheral vision of players under

static

and dynamic target conditions and how many employ regular drills to

improve

this quality? Have any studies been done which compare these specific

motor

capabilities among highly successful and less successful players,

especially

wide receivers and quarter backs? " "

====================

Carruthers

Wakefield, UK

[Guest guest]

Steve,

 

Here is my 2 cents:  Number one the player must be able to perform the

fundemental skills of football, run, block, throw, catch and tackle.  Secondly,

the better their physical charatoristics to perform the fundemental skills will

give them a greater potential for success.  Someone who runs a 5.0 forty has no

chance of playing DB in the NFL. 

 

After spending several years in the NFL we always were more apt to draft a

player higher in the draft who performed better at the Combine than those who

were of perceived equal football ability than those who didn't perform as well. 

Once the season ends the audition to play football is over and the focus is on

intangables and physical abilities.  It was my observation that players who are

prepared get more looks by teams and are drafted higher.  Subsequently, a 1-3

round draft pick who gets cut from the team who drafts him will get picked up by

other teams and the later round picks have a harder time hanging on.

 

The bottom line is that these potential players should be training extensively

for the combine tests.   

Thank you,

, MEd, CSCS*D, NSCA-CPT*D

Colorado Springs, Colorado

[Guest guest]

Hi

You posted a comment from Mel

" How many teams actually devote serious time to enhancing

various motor skills, especially reaction time and decision making abilities

under

stress? How many teams have measured the peripheral vision of players under

static and dynamic target conditions and how many employ regular drills to

improve this quality? "

****

Although not football it is of interest to me that Dr Sherylle Calder, who

was the vision coach of both the English rugby world cup winning side and

the South African world cup winning side 4 years latter. Coincidence?

Interestingly Sherylle is South African, but couldn't get work with SA rugby

until after the England win? Mel was as always ahead of the times. As a

further aside I understand that Sherylle is now working with Sir Clive

Woodward again involved in the preparation of the British prospects for the

Olympics 2012

Regards

Nick Tatalias

Johannesburg

South Africa

[Guest guest]

Colleagues,

Some people have contacted me offline and pointed out that the blog link in my

Dec 31 post is accessible only to members of Strength Performance Network.

Apologies for that.

Here's another URL that's open to all:

http://excelsiorsports.blogspot.com/

Regards,

Plisk

Excelsior Sports •Shelton CT

www.excelsiorsports.com

Prepare To Be A Champion!