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Oh, the NFL Combine, the version of a band touring 30 years after they retired and lost a few members to death and it sells out just because people are desperate for that music. Every year, it gets bigger, and every year, more people complain. It’s cold in Indiana. The drills don’t really matter. Blah, blah, blah. People like it, so get over it. And yes, it’s cold in Indiana. Also, you’re getting a paid trip to a place to watch football stuff happen. So shaddup.
The combine has morphed into a poor man’s NFL Draft, where people show up as fans because … well … NFL. I didn’t know that until this week, when I saw a dude wearing Marcus Mariota gear and luggage, in town JUST because he wanted to root on his college favorite at the NFL Combine. The NFL owns us all. Acceptance is the first step to recovery.
But on the college football side, where we’re starved for anything to talk about at this point, the combine provides a chance to list schools who had good weekends because their athletes performed well in it, which … selling up NFL success is a great way to nab recruits if nothing else.
5. Hobart & William Smith
Did you know who Ali Marpet was before this article? If so, congrats, you’re a junkie. In a good way, I guess. Not the kind where they show eggs being broken and relating it to your life like in the 1990s. Hell, if you know what Hobart & William Smith was, I’d be impressed enough. Marpet is a center who put himself into drafting position with top performances in the 20-yard shuttle, 40-yard dash, and 3 cone drill. HWS is a tiny liberal arts school in Fingerlakes, NY, apparently, and is actually two colleges. Which is one more college than NFL players they’ve ever had. Until this year, probably. Pretty cool stuff, in all honesty. Just when you think you’ve heard of them all. It’s a win for a school that will be mentioned during the NFL Draft and inevitably be Googled by idiots like me who had to learn more. Some of them of age to actually attend.
4. Clemson
Projected linebackers (or hell, maybe defensive end for VB) Vic Beasley and Stephone Anthony showed well, especially Beasley, who was listed as a top performer in every single category at his position grouping, which is astonishing. He individually had the best combine. Overall, Clemson had seven players invited, six defensive players and a punter. That speaks to the player development on that side of the ball and should be a fairly decent selling point when you’re wandering into elite recruits’ households trying to sell them on their ability to make it there. Watch out for Garry Peters, another big corner in a league lacking enough of them to go around.
3. Florida State
Seems like we’ve gotten to the point where you just expect this from FSU. I was going to drop some serious scalding take about how Jameis Winston was the most pro-ready passer since Andrew Luck, but ESPN’s Todd McShay jumped me since he has a bigger forum and now I feel less confident. But he’s the #1 pick. CB Ronald Darby looked outstanding. CB P.J. Williams looks like a freak athlete. Mario Edwards, Jr. had a good combine. C Cameron Erving looks like a beast. If you’re placing a bet on which school puts in the most first round picks, pick Florida State and buy yourself a new Silverado.
2. Michigan State
Of all Big Ten schools, they probably wound up leading the pack in terms of buzz during the combine. Trae Waynes ran a blistering 4.31 40, which, again, you can vary how important really these drills are. But speed in a defensive back is a must, and the NFL has become such a passing league, good corners are like money … you can’t have enough. He’s also 6’0″ and likely the first off the board. Big, fast corners in today’s NFL are worth their weight in gold. Jeremy Langford led all running backs in the 40 time, which, I’ll say it’s overrated here, but he also played multiple positions and Swiss Army Knife guys do pretty well in the league. Kurtis Drummond popped up as well. All in all, there was much more MSU chatter than any other school from that league.
1. Miami
Say what you will about the program’s mostly vapid existence in the ACC since switching over, they’re still the gravy train when it comes to putting players in the NFL. It sort of makes you wonder how they’re not winning more, but another discussion for another time. TE Clive Walford looks like he could be the most complete player at his position coming into and going out of the combine. WR Phillip Dorsett wasn’t selling snake oil … he’s still a burner and excelled in the 3 cone drill as well. Which means he’s pretty much destined to be banished to the Raiders. OL Erick Flowers (top overall performer in bench press) and DL Anthony Chickillo (top performer in 3 cone drill, 20-yard shuttle, and broad jump) helped their causes as well. Some might ask why Miami is here over a Florida State. Well, all I can say is that Miami needs these selling points more at this current moment in time.
