Combine Thoughts

Moving the Scouting Combine up a week so that it seamlessly runs into the start of free agency looks like a solid move. Everyone knows that the negotiating shenanigans begin in Indianapolis why not make it one continuous process.

The NFL banned troublemakers like Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon and Mississippi quarterback Chad Kelly from the Scouting Combine. This event originally started as a scouting event and it's still intended to be one. It's an opportunity for the teams to get a closer look at the college football players. The on-field events get the attention but the medical checks and interviews are often more important to the teams. Supposedly the league banned the troublemakers out of concern that they'd take away from "the show." They'd be a distraction. In the league's eyes "the show" is apparently more important than the intended purpose of the Combine. If the NFL is going to allow these troublemakers to play in the league they should allow them to take part in the Combine.

More on "the show." The NFL really has to pump the brakes on it's packaging of the Scouting Combine. They allowed fans to view the bench press event this year. If the opinions of the teams matter at all to the league decision-makers it won't happen again. The shouts, cheers, and jeers from the crowd weren't appreciated by those that were in Indianapolis to do a very important job. It's only going to get worse. Pretty soon all of the events will have fans in the stands. If the NFL can make money on something they will beat it to an unrecognizable pulp. I enjoy the coverage of the Scouting Combine but I'd much rather go back to the event being a secret than forward to it's inevitable mess. It's an important part of the draft evaluation process not some money-making tool for the league.

If NFL Network's coverage of the Scouting Combine revealed anything it's that Steve Smith Sr. is an excellent addition to any already terrific crew. That's really no surprise. In his long pass-catching career he was nearly as entertaining off the field as he always was on the field.

Yale told receiver Cooper Kupp that he's not their type of receiver when he was coming out of high school. I always thought they were bright at that Ivy League school. Kupp had a brilliant college career at Eastern Washington and is one of the best receivers in this draft class. Steve Smith Sr. even has him as the best of the class. Kupp may not have been Yale's type of receiver but he's probably every NFL team's type of receiver.

Alabama linebacker Rueben Foster could be a top-5 pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. At least a top-10. He was sent home early from Indianapolis due to a "heated altercation" with a hospital worker. Foster had been waiting for an extended period of time for a typical Combine medical procedure and became agitated. A knee-jerk reaction might lead one to think that this sort of thing could jeopardize Foster's status in the draft. The altercation probably wasn't as bad as it initially sounded. The Scouting Combine is an incredibly invasive, disrespectful, unorthodox job interview. The prospects are treated as cattle. Herded here. Herded there. Poked, prodded. Early morning wake-up calls. Late night interviews. Sometimes it seems that the purpose of the process is to make the prospects uncomfortable. While the vast majority don't react as Foster did it can hardly be a surprise when one does. As Cleveland Browns tackle Joe Thomas tweeted in response to Foster's early departure:

"I bet they were trying to force him to get a x-ray or MRI for a decades old "hang-nail" type injury and he refused: common"

Foster shouldn't have reacted as he did but it should hardly be a surprise that a player snapped as a result of this unusual process.

The Minnesota Vikings are in desperate need of offensive line help. So, my eyes were on that position group. My dream pick would be Western Kentucky's Forrest Lamp. There was little chance before the Scouting Combine that he'd be available when the Vikings are finally on the clock with the 16th pick of the second round (48th overall). There's probably no chance now. The Vikings also have no shot at Utah's Garrett Bolles and Wisconsin's Ryan Ramczyk. Other offensive lineman that confirmed some things in Indianapolis:

Taylor Moton, Western Michigan
Dion Dawkins, Temple
Dan Feeney, Indiana
Roderick Johnson, Florida State
Pat Elflein, Ohio State
Isaac Asiata, Utah
Antonio Garcia, Troy
Connor McDermott, UCLA
Jermaine Eluemunor, Texas A&M
Julie'n Davenport, Bucknell
Adam Bisnowaty, Pittsburgh

The Vikings need help across the offensive line. Left tackle is a particular need. An unfortunate aspect of this draft class is that it isn't a particularly strong one for offensive linemen. That's probably due more to the fact that there aren't any slam-dunk, top-10 guys than an overall lack of talent. There's offensive line talent in this draft. Many of the college left tackles are projected as right tackles or interior linemen by the draft "experts." Even Lamp is being projected as a guard in the NFL. Apparently against his wishes. Why the "experts" seen him as an interior lineman is a mystery to me as he was terrific against Alabama's talented pass rushers last season. That's as close to facing an NFL defense as college football gets. Maybe Lamp doesn't fit the physical box into which draft decision-makers like to place football players.

Speaking of the Vikings (which I tend to do), here are some of the players that they interviewed in Indianapolis.
Forrest Lamp, T, Western Kentucky
Brad Kaaya, QB, Miami
Jerod Evans, QB, Virginia Tech
Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee
Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma
D'Onta Foreman, RB, Texas
Damien Mama, G, USC
Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn
Davon Godchaux, DT, LSU
Duke Riley, LB, LSU
Keith Kelsey, LB, Louisville
It's best to keep interview lists in perspective. The teams do have an interest in the player but it's not an announcement that they're drafting him. Teams just want to get to know him and check/confirm some things.

A look to the future.

"Mark it down. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft is gonna be (Clemson DT) Dexter Lawrence."
                  -an NFL coach