It was nice to see the sun shining in Indianapolis today. It certainly made getting around outside the RCA Dome and Indiana Convention Center much easier. Not that you would really need to go outside here, though. The Dome and CC are connected to much of the city with indoor walkways. I get a big kick out of this. I can walk all over the city without putting on a jacket in the middle of winter. And yes, I’m easily entertained.

The Media Work room was kind of quiet early on, but things picked up as the day progressed with defensive linemen and linebackers being shuttled in and out. One of the most anticipated players was Virginia defensive end Chris Long. Chris, of course, is the son of Pro Football Hall-of-Famer and former Oakland Raiders DE Howie Long. But he made no case for playing in Oakland nor did he make any predictions on where he might wind up being drafted:

“No matter where I was picked, any opportunity to play in the National Football League is an opportunity I would cherish. To be in that position you have to work even harder and show up with more humility and more of an open mind, because people will be looking at you. Wherever I go and whoever I go play for, I’m a football player. I enjoy playing football, I enjoy the game, I enjoy being a teammate. I won’t change. I’ll be the same guy.”

More coaches made their way to the Media Work Room. I sat in on pressers with Mike Smith (Falcons), Ken Whisenhunt (Cards), Jeff Fisher (Titans) and John Harbaugh (Ravens). Coach Smith is obviously very happy with his new position in Atlanta. Seriously, he smiled the entire time. He never stopped smiling. It was nice to see that. Coach Smith said there wasn’t much difference between a 4-12 team and a 12-4 team in the National Football League. And you know what, he’s right. In today’s NFL, a team could flip their record that drastically in one season. He also noted that the “new” Atlanta Falcons will be a more physical football team, much like the punishing defense he led in Jacksonville. Offensively, he said the Falcons would control the line of scrimmage and run the football first and foremost. The Falcons need to address their quarterback situation and Coach Smith mentioned an interest in a number of QBs at the Combine, although me didn’t mention any names.

Today was also the first day for player workouts on the RCA Dome floor. (Note: This is the last sporting event in the RCA Dome. Everything moves to nearby Lucas Oil Stadium post-Combine.) Offensive linemen and tight ends were the focal point of today’s workouts. Here are the winners’ results:

Offensive Line – Bench Press (Jake Long, Michigan, 37); Broad Jump (Cody Wallace, Texas A&M, 9′5″); Vert Jump (Cody Wallace, Texas A&M, 30.5″); 3-Cone Drill (Michael Gibson, Cal-Berkeley, 7.21); 20-yard Shuttle (Mike Pollak, Arizona State, 4.47); 40-yard Dash (Jeremy Zuttah, Rutgers, 4.99).

Tight End – Bench Press (Craig Stevens, Cal-Berkeley, 27); Broad Jump (Dustin Keller, Purdue, 10′11″); Vert Jump (Dustin Keller, Purdue, 38″); 60-yard Shuttle (Gary Barnidge, 11.29); 3-Cone Drill (Derek Fine, Kansas, 6.8); 20-yard Shuttle (Dustin Keller, Purdue, 4.14); 40-yard Dash (Dustin Keller, Purdue, 4.55).

NFL Draft Scout senior analyst Rob Rang reported that USC’s Fred Davis, widely considered the top TE in this class, struggled with these drills. Fred had been impressive early with 24 reps of 225 pounds, but dropped several passes today and elected not to run the 40-yard dash. He could be a classic case of a player struggling with the pressure of the Combine because he stood out at the Senior Bowl and won the Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end. His struggles with drops definitely caught the attention of scouts.

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NFL Scouting Combine 2008: Day Three

The NFL Scouting Combine is the annual job fair for more than 300 prospective new NFL players. For six straight days from the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, players are put through a series of drills, tests and interviews with more than 600 NFL personnel including head coaches, general managers and scouts. From just outside the Media Work Room at the Indiana Convention Center, I sat down with NFL Draft Scout senior analyst Rob Rang to get his thoughts on this Class of 2008.

Shownotes: David Kindervater (host), Rob Rang (guest)

• 0:29 – Defensive tackles Sedrick Ellis (USC) and Glenn Dorsey (LSU)
• 1:43 – No obvious front-runner in this year’s Draft class
• 3:02 – Boston College QB Matt Ryan leads the quarterbacks
• 4:18 – Offensive tackle is the strongest position in this Draft class
• 5:15 – Offensive guard, safety and inside linebacker are weak
• 6:16 – Some players can improve their standing with a good workout
• 7:40 – Sleeper picks: WR Donnie Avery, RB Chris Johnson,
• 8:44 – Rob’s Mock Draft might change on poor workout or character
• 10:00 – Rob’s only sleeping a couple hours a day during Combine time

Sponsor: Under Armour Trainer
Links: NFL.com, NFLDraftScout.com

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NFL Scouting Combine 2008

The NFL Scouting Combine signage around Indianapolis states: “The 2008 NFL Season Begins Now.” Thus, just three weeks removed from my trip to Arizona for Super Bowl XLII, here I am in Indy for a fresh start to a new football season.

There used to be an offseason in the NFL, but that’s a thing of the past. Almost immediately after the Super Bowl you’ve got the Combine, the Draft, mini camps and OTAs. It never ends. This is my 4th straight year working the Combine and each season has been bigger in terms of media coverage. This year there are a reported 500 members of the media credentialed, including 14 reporters from ESPN. There’s even a mini “Radio Row” outside the Media Work Room. Crazy. But it clearly shows how popular the NFL has become.

The Combine and Indianapolis have some sentimental value to me. Back in 2005, this is where I wrote my very first blog entry and recorded my first-ever podcast. So returning here each year is always kind of special. I love this city and I love this event.

For those of you who aren’t aware, the NFL Scouting Combine is the annual job fair for prospective new NFL players. For six straight days from the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, players are put through a series of drills, tests and interviews with more than 600 NFL personnel including head coaches, general managers and scouts. These players and NFL personnel also take time to meet with the media in the form of “press conferences.” It’s actually not unlike Media Day at the Super Bowl, minus the freaks.

Day One is typically a warm-up day, but it’s not without it’s fair share of stories. In the Media Work Room were head coaches Lovie Smith (Bears), Dick Jauron (Bills), Eric Mangini (Jets) and Mike Nolan (49ers); plus Kevin Colbert (Steelers director of football ops) and Scot McCloughan (49ers GM). Michigan OT Jake Long, widely considered one of the best at his position and a potential Top 10 pick, also answered questions. Obviously he’s been prepped well as he said all the right things. In his four years at Michigan, he committed only two penalties (that were called) and gave up only two sacks. Pleased that he stayed at Michigan for his senior season (rather than entering the NFL Draft a year early), Jake said:

“Last year I didn’t feel I was good enough to come out, I wanted to improve on things and those things I improved on. I feel I’m a smarter and better player than I was last year. I’m smarter in identifying the defenses. I worked on the little things in my game and I’ve gotten a lot better.”

The Media Work Room will be especially busy the next two days. Ten head coaches and an assortment of team VIPs will be here tomorrow; plus more players than the place can handle. For now, I really need some sleep.

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NFL Scouting Combine 2008: Day One

A couple days ago, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard announced that his city will bid for the 2012 Super Bowl, its second effort to host the NFL’s biggest event. Political and civic leaders said this year’s bid would emphasize many of the same attributes as last year’s bid, including the city’s new retractable-roof Lucas Oil Stadium and its experience hosting major sporting events such as the Indianapolis 500. But officials declined to comment further on what would make this year’s bid more attractive, saying they didn’t want to give other cities a competitive advantage.

I’m right across the street from the new $700 million Lucas Oil Stadium. It’s been exciting to see this state-of-the-art building being built and we’re mere months away (it officially opens in August) from seeing a football game in this place. I will be sad to see the old RCA Dome demolished, though. Beginning this Spring, it’s going to take about six months to completely tear this place down. I have fond memories of the RCA Dome, but such is progress in the NFL. For amazing daily construction cam images of Lucas Oil Stadium, check out lucasoilstadium.oxblue.com.

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Indianapolis Will Bid for 2012 Super Bowl, Lucas Oil Stadium Nearing Completion

Defensive Backs: 40-yard Dash (Chris Houston, Arkansas, 4.32); 60-yard Shuttle (Craig Dahl, North Dakota State, 11.03); 20-yard Shuttle (Sabby Piscitelli, Oregon State, 3.90); Three Cone (Leon Hall, Michigan, 6.50); Vert Jump (Gerald Alexander, Boise State, 41); Broad Jump (Darren Stone, Maine, 11′); Bench Press (Chris Houston, 27)

Eight players ran in the 4.3s, so obviously this is a very fast group. But, did you know there is no such thing as a single, official time in the 40-yard Dash at the Combine? That being said, the 40-time remains the most-discussed testing drill, and is often referenced as if it were some universal gauge of ability. Of course, that is hardly the case. Those who participate in the 40 at the Combine actually run twice, and on each run they are timed by two hand-held stopwatches and one electronic timer which is actually initiated by hand on the player’s first movement). That’s potentially six different results. Combine data put together by National Scouting includes all six of those times for each player, but no single official time. Team scouts and coaches have various approaches for getting the 40-time they use from those six timings. Some use averages. Some throw out the fastest and slowest and then average the rest. Some ignore the whole thing and use a time taken by their own scout. When NFL Network began televising the workouts in recent years, viewers were warned that the times posted on the screen were unofficial. Usually, the time on the screen was one of the electronic times. Still, one general manager who was watching the TV coverage from his team’s office was startled when a player was credited on the screen with a 4.44-second time. His scouts previously nixed the player because he was too slow to play wide receiver for that team. The GM called his scout on a cell phone on the Combine floor at the RCA Dome to inquire about the discrepancy. The scout said his staff clocked the player in no faster than 4.58 that day. So their personnel files show 4.58 as the “official” 40-time at the Combine. So, beware any 40-yard time that is labeled as “official” from the Combine.

Thanks to my friends at NFLDraftScout.com for that information. In deference to the players, NFLDraftScout.com uses the best verifiable — or listed — time from the Combine unless it is conspicuously skewed from the other times, which sometimes happens when a hand timer has an itchy trigger finger on the stopwatch. However, the times are usually well-grouped.

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NFL Scouting Combine: Day Six

It was another beautiful day here in Indianapolis. Cold, for sure. But not a cloud in the sky. I spent most of my day inside as the action picked up considerably from yesterday with more than 15 head coaches speaking with the media and an endless stream of QBs, WRs and RBs.

I arrived early and set up shop in Media Work Room 105 here at the Indiana Convention Center and RCA Dome. This is one of several “overflow” rooms for the media, but I prefer it because it’s MUCH quieter. I can’t write with all the chaos in the main Work Room.

My first order of business was an interview with NFL Draft Scout Senior Analyst Rob Rang. Rob had just arrived in town from his home base in Seattle and we had a great discussion on the Combine and this year’s Draft class. You can hear the interview on BPR61.

The day officially started with the Cleveland Browns winning a coin toss with Tampa Bay for the right to the third overall selection in April’s Draft. Both teams finished last season at 4-12. Then Miami Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron started the coaches parade with a 10 a.m. press conference. He mentioned he was from nearby Terre Haute, IN. Coach Cameron was eager to develop a good working relationship with the media. He’s not short on words, so that’s a good start. The other coaches who were here today were Lovie Smith (Bears), Tom Coughlin (Giants), Brad Childress (Vikings), Jack Del Rio (Jags), Rod Marinelli (Lions), Herm Edwards (Chiefs), Tony Dungy (Colts), Eric Mangini (Jets), Jeff Fisher (Titans), Marvin Lewis (Bengals), Mike McCarthy (Packers), and Romeo Crennel (Browns). In addition, there were GMs Ted Thompson (Packers) and Phil Savage (Browns) and Colts President Bill Polian.

The players began filtering in just before lunch. At one point there were five QBs in the Media Work Room. Obviously I couldn’t talk to all of them so I spent some time at a roundtable discussion with Justin Palmer (UTEP, brother of Bengals QB Carson) and then caught fellow Pitt grad Tyler Palko for a one-on-one which you will also hear on BPR61.

After grabbing a quick lunch (the NFL provides food) and visiting with my friends from the EAS booth across the hall, it was right back to work as wide receivers were everywhere. I spent some time with a couple of very promising prospects — Boise State’s Jerard Rabb and Illinois State’s Laurent Robinson. (Note: As I eluded to in yesterday’s post, I can’t get any decent audio for the podcast by putting my digital recorder on a podium and shouting questions from a distance. I can’t. I won’t. And this is the norm here. So, if I want an interview with one of the “higher profile” Draft prospects, I will just contact their agent in the coming weeks and we’ll try to get something setup. Last year we had players like Maurice Jones-Drew, Antonio Cromartie and Chris Chester — to name just a few — on telephone interviews for the podcast.)

Jerard spoke about Boise State’s miraculous Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma and what impact that has had on his life and the lives of others. It was a good interview, very candid. He’s a cordial, bright kid. Laurent was a little more reserved, but very polite and confident. He admitted it was a dream come true for him to be here at the Combine. You can hear both Jerard and Laurent on BPR61 as well.

I sat in on one more roundtable talk — this time with Penn State RB Tony Hunt. When asked about passing PSU greats Curt Warner and John Cappelletti in the school record books, he said, “It kind of surprised me. It just happened. I didn’t really see it coming. It just happened. I didn’t know how many yards I had, I just heard people talking about it. It’s just an honor to be mentioned in the same category with those guys.”

In today’s workouts, kickers and punters did their thing on the RCA Dome floor while O-linemen and tight ends benched. Texas Tech guard Manuel Ramirez and Texas guard Justin Blalock each bench-pressed 225 pounds 40 times.

One funny thing that happened to me today was when I was walking out of Media Work Room 105. Now, bear in mind that I am working amidst anyone and everyone who is involved with the NFL it seems — you never know who you’ll run into around any corner — head coaches (obviously), former and current players, presidents and GMs, etc. Well, Buffalo Bills legendary Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy had just passed by the door as I was walking out so I said, “Coach Levy!” He turned around and smiled. So, I introduced myself and we had a nice chat.

It was a very good day of work. A long and tiring day of work. I spent 95% of it on my feet. And now I’ve got an eight-hour drive ahead of me, back to NY and the home studio.

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NFL Scouting Combine: Day Two

It’s Day One of the 2007 NFL Scouting Combine. And it’s good to be back in Indianapolis. Today was sunny and in the mid-30s. There is still snow on the ground from the storm of a week ago.

This is one of my favorite cities and I always look forward to returning here each year in late February. As a member of the national media (I’m a credentialed member of NFL Media and the Pro Football Writers of America), this is one of several events I get to travel to and cover during the year. I consider it a privilege and an honor to blog and podcast the NFL and get paid to do it. What a world.

Anyway, for those who don’t know, the NFL Scouting Combine is where representatives from all 32 NFL teams come to “observe” over 300 of the best college football players in the country. These “observations” include x-rays, strength testing, bench press, interviews (with coaches, GMs, scouts and then media people like me), drug tests, measurements, more interviews, physical exams, a Wonderlic test, psychological tests, on-field drills, more interviews, etc. It’s a grueling few days for these players, especially with so much riding on the outcome.

My day consists of interviewing the players as they are shuttled in and out of the Media Work Room by NFL personnel. What’s interesting is that all the rest of the media in attendance are doing the very same thing. So it amounts to one “press conference” after another. Plus, many of the head coaches and some GMs schedule times to meet with the media. So when there is more than one player in the Media Work Room at a time, you have to choose who you would rather talk to or try to bide your time between them as you see fit. When you add coaches and GMs to the mix, it really gets crazy. Personally, I’m used to one-on-one interviews, so this really doesn’t appeal to me, but I do what I can.

Ohio State WR Ted Ginn Jr. made a surprise appearance (today focused mostly on kickers, offensive linemen and tight ends who didn’t work out but weighed-in and got their physicals) and as there were no other players in the Media Work Room at the time, he was mobbed. Ginn was well-spoken and talked about possibly switching positions. When asked if he thought NFL teams would speak to him about playing the cornerback position, he simply said, “Yes, I do.” And when asked if he missed playing corner he said, with a smile, “Yes, I do.” He also wore some cool specs. I’m going to have to look into getting myself a pair. I think they’ll make me look smarter.

Four head coaches — Mike Tomlin (Steelers), Dick Jauron (Bills), Sean Payton (Saints) and Gary Kubiak (Texans) — answered questions today, but tomorrow there are 15 coaches scheduled to step to the podium. Plus a ton of players. Yes, today was mild compared to what will happen tomorrow. So I was warned by my main NFL contact Steve Alic who also noted that some 350 media were credentialed this year, up from about 295 a year ago. Ahh, the popularity growth continues.

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NFL Scouting Combine: Day One

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Arrival In Indianapolis