What are combines?
Combines are testing platforms that showcase an athletes performance and skill levels.
Throughout the year there are many combines across the country for rising prospects. This is a great opportunity for college scouts to see prospects in person that come out and show case their abilities. Unfortunately, a lot of these events can make or break an prospects scholarship chances. These combines are a great way to get noticed and get stars placed behind your name, however, more than 78% of participants are not prepared correctly.
With the pressures of NFL combine testing migrating into grade school hallways, it is paramount for prospects to train for these tests in advance. The best prospects around the country are spending countless hours, days, and months just for this moment to raise an eyebrow. The demands on potential stars have increased, and the only way to shine is to make sure your prepared.
Traditional Combine Tests: (combine field testing descriptions here)
- 40 yard dash
- Pro Shuttle (also known as 5-10-5)
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-3-Cone (also known as “L” Drill)
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-Broad Jump
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-Vertical Jump
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-Bench Press (for safety and age appropriate strength testing, some use the Med Ball Toss)
How to get the scores you need?
Most athletes learn from uninformed coaches who did not have the opportunity to compete in a combine, pro day, showcase, or understand the stresses that come with putting up below average scores that will be attached to your name. Some may even take advice or instruction from a teammate with limited experience, or worse, go on the internet to grab a few brushed over techniques and think they can show up and magically put up numbers of their choice.
Some of the top combines across the country (Nike, Under Armour, Jr. Rank Proving Ground, Blue-Gray, NUC, etc) mainly post test scores online no matter how good or bad you performed that day. This can be a double edged sword. Depending on the results, your scores could possibly help or hurt you toward receiving a scholarship and how your skill sets are perceived without looking at game film.
