NFL Combine 2012: Why Postseason Exhibition Games Are Better Tool

The NFL combine is an opportunity for all of the lazy scouts to play catch up.

They get the chance to schmooze with the scouts that have done their homework and use tests with clear-cut winners and losers to make their evaluations.

It’s a twisted system that needs to change. The combine should not be the final appraisal before each player’s Pro Day.

The best way to get a sense of who can play at the next level and who only excels against inferior opponents are games like the Senior Bowl and the East-West Shrine game. That’s where the cream of the crop square off against one another with a level playing field. With little time to practice and adjust to your teammates, it’s the perfect way to gauge your instincts and natural ability.

One of the big issues with the combine, aside from the complete lack of contact, is the shallowness of the vast majority of the tests.

The five best wonderlic scores of all-time? Ryan Fitzpatrick (48), Greg McElroy (43), Jason Maas (43), Blaine Gabbert (42) and Drew Henson (42). Last year Cam Newton got a 21 (via NFLstatanalysis.net).

Or how about the 40-yard dash, the gold standard for any player where the position requires speed. This must be a telling stat to see which players can out-run the completion right?

Not quite.

While guys like Rondel Melendez (4.24), Darrius Heyward-Bey (4.25) and Jerome Mathis (4.28) look like road-runners out there, guys like Wes Welker (4.61), Larry Fitzgerald (4.63) and Jerry Rice (4.65) disappointed the scouts (via 40-yard-dash-times.com).

How did that turn out?

I’m not saying the combine isn’t useful. It’s certainly worth having, considering teams are about to throw millions of dollars in their direction. Think of it as just part of the job interview.

The real meat and potatoes of the interview take place in the All-Star games. It’s the best way to evaluate talent against other talent. The pads are on and the effort level is high. Player's are still in shape from their college season unlike the combine, which is an entire month later. 

Guess who won Defensive Player of the Game in the 2011 Senior Bowl?

The same guy that won Defensive Rookie of the Year in the NFL: Von Miller.