NFL Draft 2012: Why the NFL Combine Matters to NFL Scouts

With so much media coverage of the event nowadays, it can be easy to overvalue the combine, which appears to be little more than a swimsuit contest to see who can move the best without the hindrance of pads.

However, the combine still serves as a very useful tool in the evaluation process. 

By far, the most important aspect of the combine (and the reason for its founding) is the medical aspect. The combine was originally started to provide a central location for teams to get medical evaluations on players, and that reason remains to be the most important aspect of the NFL's annual meat market.

If the combine is all about the medical evaluation, what is the purpose of the other drills?

Most scouts go into the combine looking for validation for what they saw after months of film study. For example, if a player appears to run very quickly in games, you would want to see a good 40 time to validate what you saw. If that player ends up running poorly, it will make a scout to back and re-assess their findings on the game film.

Other than looking for validation of game film, you want to see certain measurables that line up with your club's specific needs. Every team is different; some teams only take corners who run at a certain speed, while others only take linemen who lift a certain amount in the bench press. 

Depending on a team's specific system, the traits that teams look for in a player are different. For example, the Raiders have historically valued the 40 time higher than just about any team, and will not draft a cornerback if he does not run at a certain speed. At the same time, a cover-2 team like the Buccaneers would be much more open to drafting a slow but technically sound corner because speed is not as vital in such systems. 

As a result, while combine numbers are notoriously overrated, they still serve a purpose to NFL scouts in the evaluation process.