NFL Combine 2017: Chris Simms' Guide to Acing the Combine
I’d be the first to admit I half-assed my NFL combine experience.
The on-field tests were one thing—and at least they were applicable to the sport. I threw with guys like Carson Palmer, Byron Leftwich and some unknown kid named Tony Romo. I ran the 40-yard dash. But I could not stand the dog and pony show going on behind the scenes.
So I mailed it in. Interested teams would administer their own multiple choice tests; after the Wonderlic, I was 100 percent over it. So I’d fill in “C” as my answer for about 20 questions. Then I’d move on to “B” for 20 more. The meetings themselves were L-O-N-G. By the end, I was giving one word answers because I was so damn exhausted.
And I wasn’t drafted until the third round—go figure. After a career in football and time spent in New England’s scouting room, I know now that my mindset raised enough red flags to merit suspicion. My first-round grade almost certainly slipped.
I’m here now for the 330 college stars descending on Indianapolis as we speak. I didn’t see the NFL combine for was it was (and still is): a week-long job interview. Using this seven-step guide, they can learn from my mistakes and ace the league’s grueling but once-in-a-lifetime entry exam.
Deal with the Weirdness
1 of 7
I glanced a few rows up in the RCA Dome stands before I ran my 40-yard dash. And there sat the owner of the Dallas Cowboys and the guy who coached my dad to greatness.
Jerry Jones and Bill Parcells both had stopwatches. They were waiting to see how fast I could run in a straight line. And it was just so surreal.
That’s a feeling these college prospects must learn to embrace. The NFL combine is equal parts football showcase and meat market. You’ll be poked and prodded and told your arms are too short or the diameter of your hands isn’t up to par. It’s like nothing I’ve ever done as an athlete.
They clocked me at 4.84 seconds in that 40-yard dash, but I wasn’t thinking about my time when it flashed on the Jumbotron. I was thinking about how crazy it was that I had just ran a 40-yard dash for Jones and Parcells. Try to shut that wave of shock and fanboy-ness out as best you can, college guys.
Remain Patient
2 of 7
You know which team gave me the hardest time at the NFL combine?
The Giants—that franchise whose locker room I grew up in as a kid. I couldn’t believe they wanted to administer a full psychological exam when I sat down with them. If I was a serial killer, they’d be the first to know about it, right?
Wrong. As much as those tests stink (and trust me, they do stink), they’re a necessary part of the process. Up in New England, we placed written and psychological answers on par with game film, all in the name of finding guys who could fit in our "Patriot Way."
Simply put: Teams want to know what’s going on inside your head. It’s not always clear, so do your best to stay sane when team after team after team tries to drain your brain this weekend.
Bring a Snack and Stay Hydrated
3 of 7
I’m not joking around, people. This might be the most important NFL combine rule to follow.
At this aforementioned meat market, only appearances matter. Kyle Boller weighed in at 234 pounds back at the 2003 combine, and scouts hailed him as a can’t-miss guy. I was a superior quarterback but dropped down boards because I weighed in at 227.
Want to know the real kick in the you-know-where? A few weeks later, the Chicago Bears hosted me for a pre-draft visit and workout. Boller had been there the day before, so I snuck a glance at his team-recorded weight. 221 pounds! The guy had lost 13 pounds of straight water weight in 14 days, but his draft status was already in stone.
So bring a water jug. Pack protein bars by the dozen. Hours fly by at this event; I actually lost weight during my stay because I took meetings over meals. Don’t do that if you’re trying to win the Underwear Olympics.
.png?w=256)
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Compete—But Only Against Yourself
4 of 7
Carson Palmer descended upon Indianapolis as the golden child of the NFL draft. It was tough not to use the NFL combine as a measuring stick of sorts.
Resist that urge. This weekend is not a competition against Heisman winners and sleeper prospects. It’s a quest to match the drill production you’ve (presumably) been perfecting for months. That’s an internal struggle, not an external one.
That’s also counterintuitive for a group of guys who’ve been drilled on competition since they were eight years old. So look at it this way: Worry about a fast 40 time or an impressive bench press total from a fellow combine attendee, and that’s time not spent worrying about your own output.
My advice? Don’t worry about the Carson Palmers for now. There’s plenty of time to outdo them when you hit the pros.
Tell the Truth
5 of 7
Draft boards are surprisingly flexible. It takes a grade-A screw-up to remove your name completely from contention.
Try telling that to an NFL hopeful, though. At the combine, each player endures the equivalent of a police interrogation. I remember one fellow participant reporting this three-part question: A) When was the last time you smoked marijuana? B) Did you purchase it yourself? C) Do you like getting high?
Kids who come from communities with police-citizen distrust are bound to tread lightly. But I’m telling you: Own up to what you did in college, and the vast majority of teams will understand. They’ll even appreciate the candor and maturity.
I didn’t; I was too nervous and a little too aware half these scouts and coaches knew my father. It’s still one of the biggest regrets I have about my professional career.
Network the Hell out of It
6 of 7
"Man, you’re out here politicking with everyone."
Soon-to-be Cowboys linebacker Bradie James joked that I was "politicking with everyone" at the NFL combine.
I didn’t agree. The process of meeting all the best college players from my 2003 class was just fun for me. Looking back on it, though, I was setting up relationships that’d prove helpful during my quarterbacking career.
Some of those relationships lasted the length of the event, like the ones I forged with receivers in quarterback drills. Others sprung up later on; Terrell Suggs was a lot less scary for me as a player because he came off as a normal dude at the combine. If that’s politicking, I’ll take it.
My advice? Pick the brains of as many players as you can because you all got to this incredible point. You never know which guys will be your teammates or opponents down the road.
Just Do It
7 of 7
It’s a scout’s job to paint the clearest picture of a prospect for his team.
You better believe they’ll apply pressure if a guy backs out of a drill. I’ve been in rooms where they’ve straight up called the decision "disappointing," then asked the prospect to reconsider. When he didn’t, it was a real negative.
Don’t be that guy who waits for his pro day. Top prospects go through all the trouble of training for these drills. Barring injury, they should be compelled to compete in all six "events"—the 40-yard dash, the bench press, the vertical jump, the broad jump, the three-cone drill and the shuttle run. It’ll only help the brand.
I took that approach, and it was honestly rewarding. Coaches commended my competitive spirit, and I looked prepared and confident. Yes, the NFL is a business and you’re the product. But if you can help it, do everything to enhance the brand.
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
