issue 25 // volume 40

SeXy .»

and they know 1t

» ... because they work out?

Eric Wilkins Sports Editor

i M sports |, @theotherpress.ca

R® now is the worst time to bean NFL reporter. Scratch that. It’s the worst time to be an NFL reporter if you have any respect for yourself. By late March, all of the major free agent signings are done. The NFL Combine is also in the books. The NFL Draft, however, is still a month away. As a result, the world is flooded with mock drafts which are just as likely

to be correct as anyone’s March Madness bracket. Additionally, minor off-season signings are overanalyzed in the name of producing content. Everyone’s least-favourite part of the any- kind-of-real-news drought has to be the endless workouts and pro days college players run through.

The NFL Combine is already a gyp. A whole season’s (or few seasons’) worth of work put in by a prospect can be dismissed on a poor 4o-time.

A tape measure can put an end to the discussion on whether a

player can be a first-rounder. A slip in a drill can drop someone

forget football is played ina dynamic environment, not

a controlled setting of cones and timers. Pro days are just like the Combine—except for the fact that instead of all the top eligible players, you’ve got maybe a handful.

If a prospect didn’t measure up well in a certain event, he'll likely try to improve upon it at his pro day. And if he does, people will ooh and ahh, having witnessed the fact that the man is, in fact, every bit of the player he appeared to be in the 12 games scouts saw him. However, if he stumbles, it’s time to revaluate just how real that record-setting season he posted really was.

Quarterbacks, as always, tend to get stuck under the microscope even more so than

: the rest of the draft hopefuls.

: Teddy Bridgewater, considered : by many to be the top pivot

: in the draft, had his pro day

: described by NEL Network

: draft guru Mike Mayock as “very : average at best.” Bridgewater

: was nowhere near as crisp

: passing the football as expected. : Sure, it’sa scripted environment for the specific purpose of

? making a player look good—but : still, even if the player doesn’t

: shine, who cares? When JaMarcus Russell had his pro

: day, everyone in attendance

: couldn't stop raving about

: him. He had to be destined

: for stardom. Even dropping weight from the Combine to

: his pro day spoke volumes,

: with then-Raiders coach Lane

: Kiffin saying, “Dropping nine

; pounds knowing this was a big

: day shows his commitment Fr : and shows that his mind’s : in the right place.” Kiffin’s : comment comes across

: as more of a comedy

: opener than a scouting

: evaluation now.

that shouldn't mean : anything at all,

: Johnny Manziel had : a killer pro day

: : and did it in pads. down the big board. You almost Stop the presses. A : A quarterback

: throwing in pads?

: Casual football

: fans may be

: unaware of the fact,

: but these workouts

: are traditionally

: done sans protective

: equipment so as to

: give teams the best

: idea of how the player : will perform in actual : game action. Manziel : cemented himself as

: a first-rounder by

: doing what each

: and every player a : did all season.

: Somebody get this

: Mana massive

: contract.

EF

Final note on things

Teddy Bridgewater www. walterfootball.com

f x

sports // 19