My NFL Combine

The National Football League is now a 12 month a year endeavor. Fans get the pre-season, regular season, and the play-offs that culminate in the Super Bowl. After the Super Bowl you would think you get a break until August. Not the case anymore. We now have the NFL Combine, the NFL Draft, optional team workouts (which aren't that optional) and before you know it, we are back to training camp and the pre-season.

The details of the off-season, once reserved for the NFL insider and media are now free to follow for anyone with the NFL network or the internet. One of the most entertaining parts of the off-season is the NFL Combine. This is where we get to watch the future of the NFL participate in drills to prove their future worth. Now, this is all televised of course.

I figured what better way to get involved then to participate in the NFL Combine myself. Since the NFL didn't offer me an invitation to test my skills, I thought I would do this on my own and document for you.

Here are my NFL Combine details.

Name: Benjamin Trattner
School: Acadia University (Nova Scotia, Canada)
Height: 6 feet 1.5 inch
Weight: 261 lbs

Overview:
Benjamin arrived at Acadia as a versatile lineman. Able to play on both the offensive and defensive line in High School. He joined the Axeman defensive line where he progressed slowly his freshman year. Week 6 of his freshman season, he injured his knee in practice. After rehab alone was not successful, arthroscopic surgery repaired meniscus damage. An MRI later that year revealed a tear of the ACL and he had reconstruction surgery in July before his sophomore season. This ended the dream of being a lineman, but not before two more surgeries to repair damage to the knee, re-injured in comeback attempts. Benjamin became the the kicker and punter at Acadia during his junior and senior seasons. Retiring from competitive football in 2001.

Analysis:
Strengths - A strong leg, evidenced by his career long field goal of 57 yards. High football IQ. Tremendous upside potential.

Weaknesses - Slow footed. One scout described being able to time him "with a sun dial". Needs more focus when lining up for short to middle distance field goal attempts.

Test Results

40-yard dash
The 40-yard dash is the marquee event at the combine. These athletes are timed at 10, 20 and 40-yard intervals. What the scouts are looking for is an explosion from a static start.

40yd - not applicable
10yd - 1.91 seconds

Bench press
The bench press is a test of strength -- 225 pounds, as many reps as the athlete can get. What the NFL scouts are also looking for is endurance.

225 lbs for 5 repetitions

Vertical
The vertical jump is all about lower-body explosion and power. The athlete stands flat-footed and they measure his reach.

Attempt 1 - 12.25 inches
Attempt 2 - 13.25 inches


Broad jump
The broad jump is like being in gym class back in junior high school. The athlete starts out with a stance balanced and then he explodes out as far as he can.

Attempt 1 - 73.25 inches
Attempt 2 - 77.25 inches

Well Rich Eisen, am I at least a day 3 prospect?