By Adam Karon
Daily Bruin Staff
INDIANAPOLIS “”mdash; At least they can’t touch you at
beauty pageants.
That must be what 344 NFL prospects were thinking when they went
through last weekend’s combine in Indianapolis.
The young men, ranging in age from 20 to 24, worked out in front
of NFL scouts and coaches for three days at the RCA dome, trying to
prove their worth as professional football players.
While optional, the NFL combines provide a chance to impress
scouts for those invited to the event. Some athletes refuse to work
out, but nearly all go through physical evaluations, which are
regarded as the toughest part of the weekend.
Erik Heitman, a former offensive guard at Stanford, said that
the medical evaluations are more tedious than anything else.
The athletes are examined by physicians, and then made to reveal
any serious injury or surgery suffered in the last 10 years.
Heitman dislocated his knee in the seventh grade. As a result he
was forced to undergo several rounds of X-rays to make sure no
damage remained. After that, physicians from each NFL team poked
and prodded him to make sure he was physically sound.
In all, Heitman was at the hospital from the time his plane
landed at 2:30 p.m. in the afternoon until 7:30 that evening.
“It makes you feel like an object,” the public
policy student said. “But it isn’t degrading because I
expect it. Hey, it’s about money and they want to make sure
they aren’t buying damaged goods.”
Evidently Heitman was pretty solid, considering he mastered one
of the weekend’s other tough tests ““ the bench press.
Athletes bench 225 lbs. as many times as possible. Heitman hit 33
reps, one of the top scores for offensive linemen. Like others he
would also compete in sprints, shuttles and various position
drills.
“It’s a stressful weekend,” he said.
“That’s what I’m ready for.”
In addition to the medical evaluations, athletes take
psychological tests and meet with team officials to determine their
mental stability and potential as athletes.
One coach asked Heitman about his siblings and their athletic
ability and about the size of his parents. Whether through
questions or examinations, athletes are under the microscope as
soon as they enter the RCA dome.
“It’s been interesting,” Minnesota wide
receiver Ron Johnson said. “It’s like a zoo out there,
kind of chaotic.”
Athletes are evaluated as much on their ability to perform
despite the circus atmosphere as they are on their talent. Fresno
State quarterback David Carr, expected to go No. 1 in April’s
draft, says he prefers the pre-combine camps in which many players
train.
“Me and my buddies can go out, run around, and throw the
ball and not worry about the draft board,” he said.
Even so, Carr raised some eyebrows when he said he would work
out for scouts, remarking that he had nothing to hide.
Many high recruits opt not to risk injury or lower their stock
with uncharacteristic performances that might occur in
Indianapolis.
For coaches, the combine provides a chance to view talent,
though they leave the majority of evaluation up to their
assistants.
“This is my first combine so it’s all new to
me,” first year Washington Redskins head coach Steve Spurrier
said.
Spurrier seemed relaxed and jovial in the press room, answering
as many questions about his visor as he did about the new
talent.
Perhaps he was just thankful he didn’t have to go through
the medical examinations.