The Manifold Combinations

The Combine starts tomorrow. Weigh-ins, interviews, long jumps, vertical leaps, bench presses, sprints, drills, drills, drills.

It's the beginning of a circus of poking and prodding that continues until the tense weeks before the draft. Maybe circus is the right description for the atmosphere, but it's really more akin to judging cattle at the state fair.

For all the workout warriors and can't miss prospects that miss terribly, it's easy to say that the Combine is manifestation of the NFL's collective madness. Strident yet sometimes horribly wrong proclamations. Otherworldly lines of questioning. Flagging focus amidst intensity. Presumptions of self-absorbed universes.

But for every Mike Mamula (whose pro career wasn't actually that horrible) there's an Antonio Cromartie who truly separates himself with elite numbers that translate to the football field.

And I would imagine in this day and age with the glut of NFL caliber talent nurtured in small schools, the Combine is even more important to provide objective measure where there cannot be one on the football field.

We know Michael Crabtree isn't going to run the 40. And while it hasn't really been said yet, once the scouts assemble, the whispers will start, the speculation will run rampant. Unless Crabtree, one of the best players in all of college football the last two years, runs well at his pro day, the talk won't die down.

More to the point, the scouts from each NFL team aren't comfortable with the idea of a player who doesn't hustle through the Combine's events with deadly seriousness. It is after all an extended job interview. The primadonna act, at least it's perceived, will only get a player so far...

I'm no scout. I don't pour over college game tape half of every day. But of the college football I've watched, a handful of players on the 2009 Combine's invite list have stuck out on game day. I'll be interested to see how they test, how they measure up.

I worry about Pat White. In a weak quarterback class, White might get more consideration at his college position than he would have, say, last year when Matt Ryan, Brian Brohm, Joe Flacco, and Chad Henne were vying for early round consideration.

And what this greater consideration means, I can't say. White was a hell of a college quarterback. But he is also the sum of all that doesn’t translate into a successful pro quarterback. He’s the NCAA all time leading rusher at quarterback. He excelled in a run first spread offense. He’s undersized and slight of frame. No one can question his toughness. But they’ll question his arm strength.

The last thing I want is for White to simply be a Mountaineer for life and nothing more. Not that such noteriety is so bad. But ridiculous talent like his must have some place on Sundays.

Obviously tomorrow will go a ways toward shaking out just players who have dominated during the season will fare on draft day. Of course, we all interested to see how guys with name recognition fare under the Combine’s bright lights. Peria Jerry, the stellar Ole Miss defensive tackle, or Malcolm Jenkins, the touted corner from Ohio State, will command attention. Even guys like Louie Sakoda, the kicker from Utah who played a central role in the Utes BCS busting run last season, will be picked apart.

Here’s some players I’m really interested in tracking as they post numbers over the next several days.

Hakeem Nicks, WR UNC, and his ability to catch the ball behind his back.

Stephen Hodge, SS TCU, the Horned Frogs’ seek-and-destroy robot.

DJ Moore, CB Vanderbilt, sole playmaker on Commodores’ bowl winning team.

Jonathan Casillas, LB Wisconsin, sped through the Badgers mediocrity week in and week out.

Anthony Parker, G Tennessee, run blocking on the move a thing of large beauty.

Sammie Stroughter, WR Oregon State, guy making the tough sometimes unheralded catches.

Whether these guys make the cut or not, they've played some great football up until now. How far they can go might just be coded somewhere between their bench presses and agility drills.