2008 NFL DRAFT COUNTDOWN
 

Thursday, February 23, 2006

The Combine Starts Today



Today more than 330 draft prospects decend upon the RCA Dome in Indianapolis for a series of mental and physical tests to help determine where they should be taken in the draft this April. While most fans will focus on the results from the on-field drills, the interviews and medical tests will be highly scrutinized by NFL clubs. Virtually all prospects go through the interview process, even if they don't plan to take part in many of the physical drills. This is a chance for teams to determine the mental makeup of each player. The medical tests are critical to prospects carrying injury concerns and can have a major impact on where they get selected.

NFL teams have a pretty good idea of how the seniors measure up, the combine is often the first real chance to get measurables for the underclassmen. That is unless you consider their measureables from their respective schools to be accurate, which most scouts do not.

Don't think the combine really matters? Think again. Since the turn of the century just 12 players have been taken on the first day of the draft that didn't attend the combine, and there hasn't been a single first-round pick selected who didn't attend the combine.

NFL Network's day-by-day TV coverage:

Thursday, Feb. 23
2 p.m. ET -- NFL Scouting Combine press conferences (LIVE)
7 p.m. ET/PT -- NFL Total Access from the Scouting Combine

Friday, Feb. 24
2 p.m. ET -- NFL Scouting Combine press conferences (LIVE)
7 p.m. ET/PT -- NFL Total Access from the Scouting Combine

Saturday, Feb. 25
11 a.m. ET -- Workouts: Offensive linemen and running backs (LIVE) (re-airs 8 PM ET/PT)
2 p.m. ET -- NFL Scouting Combine press conferences (LIVE)
7 p.m. ET/PT -- NFL Total Access from the Scouting Combine

Sunday, Feb. 26
11 a.m. -- Workouts: Quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs (LIVE) (re-airs 8 PM ET/PT)
2 p.m. ET -- NFL Scouting Combine press conferences (LIVE)
7 p.m. ET/PT -- NFL Total Access from the Scouting Combine

Monday, Feb. 27
11 a.m. ET -- Workouts: Tight ends, defensive lineman (LIVE) (re-airs 8 PM ET/PT)
7 p.m. ET/PT -- NFL Total Access from the Scouting Combine

Tuesday, Feb. 28
11 a.m. ET -- Workouts: Linebackers, defensive backs (LIVE) (re-airs at 8 p.m. ET/PT)

Wednesday, Mar. 1
8 p.m. ET/PT -- 2006 NFL Scouting Combine wrapup show

Saturday, February 04, 2006

College Football All-Star Challenge Results

The Capital One College Football All-Star Challenge aired on ESPN with some of the biggest names in the 2006 draft competing head-to-head from Dolphins' Stadium in Miami. Six different events took place, with four contestants each, and the the winner of each event took home a big screen TV.

Quarterback Toss: Hitting a moving target at 20, 40, and 60-yard intervals.

1) Drew Olson (QB) UCLA - 140
2) Vince Young (QB) Texas - 130
3) Brodie Croyle (QB) Alabama - 110
4) Charlie Whitehurst (QB) Clemson - 50

Obstacle Course: Timed event with a number of different obstacles.

1) Chad Jackson (WR) Florida - 30.26
2) Sinorice Moss (WR) Miami - 31.77
3) DeAngelo Williams (RB) Memphis - 33.01
4) Vernon Davis (TE) Maryland - 33.88

Long Distance Throw: Throw football as far as possible to land in given space.

1) Brodie Croyle (QB) Alabama - 68 yards
2) Vince Young (QB) Texas - 64 yards
3) Drew Olson (QB) UCLA - 62 yards
4) Charlie Whitehurst (QB) Clemson - 62 yards

Field Goal Distance: Hitting the uprights at increasing differences.

1) Stephen Gostkowski (K) Memphis - 51 yards
2) Josh Huston (K) Ohio State - 49 yards
3) Connor Hughes (K) Virginia - 47 yards
4) David Pino (K) Texas - 47 yards

Hands Challenge: Catch as many passes as possible from machines in 30 seconds.

1) Chad Jackson (WR) Florida - 27
2) Sinorice Moss (WR) Miami - 19
3) Vernon Davis (TE) Virginia - 16
4) DeAngelo Williams (RB) Memphis - 15

Quarterback Scramble: Run through obstacles with time deductions for hitting targets.

1) Vince Young (QB) Texas - 15.65
2) Charlie Whitehurst (QB) Clemson - 18.05
3) Drew Olson (QB) Ohio State - 20.32
4) Brodie Croyle (QB) Alabama - 21.81