The NFL Combine - speed dating for the pigskin set

For the first time in my life, I watched nearly wall-to-wall coverage of the NFL Combine on Saturday (for those that have a life and were out and about this weekend, check out our combine recap for details). I watched lineman squat, bench press, run into other large men holding pads. I saw tight ends being timed in the 40 and I heard countless glowing comments, many of which would fit on a movie poster (you will not see a pass rusher perform a better shuttle run this season!  You will fall in love with his agility on the cone drill!") about size, physique and technique.

Kudos to the NFL for turning what historically was non-event for the masses into must-see-TV for all of us tackling dummies. The combine fills in the televised gap between the Super Bowl and the NFL draft and keeps the league in the sports section and on SportsCenter, allowing fans to get a non-helmet and pads look at the well-known and unheralded prospects.

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