Over 300 aspiring NFL football players recently completed the NFL combine in Indianapolis, Indiana. Players complete a variety of tests in the hope of impressing NFL teams and receiving big pay days after being drafted.
A recent study asked whether the NFL Combine was an accurate method to predict football success for quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers. 10, 20 and 40 yard dashes, vertical jump, broad jump, bench press, 20 and 60 yard shuttle runs, cone drill, and the Wonderlic Test were are all assessed against NFL success.
Success was determined by considering draft order, games played, salary and one position specific variable from 1999-2004.
The authors concluded combine performance did not predict success for QBs or WRs.
Sprinting performance was a good predictor for RBs, but no other test was a good predictor of NFL success.
Bottom Line: The combine testing process is a poor predictor of NFL success for skill players.
Kuzmits FE, Adams A., The NFL Combine: Does it Predict Success in the NFL?, J. Strength Cond Res, 22(6):1721-1727, 2008,
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Wow, that's really interesting seeing it from a statistics standpoint. It's something that I've always wondered about, even while playing. Sure, getting an individual players stronger and faster can certainly improve his own game, but having a stronger and faster athlete does not mean he is going to be a better player.
ReplyDeleteYou see it on the field all the time - great athletes who can be the stronger or fastest, but are definitely not the best.