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Detroit Lions: Debunking NFL Scouting Combine myths

By Michael Kirkland

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 04: Wide receiver John Ross of Washington runs the 40-yard dash in an unofficial record time of 4.22 seconds during day four of the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 4, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 04: Wide receiver John Ross of Washington runs the 40-yard dash in an unofficial record time of 4.22 seconds during day four of the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 4, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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The NFL Combine is just a few days away. The Detroit Lions have a chance to interview over 300 athletes. We debunk a few myths about the process.

Ross ran fast, didn't produce as a rookie
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 04: Wide receiver John Ross of Washington runs the 40-yard dash in an unofficial record time of 4.22 seconds during day four of the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 4, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

The end of the football season is bittersweet. NFL fans want to see who’s the best at the end. Unfortunately, it  also means no Detroit Lions football from January until August. To fill the football void, though, Lucas Oil Field  will host the 2018 NFL Combine. College players are interviewed and physically tested ahead of the Draft. It is one of the most high-profile interviews in the world.

Over 300 college athletes are poked, prodded, questioned, tested, and pushed to determine who is the best.  The athletes will then have their chance  chosen at the annual NFL Selection Meeting, aka the Draft. Let’s discuss a few common myths about the event and what implications it has for the Lions. The Combine runs from February 27th to March 5th, in Indianapolis.

Starters

Personally, I love the combine. It is a chance to see players on their own, with no help from the scheme they play in or teammates. Each man is judged based upon his own merits. Every aspect of each player is brought under a microscope, analyzed, and factored into the value of each prospect.

Famously, the Wonderlic, a multiple choice, timed, test is one of the mental activities that athletes will be submitted to. Players: run for 40 yards, lift a 225 pound bar as many times as possible, and jump as high as they can from a stand-still.

Those are just a few of the tasks these modern-day Greek gods will have to perform. It is a great demonstration of skill, power, speed, and stamina. At some points, athletes demonstrate that they do not get the gravity of the situation, though.

Some myths persist about the value of the Combine, here are a few and how I view their merits.

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