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The NFL Combine is fast approaching, as waves of prospects are readying for the biggest interview of their careers. They will be put through a mental and physical tryout, participating in invasive interviews and standardized testing, on top of running forties and pumping out bench reps of 225 pounds.
The combine begins this weekend from Indianapolis, where there are sure to be plenty of draft risers and fallers. Here is the official Combine workout schedule, per NFL.com:
Saturday, Feb. 23: Tight ends, offensive linemen, special teams
Sunday, Feb. 24: Quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers
Monday, Feb. 25: Defensive linemen, linebackers
Tuesday, Feb. 26: Defensive backs
This four-day trial should help clarify where each player deserves to be taken. Their final draft value should be determined, and for many, this is a last chance to impress. For some high-profile players like Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Lattimore, they will be relying on the face-to-face talks with teams.
Coming off a simultaneous ACL and PCL injury, Lattimore will be unable to workout for scouts. It will be strictly a character analysis when it comes to the dynamic runner from South Carolina. Mathieu, on the other hand, will have to confront his notorious past and prove he has grown as an individual.
These particular prospects are looking to impact scouts with their character. This intangible has always carried significant weight in the draft, and will be a huge factor for players like Mathieu and Lattimore whose draft stock greatly depends on it.
For hundreds of youths in their early 20s, this will be one of the most heavily scrutinized moments of their professional career.