Controversy Awaits NFL Hopefuls At The NFL Combine
Between now and February 29th, when the annual NFL Scouting Combine begins, there is not much to report from the NFL. This week is one of the slowest weeks on the NFL calendar. Other than reports of veterans being released and a myriad of non-sensical mock drafts, there isn’t much to discuss. The same storylines get regurgitated. This year, there is controversy due to the recent announcement from top agencies representing NFL players.
Last year, if you recall, C. J. Stroud found that his S2 cognitive test result had been leaked. The results weren’t very kind. https://twitter.com/ShanePHallam/status/1649377768067457027
Bryce Young – 98% Jake Haener – 96% Will Levis – 93% Jaren Hall – 93% Clayton Tune – 84% Anthony Richardson – 79% Hendon Hooker – 46% CJ Stroud – 18%
Stroud, when asked about his score test, had an epic response, on the eve of the 2023 NFL Draft.
“I’m not a test-taker. I play football,” Stroud told the Charlotte Observer’s Scott Fowler. “At the end of the day, I don’t have nothing to prove to nobody. I’m not (going to) sit here and explain how I process football. The people who are making the picks know what i can do, so that’s all the matters to me.”
CJ Stroud
One week ago, Athletes First issued a statement, first reported by The Athletic’s Kalyn Kahler. The agency emailed all NFL teams notifying them that it has instructed their clients not to participate in the S2 cognitive test.
“After much internal discussion, the agents at Athletes First have directed our draft prospects to respectfully pass on participating in any cognitive or psychological testing during the pre-draft process.”
Athletes First
Shortly after the announcement from Athletes First, Rosenhaus Sports announced they are also advising their clients to refuse taking the test.
There is a point to this. Does it matter if an NFL prospect can tell you which vowel is between the letters C and P? Is knowing the answer to “what is 7435 minus 453” more important than knowing when the defense is going to attack your quarterback during a safety blitz?
The annual Scouting Combine convenes one week from today. Drills for defensive linemen and linebackers begin at 2:00 Central time. The rest of the schedule:
Friday, March 1; Defensive Backs and Tight Ends 2:00 Central.
Saturday, March 2; Runningbacks, Quarterbacks, and Wide Receivers Noon Central.
Sunday, March 3; Offensive Linemen Noon Central.
All drills will be telecast live on NFL Network.
New and Notes
Currently, the 2024 salary cap is expected to be $242 Million. There have been rumors the cap could reach $250 Million. This is the 30th anniversary of the first year the NFL began using a strict salary cap. In 1994, the slary cap was only $34,608,000.00!