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Thursday, Feb. 21
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Day Two at the NFL Combine did not bring the immediate excitement that day 1 had. Talking with our group leader from last night, we knew that it was going to be a dreadful morning. We had a lot of business to take care of and the entire morning was slated to finish up with our medical exams.
The morning started out at 4:30 a.m. for a drug and steroid test. This was not the most exciting event of the Combine but another necessary task to check the block. I found this drug test was much more strict and monitored than any of the Army drug tests that I have participated in while at the Academy. Being one of the first to show up, I was able to get in and out relatively fast and went back to my room to get ready for breakfast at 6 a.m.
I was able to get a good meal in for breakfast and our group was hurried to the RCA Dome for the days testing and exams. I began to feel like we were back in the Army because we had done so much and then sun hadn’t even been up yet. Our first event was the much-talked-about height and weight check-in. We were directed to a staging room where we were told to drop all of our clothes except for our spandex compression shorts. As we went into the stage area I recognized that there were a TON of people in the room to record our numbers. I would estimate that because the stage was filled that there were roughly 600 scouts, coaches, and NFL personnel there to observe as we walked on the platform to have our hand width, arm reach, height, and weight officially recorded. Immediately following the weigh-in we were sent into the Bod-Pod. This is a machine that tests our body composition in order to determine the amount of fat to muscle that each individual has. There were a series of three tests where I sat inside what looks like an egg for about two minutes.
At the conclusion of our body composition tests we were handed our medical packets from the previous day. We now had ten different stations that each of us had to attend in order to move on to the next event. While I did not know it at the time, each room was the same but had different NFL teams in each. Upon arrival at one of the rooms an NFL team orthopedic doctor would evaluate us for any problems that we might have. This was done on a medical bench off to the side. After evaluating our body he would take us to a central medical bench in which he would brief a room full of team doctors. Each room had about four-to-six different teams inside and would listen carefully as the chosen doctor would explain any complications. If an issue was serious enough to any listening team then their doctor would come forward and conduct his own assessment and examine X-Rays. I had to go from each of the rooms and conduct this same process. Apparently each team wanted their own medical opinion and only having one opinion wasn’t good enough. This entire process took about three hours –and it was only 11 a.m.
Once I completed all the medical exams I was escorted through the RCA Dome to the media section. It was here I was surrounded by reporters and cameras for 30 minutes of interviews. The NFL Network covered this entire process as two cameramen came awkwardly close to my face as I tried my best to address questions from different media outlets. Once each reporter was satisfied I was directed to an NFL Video interview. This was conducted by two different NFL Scouts and consisted of a standard list of questions. This interview is made available to all NFL teams so they may have an interview on video if they would like to see any additional information on me.
I went and grabbed a quick pasta lunch when I was approached by a member of NFL.com. He told me that I had been chosen to demonstrate the vertical jump for the NFL Network. I was surprised with this offer as I don’t consider myself to be a top athlete with some of the players that we have here. I was taken to the field and met with a Kansas City Chief’s scout who turned out to be Herm Edwards’ son. The reporters, TV, and audio crew explained to both of us what they were looking to produce and let us run through several trial runs. The scout explained what is expected of players and how he is going to grade and monitor all of the players throughout the process. Then it was my turn to demonstrate this station. After about 15 minutes of filming I was released and decided to walk around the field for a while. I walked all around the Colts game field trying to get a feel for what it might be like tomorrow when we are out there competing. I took this time to soak it all in and become relaxed with my environment. I walked 25 rows up into the stadium bleachers and took a seat for a while. Just sitting there taking in all aspects of the stadium to familiarize myself with my new surroundings. I expected the RCA Dome to look bigger, but it didn’t wow me with size –a relatively plain stadium.
Once I felt satisfied I walked back into the players’ lounge while we waited for the rest of the group to finish up with their exams. Back at the hotel I was tired from two mornings starting at 4 a.m. I took a nap from 1400-1730 and got ready for dinner and interviews. It was at dinner that I sat down at a table and realized that over 50 million dollars worth of talent was sitting with me. I was sitting next to Darren McFadden (RB, Arkansas), Chad Henne (QB, Mich.), Matt Ryan (QB, Boston College), and then there was Owen Tolson. As I said yesterday it does not take long to realize these guys are normal college football guys just like me.
Once dinner was over we headed to the “train-station” where all of the NFL coaches and scouts wait to conduct interviews. As stated throughout my diary on Wednesday this was a long and intensive session. I met with multiple teams across the NFL and was able to get some good face- time with a lot of NFL special teams coaches. I also had the opportunity to meet with Ben Kotwicka, a former Army Football player and current New York Jets assistant special teams coach. We talked about Army Football, the Army, my time at the Combine, and some good insight to what the NFL process should entail over the next couple of months. He gave me many valuable tips on what to look for and what to expect. After a couple hours of talking with these NFL teams it was about 10:30 p.m.and I was ready to get some sleep.
Tomorrow is our big day here at the NFL Combine. All of us will be going to the RCA Dome in front of all of the coaches and scouts to kick and punt. I am excited and ready to conclude my final test before the draft and free agency period. I feel calm, relaxed, and comfortable with my new environment. I am confident in my abilities and feel I can compete with anyone out here. Tomorrow at 1 p.m.will be my opportunity to prove this to the NFL and win an NFL job.
Owen
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