The league is making efforts to change systemic issues in the combine interview process this year. As issues have been unveiled in the line of questioning that some team interviewers use, the NFL has responded with a potential punishment. Teams and their representatives could be fined a minimum of $350,000 and required to forfeit a draft pick “no later than the third round” if they are found to have conducted themselves “in an inappropriate or unlawful manner” during an interview, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.
Examples of inappropriate lines of questions would be those that concern a prospect’s race, national origin, religion, or sexual orientation, as none of these are factors that affect the playing ability of a prospect. In the past, we’ve heard such issues as former Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland asking if wide receiver Dez Bryant‘s mother was a prostitute or a coach for the Falcons asking cornerback Eli Apple about his sexual preference, obvious questions that would never be allowed in the course of a normal job interview.
The league also provided teams with plenty of examples of “high-risk questions” and their more acceptable alternatives. Instead of asking if a player suffers from mental illness, a team can inquire about any obstacles or hardships the prospect has overcome in their course of success. Instead of asking if a player was ever in “special education” classes, a team can ask if the player has any difficulties in learning and playing the game and whether or not they need any accommodations to play. Instead of asking if a player or anyone in the player’s family is an alcoholic, a team can ask the less pointed question of whether or not they drink alcohol.
Issues, such as the behavior of team staffers in interviews, are becoming more and more relevant as the combine flirts with obsoletion. With personal workouts and pro days proving to be the preferred method of evaluation for athletes, the combine is losing support. The event is still super important for small-school prospects who won’t have the same exposure at their own pro days, but if larger surrounding schools are willing to host their smaller, nearby competitors even this issue could be alleviated.
For now, the league will do what it can to make sure that, as long as the event is still happening, it’s done in a way that’s safe and appropriate for future NFL players.
Here are a few more rumors about the upcoming NFL Draft:
- There’s been plenty of discussion surrounding the draft stock of Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, with projections anywhere from No. 1 overall pick to the fourth round. Regardless, Richardson reportedly did more than anyone else in Indianapolis this week to help his draft stock with an outstanding combine performance, according to Michael David Smith of NBC Sports. At 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, Richardson put up impressive numbers with a 4.43 40-yard dash, a broad jump of ten feet and nine inches, and a best ever for a quarterback vertical jump of 40.5 inches. As impressive as those numbers are, many teams already lauded him on his athleticism; they needed to see him throw a football. Here, Richardson excelled, again. Over the course of throwing drills, Richardson displayed an arm talent that many questioned was present. Do low-pressure throws to receivers running against air make scouts forget about his 53.8 completion percentage last year? It’s hard to say, but Richardson is doing everything he can to give NFL teams something to think about over the next two months.
- The Raiders spent their fair share of time evaluating the quarterback position this past week in Indianapolis. In a mailbag to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, many fans inquired about life post-Derek Carr. Through all the questions, one thing became (relatively) clear: the Raiders are impressed with Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud. The general consensus is that, with the No. 7 overall pick, Stroud will not fall to Las Vegas, leading many to ask about a trade up. Bonsignore seems to be under the impression that Las Vegas feels Richardson or Kentucky passer Will Levis will fall to them at seven. He also projected a 60-percent probability that the team trades up for Stroud as opposed to waiting for Richardson or Levis. However much time remains until a decision must be made, it appears that Las Vegas favors Stroud at this point in time.
So it has to be draft one of Levis, Richardson, or Stroud (alphabetical order) or pursue Jimmy G in free agency right?
Why not both? Sign Jimmy G or Jacoby Brissett for 1 year as a bridge while the rookie learns. Especially considering that McDaniel has a complicated play book that even Carr struggled with.
I love how reading though the 1st section you quickly come to agree with the league’s decision, then there’s the part where the league is basically saying “you can ask intrusive personal questions, just do them less overtly!”
Just another example of the NFLs rampant hypocrisy. Apparently, Daniel Snyder was a bit to overt for their liking.
Richardson shouldn’t go higher than the second round at best. Don’t care what he does at the combine if his head makes bad decisions on the field. Watched all the games and saw enough to say he’s a gifted athlete who needs guidance on how to make the right decision. He’s squeaked by in college based on some of his decisions, but the NFL is an aggregation of talent that he’s not seen before. His talent advantage will be matched.
Richardson looks like a repeat of Jameis Winston, minus the Heisman Trophy and with much worse completion stats (54% vs 66%). A physical monster who will throw incompletions and interceptions. Tease his team every year with extraordinary potential and awful turnovers.
In fairness to Richardson, he did a good job drawing back Steve Mariucci’s play. Despite years playing at Florida, Richardson appeared sober and calm at the Combine.
Raiders drafting a QB as Number one reminds me of the picking of JaMarcus Russell. OH JOY!!!
Yeah, but it’s ok because that was an Oakland pick.
They appear to not be any smarter by moving to Nevada.
“obsoletion” is not a word, but a malapropism. “Absolution” does exist but has an entirely different meaning.
This whole article about the evils of the Combine and how grown-up athletes can’t handle a few rude questions and having their muscles measure in a neutral setting astonishes me. Of course, the worst excesses should be punished. Suspending the particular coach sounds like enough incentive to rein in the bad behaviour.
The notion of forcing small school athletes to show up at Alabama or Clemson to be sneered at and bullied by the home town athletes is about the most misguided claptrap I’ve read about football in two months.
In general, I would have liked to have seen quite a bit more coverage from the Combine. It’s the most exciting off-season event of the NFL and does involve quite a few personnel moves. There must be some behind-the-scenes stories which don’t show up on NFL.com, which would interest PFR readers.
Just because I’m in the mood to ask? Riley Moss, CB in this year’s draft. 6’1″ 195 lbs, runs a 4.4 40 and is for sake of this text a top 15 corner prospect? He is the first White male since Jason Sehorn, thats 30 years ago to play at this position at an NFL level. WHY was this not on everyone’s list of discussion points during the combine and senior week? If he were a Black male in a dominated position for 30 years by White players they’d do a special feature, show his hometown, speak to his mother and cover the struggle and he went through as a White man in a Black dominated position? Thats 30 years without even a peep?…….. White Corners Matter!
Umm, you do realize that the 1960s was 60 years ago, right? Get over it. And since when does a possibly 15th position ranked prospect that is probably gonna be a day 3 selection get top billing?