Robert Griffin III grew up on Friday.
The quarterback was measured a whole 6 feet 23Ú8 inches. Seriously, when was the last time you worried about eighths of inches — kindergarten? In the NFL combine, though, everything matters.
Maybe Griffin was on his tippy-toes, but those 3Ú8 inches are worth millions of dollars. Colleges fake heights and weights all the time. The NFL must measure rookies to know the truth. When Andrew Luck measured at 6-foot-4 as Stanford reported, NFL execs seemed surprised. Then again, Stanford’s known for smart people that can use a tape measure.
What’s the big deal on 6-23Ú8? It means Griffin can see over linemen and not be forced outside the pocket to pass. At 6-1, he would have slipped several slots. Maybe to the Washington Redskins at No. 6 rather than being peddled by St. Louis as the second overall pick for a fistful of first- and second-rounders.
But that’s the combine — a long weekend of stats.
Maybe stats win when playing Madden NFL 12, but they’re secondary to building a winner. Everyone’s fast. Everyone’s strong. It’s about chemistry, heart, desire — nothing the combine measures.
Oh, red flags are thrown if someone has a slow 40 time, few bench press reps or blows the personal interviews. But teams will risk a draft pick on a player who has a bad combine, only it’s a round or two later.
The NFL may even turn the combine into a track meet with players running against each other. They’re already selling tickets and televising the combine nonstop. A backwater weekend a decade ago is now part of the never-ending NFL money machine.
Players running 40 yards against each other is good TV and has some validity given players do run against each other on the field. Players may run faster given competition.
But there’s no way the NFL Players Association would permit it. The injury risk is just too high. When Clinton Portis and LaRon Landry once raced at Redskins Park after arguing who was faster, team officials were livid. Coaches would have never permitted it if not caught by surprise. Portis was probably surprised when Landry zoomed past him.
Premium players will opt out of races to run at their college workout days. That would diminish the combine, which is a glorified bunch of nothing anyway followed only by fans killing time until free agency begins March 13.
The next three weeks is about mulling over whether Peyton Manning comes to Washington. Can the Redskins attract free agent receiver Mario Manningham? Will they franchise Fred Davis or Landry?
The NFL will return to the combine information once free agency passes, trying to put the final touches on the roster. It won’t matter who was 6-23Ú8 by then come draft day.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email [email protected].
