The NFL Draft Combine is scheduled to be held in the first week of March. With a total of 324 young athletes from colleges all across the country being invited for it. However, it is yet to be seen as to how many actually end up taking part in the Combine. This year’s combine is planned to be held differently than any of the pre-COVID combines.
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Returning to an in-person combine, the league will administer a set of rules that were not imposed before. On Saturday, the combine informed its prospects that they will be restricted to “secured Combine venues during their entire time in Indianapolis for their protection.”
The NFL scouting combine just informed draft prospects they’ll be in a “bubble” in secure locations next month in Indianapolis, with limited exceptions: “Players who violate this policy at any time will be disqualified from further participation and sent home.” From the memo: pic.twitter.com/oThXaLSCQ7
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 19, 2022
The participants are allowed to invite just one “medical support person” (a trainer), who should be fully vaccinated. Furthermore, they will be served meals and snacks by the combine while the prospects spend time in Indianapolis in a “bubble environment” with little to no exceptions.
NFL Scouting Combine announces a new approach
Moreover, the memo threatens that any noncompliance with the rules and violations of any policy may lead to the termination of the prospects’ candidature. This recent notice came just 10 days ahead of the week-long combine, which has made the agents “unhappy with the unilateral work conditions imposed,” as per Pro Football Talk.
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Keeping in mind the COVID policies and protocols, the combine has adopted a new approach towards the workout schedule. The participants are expected to do measurements, bench press, and on-field exercises on the same day. Which previously were scheduled for different days.
According to the memo, the entire concept has been adopted to “improve the overall player experience and protect the players from a health and safety standpoint.”
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However, it’s not only the agents who are questioning the new approach but the NFL team executives are doing the same. “You’re gonna have guys afraid to get hurt,” said an AFC team executive.
Now that the combine has come up with sudden rules just a few days ahead of the schedule, it will be seen as to how many participants would actually take place in it.
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