The NFL Pro Day Experience: Different Paths to the Same Ultimate Goal
Most football fans are at least somewhat familiar with the NFL Scouting Combine, the main pre-professional barometer for the nation’s top NFL prospects. However, when it comes to NFL pro day events, knowledge of specifics tends to become much more piecemeal.
Running until early April, pro days function as non-combine showcases for collegiate players, highlighting their abilities across concentrations including, but not limited to, positional and on-field drills, athletic tests, and communications with team personnel. The goal of a pro day is to enhance a player’s draft stock beyond the combine, demonstrating both athletic prowess and in-game literacy to ultimately win NFL coaches’ interest on draft day.
Throughout his tenure as one of the country’s most premiere, sought-after strength coaches and athletic trainers, Parisi Speed School’s Rich Sadiv has prepared countless NFL prospects to put their best foot forward on their pro days. In Sadiv’s words, this process tends to boil down to several different developmental paths – all centered on the same goal of securing a professional playing career. Below, Sadiv briefly discusses these potential scenarios:
The Shoo-Ins
So-called shoo-in athletes are those almost guaranteed to join an NFL team (barring some disaster). These players have already shown their readiness for a professional career through their collegiate accomplishments, but they still have to prove themselves when the time comes. In such scenarios, the pro day’s purpose is two-fold: it’s a chance for top players to make a further impact on their draft stock post-combine, and, for those who voluntarily did not participate in the combine, it’s an alternative means of demonstrating those same relevant skills.
The Redemption Stories
These are usually the players who underperformed at the combine. The pro day, in this case, is a chance at redemption in the eyes of NFL scouts. Prospects and their coaches have the chance to recalibrate, using the combine experience as a frame of reference for additional preparation, which, ideally, will lead to better output on their pro day. This opportunity also provides the comfort of familiar surroundings through the player’s college campus.
The Dreamers
Finally, you have the dreamers – those just looking for a chance at recognition. These athletes are long shots who, in most cases, were not invited to the combine and are now channeling their minimal draft chances into the pro-day experience. We occasionally see these underdogs break into the league under the right circumstances, so, in this sense, the pro day also acts as a big-break opportunity.
Regardless of ability or background, the pro day is a chance to make a considerable impact where it counts. If a player is fortunate enough to secure such an opportunity, they should do everything in their power to maximize their chances of success; it might change the whole trajectory of their future.
About the author: Rich Sadiv is a seasoned, highly regarded strength coach and athletic trainer from Glen Rock, New Jersey. He is the head performance coach for the Parisi Speed School in Fair Lawn, NJ, the strength advisor for Martin Rooney’s Training For Warriors system, and the owner of Escape Fitness Fair Lawn, where he dedicates time to both performance coaching and personal training. Throughout his career, Sadiv has helped over 200 prospective NFL players prepare for the combine and ultimately begin a career in the league. As a powerlifter, he currently stands as one of the top deadlifters in the Masters category at 181/198 lbs. He has earned induction into two powerlifting halls of fame — as well as the nickname, “The Human Crane.”
