2020 NFL Combine Rewind

The NFL Off-season came into full swing this week with the NFL Combine. The NFL Combine occurs every NFL Off-season in Indianapolis, Indiana. The main purpose of the combine is for teams to scout the top incoming prospects, in preparation for the NFL Draft. The draft this year will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada near the end of April. The NFL Combine is a very unique time in the NFL calendar, not only do the top 300ish prospect players, show up but they are always accompanied by the media, and not only that but generally all 32 teams will be represented by countless scouts, coaches, head-coaches, general managers, and even team owners. With so many people in one place a lot of other off-season rumors, and business often grace headlines during the combine.

Today we take a look back at some of the top stories from the Combine. Include more on the Tom Brady rumor mill! From drama, to good and bad performances at the combine, as wells free agency rumors.

Tom Brady Rumors

One of the top trending topics of the weeks is one that has been a hot topic since early January and will continue to be so until things have settled. Any guesses what I’m talking about here?! If you guessed Tom Brady, you’re correct! Rumors continue to swirl around Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. At the combine this week word continued to spread that Tom Brady will likely be playing for another team in 2020. The big question is where. One really juicy rumor that sprung to life this week was a rumor about a trade with 49ers!

It is rumored that the New England Patriots would be very interested in trading Tom Brady to San Francisco in exchange for Jimmy Garoppolo! This is of course really dramatic being that it was the Patriots who traded Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers in the first place. Ever since that trade it’s been rumored that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had wanted to keep Jimmy Garoppolo and trade Tom Brady at the time as it is rumored Bill was ready to move on to the younger QB in Jimmy G. However the Patriots owner Robert Kraft stepped in and demanded that Tom Brady stay instead. Jimmy Garoppolo is coming off a really good season with the 49ers. The only main reason this rumor has taken so much traction is because in the Superbowl and previously this season there were a few specific big plays that didn’t go his way or he didn’t perform as many would have hoped, and because of that it’s said that people who think this move sounds too crazy to happen should wait, being that a lot of people at the combine seemed to think 49ers might have interest in the trade for the right price.

Joe Burrow Drama

This season probably the most popular player who has been talked about the most leading up to the draft is LSU Quarterback, Joe Burrow. Many believe that he will be the #1 pick in the draft, going to play for the Cincinnati Bengals. Joe made headlines this week for a few unique reasons. He as well as a few other top prospects who were invited to the combine, elected to forgo any of the playing drills. Joe Burrow did however participate in other things such as the interview process teams will have with players, as well as physicals and talking with the media. One thing that is measured at the combine is hand size. It was found that Joe Burrow has relatively small hands. Joe went to twitter and posted a sarcastic tweet saying, “Considering retirement after I was informed the football will be slipping out of my tiny hands. Please keep me in your thoughts.” However many NFL personnel, when asked how much his hand size concerned them, said that it really doesn’t matter that much. Really hand size isn’t everything when it comes to being a good quarterback.

Other 2020 NFL Scouting Combine Highlights

Some other highlights of the week included but were not limited to Offensive Lineman Mekhi Becton who weighed in at 364 lbs (heaviest player at the 2020 combine) ran a 5.11 in the 40 yard dash. His time was definitely not the fastest time at the combine but for his size that was amazing! Wide Receiver Henry Ruggs III also impressed as he came within 0.07 seconds of breaking the NFL combine 40 yard dash record which is held by current Bengals WR John Ross who ran it in 4.22. There were several big performers in the weight room this year, including the 44 reps recorded by Netane Muti, an offensive lineman out of Fresno State. It was a punter - yes, a punter who stole the show on the bench press early on. Michael Turk, of Arizona State, wowed when he put up 25 reps on the bench press.