Yes, You Can Wager on the NFL Combine

I can see a guy like Austin burning past the 4.32 mark at the NFL Combine.

A few weeks ago I discussed ways to keep yourself busy during the NFL’s hiatus period which of course includes March Madness. If you really hard-up for some football wagering action then the National Football League Scouting Combine just might be your ticket. Our betting friends over at Bovada have actually provided lines on such things as the fastest forty-yard dash time and the most presses at 225 pounds.

If you’re extremely desperate you can also wager on whether you think the NFL Network’s Rich Eisen can run the forty in under 6.18 seconds.

Before we get to that, understand just how important the combine is to all 32 NFL teams. This is first and foremost their primary opportunity to both spend time with and watch the potential pros do their thing. Most anyone on the inside will tell you that while what these guys do physically, the individual sit-down sessions are often more important.

In an age where so many of these players come from difficult circumstances and questionable environments, scouts and GMs want to do the best they can to find as much as they can about these guys. Some players will come off very well and some won’t. The interviews can often be the deciding factor in whether or not a guy is their selection ultimately. Players are diligently prepared and ready for seemingly any question but prospective teams will often go off the beaten path in an effort to see how players handle pressure and adversity.

The NFL Combine is a place where scouts, coaches and general managers can fall in love with guys who are workout warriors. If the name Mike Mamula rings a bell that’s because he was one of the ‘workout warriors’ that impressed the hell out of everyone including the Philadelphia Eagles who drafted him.

Mamula scored well in the bench press, the 40-yard dash and earned a 49 of 50 on the Wonderlic Test. The Eagles eventually traded up from 12 to seven to select him. I wouldn’t totally label Mamula a bust because he did have a couple of productive NFL seasons, but based on the hype surrounding him more was expected.

There are always guys like this who do something to pop the eyes of those watching whether it’s Calvin Johnson in the broad jump or Dontari Poe in the bench press. The Combine isn’t just about doing well it’s also about getting noticed. In other words, what can you do to make everyone notice you regardless of the combine activity it is that your participating in?

I guarantee you that within the next several days everyone will be talking about what ‘this player’ or ‘that player’ did in Indianapolis. Perhaps it will be one of these guys for your wagering enjoyment…

I predict Eisen will break the 6.18 mark he established in 2011 in the forty.

Fastest 40-yard Dash Time: Over 4.32/-120 Under 4.32/+120. Normally I might take the over with the new system, but I have a strong suspicion someone goes low here. Tavon Austin maybe?

Most Bench Presses at 225lbs Over 44/-120 Under 44/+120.  I love the over here. Guys are just training too hard and too well for someone not to pass by this mark.

Manti Te’o 40-yard Dash Time Over 4.75/-120 Under 4.75 +120. I know this much…. For a guy who will be under the microscope as much as he will and as athletic as he appears to be, he better run under the 4.75 here or he could fall in the draft.

Rich Eisen 40-yard Dash Time Over 6.18/EVEN Under 6.18 Under 6.18/-140. The main man of the NFL Network, Eisen infamously ran in his suit last year and accomplished the current number of 6.18 two years ago. Last year he was atg 6.03 and is still looking for his first under 5 time. I can’t guarantee he goes under 5 but he will break 6.18.