[Schneed10]

The only thing the combine is good for is collecting accurate height and weight measurements. A 40 yard dash is different from running in a football game; so much of your time depends upon your start, which is a track & field skill, not a football skill. Players run at different speeds when in pads, some go faster, some go slower.

Vertical leap is not very meaningful either. How high a player jumps is not the most important thing; it's the timing of his jump and how he adjusts to the ball in the air, and how he uses his body to shield defenders.

Bench press: meaningless. Players use leg strength when blocking and tackling a lot more than they use upper body strength.

Now the Senior Bowl, I think that can be meaningful. You can see players playing football. But I wouldn't put much stock in how coachable they are during the Senior Bowl, of course they'll put their best foot forward during that week to help them get more money.

In the end, watching the players play college games is the #1 way to evaluate them.