ISFL Scouting Combine
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The NSFL Scouting Combine is a week-long showcase occurring every February, college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Simulation Football League coaches, general managers, and scouts. With increasing interest in the NSFL Draft, the scouting combine has grown in scope and significance, allowing personnel directors to evaluate upcoming prospects in a standardized setting. Athletes attend by invitation only. Implications of an athlete's performance during the combine can affect their draft status and salary, and ultimately their career.
Contents
History
Prior to the inaugural NSFL season, in 2016, teams largely had to schedule individual visits with players to run them through drills and tests, or rely on the prospect showcase games that took place long before many draftees had formally submitted their eligibility declarations. As a result, the initial NSFL Scouting Combine was a somewhat rushed affair, marred by reports of erroneous timings for the 40 yard dash, and unreliable data. The combine organisers would later manage to publish accurate results from the combine events, however it was too late for this to affect draft day decisions.
For season two of the NSFL, the scouting combine was prepared. This time, their measurement systems were fully tested, and every draftee in the class of 2017 was invited. However, technical issues prevented the data from being published ahead of the draft yet again. It was not until season four that all systems were fully prepped and structured in such a way that the data was readily available to scouts prior to the draft.
Tests and evaluations
Tests/evaluations include:
- 40-yard dash
- Bench press (225 lb repetitions)
- Vertical jump
- Broad jump
- 20-yard shuttle
- 3 cone drill
- 60-yard shuttle
- Position-specific drills
- Interviews – each team is allowed 60 interviews in 15-minute intervals
- Physical measurements
- The Wonderlic test
Sports writers have questioned whether these tests have any relationship with future NSFL performance, but there is some evidence to suggest that high performance at the combine often does represent a strong indicator of good performance at NSFL level for certain positions. Unmeasurables also factor in, of course, such as longevity – a particular concern of NSFL GMs – and potential for improvement, which are often assessed by each team's front office via interview more than any measurable statistic provided by the combine.
Event records
40-yard dash
At the NSFL combine, the 40 yard dash is used as a test of pure speed, in which athletes start from a stationary position and run as fast as they can for 40 yards. In the history of the NSFL, the 40 yard leaderboards have been dominated by safeties (4) and running backs (3) , with only 2 other positions cracking the top 10 (wide receivers & cornerback). Most of the highest scores have came from the first season with just two runners from a later draft (S15).
The 40 yard dash record is currently held by Boss Tweed.
| Rank | Year | Name | Position | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016 (S1) | Boss Tweed | RB | 4.23 | NSFL Hall of Famer/Later moved to Linebacker |
| 2 | 2016 (S1) | Stormblessed | WR | 4.25 | |
| 2 | 2030 (S15) | Emondov Emoji | CB | 4.25 | |
| 4 | 2016 (S1) | Reg Mackworthy | RB | 4.27 | NSFL Hall of Famer |
| 4 | 2030 (S15) | Richard D'Attoria V | S | 4.27 | |
| 4 | 2016 (S1) | Omar Wright | RB | 4.27 | |
| 4 | 2016 (S1) | Lincoln Jefferson | S | 4.27 | |
| 8 | 2016 (S1) | Josh Garden | WR | 4.28 | NSFL Hall of Famer |
| 8 | 2016 (S1) | Dominic Verns | S | 4.28 | |
| 8 | 2016 (S1) | Ryan Flock | S | 4.28 |
Note that the time of 4.28 has been equalled several times since, but these athletes are not included in the above table.
Bench press
At the NSFL combine, bench press is used as a test of strength and stamina, in which athletes lift 225 pounds (102 kg) as many times as possible. In the history of the NSFL, very few players who did not play along the offensive line have managed to achieve more than 40 "reps" (repetitions), with almost all of those happening in the first two years of the league's existence. This had led to some speculation over how "clean" the results were, in terms of measurement and possible use of performance enhancing drugs.
The bench press record is currently shared by offensive linemen Tim Pest, Antonio Sandoval, Brave Ulysses and defensive tackle Dan Miller. With the validity of Pest's numbers disputed – the player was permanently banned from NSFL after serious violations of league policy were uncovered prior to the 2020 ISFL season many consider it a 3 way tie.
| Rank | Year | Name | Position | Reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016 (S1) | Dan Miller | DT | 47 | NSFL Hall of Famer |
| 1 | 2030 (S15) | Brave Ulysses | OL | 47 | |
| 1 | 2017 (S2) | Tim Pest | OL | 47 | Later given a lifetime ban from NSFL for policy violations[1] |
| 1 | 2018 (S3) | Antonio Sandoval | OL | 47 | Later moved to Defensive Line |
| 5 | 2016 (S1) | Angus Winchester | OL | 46 | NSFL Hall of Famer/Later moved to Linebacker |
| 5 | 2018 (S3) | Ricardo Sandoval | DT | 46 | |
| 5 | 2016 (S1) | Jogn Floggity | OL | 46 | |
| 8 | 2016 (S1) | Jayce Tuck | DE | 45 | Later suspended for one season for policy violations[2] |
| 8 | 2016 (S1) | Leroy Jenkins | RB | 45 | |
| 8 | 2016 (S1) | Mat Akselsen | OL | 45 | Later moved to Quarterback |
Vertical jump
The vertical jump is all about lower-body explosion and power. The athlete stands flat-footed and they measure his reach. It is important to accurately measure the reach, because the differential between the reach and the flag the athlete touches is his vertical jump measurement.
The current vertical jump record holder is Ian Bavitz.
| Rank | Year | Name | Position | Height | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016 (S1) | Ian Bavitz | LB | 39.1 | NSFL Hall of Famer |
| 2 | 2016 (S1) | Jayce Tuck | DL | 38.1 | Later suspended for one season for policy violations[3] |
| 3 | 2016 (S1) | Hariff Ernston | LB | 38 | NSFL Hall of Famer |
| 4 | 2016 (S1) | Reg Mackworthy | RB | 37.8 | NSFL Hall of Famer |
| 5 | 2016 (S1) | Clee Hardrool | S | 37.5 | |
| 6 | 2016 (S1) | Jaylon Lee | LB | 37.2 | NSFL Hall of Famer |
| 7 | 2016 (S1) | Jonathan Saint | LB | 37.1 | NSFL Hall of Famer |
| 8 | 2016 (S1) | Boss Tweed | RB | 36.9 | NSFL Hall of Famer/Later moved to Linebacker |
| 9 | 2016 (S1) | Stephen Harrison | LB | 36.8 | |
| 10 | 2016 (S1) | Dental Dam | DL | 35.8 |
Broad jump
The broad jump is is testing an athlete's lower-body explosion and lower-body strength. The athlete starts out with a stance balanced and then he explodes out as far as he can. It tests explosion and balance, because he has to land without moving. This list consists of 9 members from the S1 draft class and just a single member from the S15 class.
The current broad jump record holder is Clee Hardrool.
| Rank | Year | Name | Position | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016 (S1) | Clee Hardrool | S | 137.9 | |
| 2 | 2016 (S1) | Hariff Ernston | LB | 137.3 | NSFL Hall of Famer |
| 3 | 2016 (S1) | Josh Garden | WR | 137.2 | NSFL Hall of Famer |
| 4 | 2016 (S1) | Lincoln Jefferson | S | 136.1 | |
| 5 | 2016 (S1) | Ian Bavitz | LB | 135.7 | NSFL Hall of Famer |
| 6 | 2016 (S1) | Reg Mackworthy | RB | 135.1 | NSFL Hall of Famer |
| 7 | 2016 (S1) | Boss Tweed | RB | 134.8 | NSFL Hall of Famer/Later moved to Linebacker |
| 8 | 2016 (S1) | Alex Hayden | CB | 134.6 | |
| 9 | 2016 (S1) | Dominic Verns | S | 134.5 | |
| 10 | 2030 (S15) | Richard D'Attoria V | S | 134.5 |
20-yard shuttle
The 20 yard shuttle is the first of the cone drills. It is known as the 5-10-5. What it tests is the athlete's lateral quickness and explosion in short areas. The athlete starts in the three-point stance, explodes out 5 yards to his right, touches the line, goes back 10 yards to his left, left hand touches the line, pivot, and he turns 5 more yards and finishes.
The 20 yard shuttle record is currently held by Boss Tweed.
| Rank | Year | Name | Position | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016 (S1) | Josh Garden | WR | 3.9 | NSFL Hall of Famer |
| 2 | 2016 (S1) | Reg Mackworthy | RB | 3.91 | NSFL Hall of Famer |
| 3 | 2016 (S1) | Stormblessed | WR | 3.92 | |
| 3 | 2016 (S1) | Boss Tweed | RB | 3.92 | NSFL Hall of Famer/Later moved to Linebacker |
| 5 | 2026 (S11) | Antonio Summer | RB | 3.95 | Later given a lifetime ban from NSFL for policy violations[4] |
| 6 | 2016 (S1) | Omar Wright | RB | 3.96 | |
| 6 | 2016 (S1) | Kendrick Hendrix | WR | 3.96 | |
| 6 | 2027 (S12) | Aksel Danielsson | RB | 3.96 | |
| 9 | 2018 (S3) | Trey Willie | WR | 3.97 | |
| 10 | 2016 (S1) | Robert Phelps | S | 3.98 |
