Diamondback Online - The University of Maryland's Independent Daily Student Newspaper

Media Credit: Yuchen Nie

[Editor's note: Former Terrapin linebacker Erin Henderson graduated last semester and is currently working his way toward the NFL Draft. During the 2007 season, Henderson led the ACC in tackles per game while gaining national recognition as one of the country's top linebackers. From now until the NFL Draft, Henderson will write journal entries about his experiences on the way to becoming a professional football player. This week's topic is the NFL Scouting Combine.]

I feel it is only appropriate to talk about my experience at the combine. It was a very interesting experience, to say the least. However, before I go there, I'd like to get everyone up to speed.

I left Jan. 3 to begin my training at Parisis Speed School in Fair Lawn, N.J. This is the same facility that Dominique Foxworth, D'Qwell Jackson and Josh Wilson went to prepare for the combine as well. While at Parisi, I worked out twice a day, six days a week, while keeping a strict diet.

My time training was well spent and had me feeling like I was ready to take on anything that might come my way. The only problem was that nothing you could ever do would completely prepare you for the ultimate job interview that is the combine. It was the most grueling and rigorous four days of my entire life. From the moment I stepped off the plane, I was on a script that I had to stick to - or else...

After we checked into our rooms, we were told to change into our combine sweater. The sweater had our position and camp number on it, which is what we were called for the duration of our stay. I was no longer Erin Henderson, but rather "LB15."

The first day was spent in the hospital doing blood and urine work as well as X-rays. I'm sure you all know that after the injury-plagued season I just had, they wanted to X-ray just about every part of my body. Needless to say, I spent a good chunk of the night in the hospital.

The second day was height, weight and physicals. If none of you out there have seen the combine on TV, for height and weight, you must walk across a stage in front of a room full of coaches in nothing but your underwear. Not the most comfortable thing in the world, but it's something that everybody there has to do.

Then there are the physicals, where all 32 teams poke and prod you in ways you never thought possible.

At the end of my exams, I got sent back to the hospital for an MRI of my knee and a CT scan on my back. I'm sure you all can figure out where I spent the rest of my night.

The third day was psychological testing and bench press. I felt like I was back in school for a second, as I went from room to room taking all kinds of different tests. Bench press was the first excitement for me, as we cheered each other on and competed to the best of our ability. I was able to do 225 pounds 23 times, which was about the average among linebackers.

The fourth day was our workout day, where we got a chance to display our hard work and skills. We ran 40-yard dashes, did broad and vertical jumps and went through cone and position drills with linebacker coaches from around the league.

When it was all said and done, I was mentally and physically drained, but overall I was satisfied with my performance. It is something that I am both proud and grateful to say I had a chance to experience, but I'm glad it is over and even more glad that I will never have to do it again.

sports@dbk.umd.edu

Article Tools