So, I know it’s been a minute Buccaneers fans, but I have been very busy. This weekend I was forced to work outside for a baseball game for five hours while freezing rain came down. Needless to say, I hate baseball. However, I’m back baby.

There are plenty of players that will absolutely shoot up the draft boards if they manage to have a good performance. Of course, that could be a bad thing (most recently, it led the Jags to draft Travon Walker over Aiden Hutchinson). While the Combine should not be the only thing used to evaluate a player, it is important in the process.

The Combine is all about showing that you have the physical tools necessary to be an NFL player. That’s why they have tests like the 40 dash or the bench press. So, that is important for players whose main criticism is a lack of athleticism. One such guy is Zach Frazier. Now Frazier is a center from West Virginia that has been mocked by a few people in the second round to the Bucs. However, despite him having the build for being a good IOL, several have pointed out his lack of athleticism.

NFLDraftBuzz had this to say, “Lacks elite athleticism and quickness, which could limit effectiveness in schemes requiring extensive lateral movement or space work.” and Bleacher Report wrote something similar, “Average-level athletic ability and agility.” Good news Zach, you’ll be heading to the Combine to show off your physical skills. In particular, you should look at him doing the short shuttle and 3 cone drills as those show a players’ lateral quickness. While the 40 could show his speed, I don’t foresee Frazier having to do that on the field.

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Another guy who the Bucs community has mocked in the later rounds and could benefit from more athletic showcasing is Edgerrin Cooper. Cooper has actually been praised as a fast defender who is also twitchy. His problem is frame and lack of strength.

Now, he obviously can’t fix his frame, but he can prove to NFL teams that his slight frame won’t be an issue. We have proof of that on our team. One of the knocks against Lavonte David coming out was that he was undersized and because of that, many said he would have a hard time shedding blocks. Safe to say that he proved them wrong. While the Combine has more of a focus on speed, there are tests like the bench press which can show Cooper’s strength.

There will be a lot of guys at the Combine, despite my joke. I’m sure that the Buccaneers will be looking at many of them while in Indy (while also working on a deal with Mike Evans). While game tape is more important for evaluating a player, the Combine does help showcase a player’s physical skills and also when they interview.