From the Broncos’ suite at Lucas Oil Stadium, General Manager Brian Xanders sat down with DenverBroncos.com to discuss the 2012 NFL Combine last Sunday.
He touched on a variety of subjects, including the familiarity that he, Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway and Head Coach John Fox have with each other now.
Xanders called the group’s second combine together “pretty similar,” with the exception that this year there’s more stability in the coaching staff.
“Last year the coaches were all newly hired,” Xanders said. “Then we had quick evaluations for free agency for three weeks, then we left for the combine. This year we had more time.”
Even new Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio had nearly a month after being hired to evaluate last season’s games so he had a solid grasp on the Broncos before heading to the combine.
In addition, the front office had meetings in December to talk about prospects’ character, and the coaching staff got involved for February meetings. Xanders said those meetings, just before the combine, serve as a “base of knowledge” for the coaches.
“For example, our defensive line coach will get to see all the defensive linemen top to bottom quickly on tape, and we’ll read the character and the evaluation,” Xanders explained in early Feburary. “It gives them a first exposure before they go down to the NFL Scouting Combine.”
Xanders called that thorough preparation crucial.
“It’s one of those things where we feel really good about our plan, our structure and our system,” he said.
Once the club arrived in Indianapolis — 48 people deep, including personnel, coaches, trainers, doctors and other team staff — everyone was assigned individual tasks.
For the doctors and trainers, everything obviously revolved around medical checkups. The coaches paid careful attention to their position group’s on-field performance, and took part in interviews for their respective positions, as well. The personnel staff had different assignments during the day and during the evening.
“The biggest thing you want to do is get the feedback when we get back into our building,” Xanders said. “Who did well in the interviews? Who did not? Then the testing, obviously, I see it more like a bell curve. There are guys that do really well and are really fast, then most of them are in a tight group, then there are some outliers where the guys don’t run as fast.”
At Lucas Oil Stadium, the Broncos were assigned a suite overlooking the field — a home base for the personnel staff and coaches to watch workouts and discuss players.
During the 40-yard dash, typically one or two members of the personnel staff will watch the players from the stands with a stopwatch, recording the times before relaying them upstairs to the suite.
This year, the staff members entered each player’s time on an iPad, entering it into the team’s database.
That allowed anyone in the suite to simply refresh a screen on his laptop and immediately see the time.
And when those numbers showed up, Xanders said he was overall “very impressed.”
“These kids have run really fast and they’re very prepared,” he said. “There’s a lot of good kids in this draft in terms of just the people.”
While the combine is “just a piece of the puzzle,” players can certainly help themselves at the annual event.
“Absolutely,” Xanders said while watching workouts. “There are guys that will run a low 4.4 or 4.3 (40-yard dash) and you want to go back and dig deeper. Those are guys that help themselves here. It’s already happened — there are guys we’re going to go back and investigate.”
In the end, Xanders said, the combine is essentially “a confirmation of what you see on film.”
“Our draft board is really set off the football tape,” he said, “But it’s a piece of the puzzle.”
We’ll have more from the sit-down with Xanders in the coming weeks, including his thoughts on approaching the draft with the No. 25 overall selection as opposed to No. 2, which the team held last season, and a close look at the Broncos’ unique interview process.
-Gray Caldwell
Tags: 2012 NFL Draft, General Manager Brian Xanders, NFL Scouting Combine
Its the Toytle!
Sup Strandsky!
how’s your friday?
Ah i though it was later this week. Ok so monday. I think hell be signed during the weekend.
Brees does need to not ask for too much. His play is in the top five. The fact he was considered undersized at only 6 ft makes it even better. He needs to realize they need help to help him get more rings.
Turtle, we only got 2″ here in the Springs. Did you get hit or just a little spat?
Turtle your name reminds me of mater of disguise. “Am i not turtley enough for yout turtle club, Turtle turtle” Stupid movie but funny.
Great so far. I`m drinking my java, with some Rocka n-a Rolla!! LOL
We got 0 snow in Saratoga… We got about 4 inches at the Ranch about 30 miles out of town… but it sits literally at the base of 4 mountains so it gets alot more snow than town that sits down on the flat near the N. Platte River
i highly doubt the 2 CBs thing not unless all the DTs are gone and we dont address it at all in FA.
Champ will be around for about 3 more years … Chris Harris is fantastic and progressing. Syd has nickel value … vauhn can be a 4. We still got Wilhite (possibly). All we would need is to draft one more CB not 2 IMO … and if we get Carr … CB might not even NEED to be drafted but CAN be drafted in the 3rd round ala Josh Robinson … Just my opinion at least. I soo can’t wait.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d82755cba/article/rb-stock-report-wilson-looks-like-no-2-back-after-combine
Good evening everybody – Welcome to the 2012 NFL Draft, and the Colts are on the clock, Lets Get Started!!
http://tracking.si.com/2012/03/02/atlanta-falcons-franchise-tag-brent-grimes/?sct=nfl_t2_a4
No Grimey….
Excellent! Its getting close to Spring-Time! I`m looking forward to warmer weather.
I think if we want to get Robinson we will need to take him in round 2.
I personally havnt been a big fan of Grimes. I still like the idea of Carr.
TRB, I can live with that. Draft Doug Martin please!
Yes, Gilmore did have a very good combine workout….very agile for his height.
No prob strand! LOL!
So the tags are coming!
Grimes was a long shot … i seriously beleive our best bet in FA at CB is Carr … Finnegan is being lured in by Jeff Fisher in St louis.
If Lloyd wasn’t such a “Me” guy would love him back if he wanted to come back. Lets face it … drops were a problem last year and Lloyd drops nothing. Another veteran guy could be Reggie Wayne not unless he follows manning. We just need 1 vet with sure hands. That plus Thomas, Decker, Royal and Willis should be enough to weather the storm.
TRB
TRB Thats why i like Ward that guy catches anything and everything PLUS is a excellent blocker at WR
So Gilmore is 6’0″ 190 lbs, not bad. Royal what does * represent with your CB lineup? I`m lost this morning.
TRB… with any Luck, we won’t have to watch Matthew Willis this season… When he KO’d Royal on that punt return he should have been cut on the spot and made to take a Greyhound home…
Willis can’t return a movie to blockbuster and he only catches passes against soft zone prevent defenses…
Abra Cadabra… ‘Willis Be Gone’ …
1. Fletcher Cox DT
2. Doug Martin RB
3. Robinson, Hosley, or Gilmore CB
LMAO Agreed Turtle. We could bring in another WR in FA and/or Draft. Ive never been a big fan of Willis and that sealed his fate for me in my book.
I dont think Gilmore will fall to the third same with Robinson. Martin may fall to 57 with Wilson still ahead of him.
Strand, If i were to guess … the * stands for underclassmen
Willis also got in the way of a Willis McGahee run that coulda gone the distance … but he caught it when it was thrown to him. I can appreciate that. Besides can’t cut him till our options are better. Especially with no Royal being a possibility.
No way Gilmore falls to the 3rd … some even speak of him as a late first rounder … but he will prolly be an early 2nd rounder like Ras-I-Dowling last year. He got the size, tackling ability and ball skills.
TRB
* – denotes 2013 prospect.
That’s right TRB – Thx!
We could get better options via FA or a guy later in the draft. Willis may have caught the ball. BUT he made a lot of mistakes. Getting in the way of McGahee and Knocking out Royal.
So its said that of the first two QBs taken in the draft only one succeeds. Assuming its Griffin and Luck. Which one has a better skills for the chance to succeed?
Thanks guys.
So is Matthew Willis a FA or RFA?
I believe Willis is a UFA.
So if Greatness is saying 2 CB’s in first three rounds, that means no RB until later maybe… can’t wait for F/A to start.
im pretty sure matthew is neither … we would have to cut him if we didnt want him … willis is on contract I beleive.
TRB
a RFA i believe.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1080697-denver-broncos-free-agency-tracking-2012-signings-targets-and-rumors/page/5
Matt Willis is a RFA according to this.
I was wrong..thx alaskan.
No prob. I thought he was neither so i had to look it up. lol
oh willis is a FA?!?!? … interesting … he may not be back either.
TRB
So Alaska was right, thanks.
Yea a RFA. People doubt he will gain much interest in the league. Hes a poor route runner.
So if a team signs him we get a draft pick out of it. I wonder what round, a later round no doubt.
Welcome. I wouldnt mind NOT seeing him back in Denver. Royal should be resigned. I hope he is. Then bring in Ward.
It all depends on what we sign him for 1.26 mil and under is whatever round he was drafted in. But he was a UDFA. Would we get a 7th round for him?
So St. Lious is saying that theres a good possibility that a trade for their #2 pick overall can happen well before draft day. That`ll stir the boards up. HaHa!!
LeRon McClain would be a nice pickup at FB. He can block run and is a good pass catcher. Hes a monster blocking and in short yard runs.
Either the teams 7th round pick, whoever signs him, or a compensatory pick there-after.
If we got McClain that would be an excellent pick. He`s a bruiser. But if we do get Hillis back, I`d rather get him.
Possibly Strand. Im not sure.
We should start seeing some of our own signings here pretty soon. Some players will want to test the market first.
I prefer McClain. The guy is just down right bruiser. He is one hell of a lead blocker. Can run over anyone. I like Hillis too. The guy has got good speed for his size. and pretty solid hands.