The combine gives talented but not always superstar athletes the chance to prove they can compete at the next level. For some draft participants, the combine serves as a gentle wake-up call.
The number of underclassmen declaring for the NFL Draft has gotten out of hand recently. Last year, a record 98 underclassmen declared and 36 of those were not drafted at all.
Declaring early with a lower round projection seems wasteful. Several of the 62 underclassmen who were drafted last year would have benefited from returning to school.
The NFL needs to make sure players know when the opportunity is available and when it is another year away. A wake-up call the week of the combine is simply too little, too late.
