Diehard NFL fans know that it is never too early to start tracking college players prior to the draft, it really starts the day after each year’s draft and then slowly at first and then with rising urgency becomes a very important factor in fans’ lives as they hope their team fills the gaping hole that hindered its advance last season.
Well the NFL.com and NFL Network are a great source of information and their annual coverage of the scouting combines will start on Feb. 23 at 9:00 am ET with the start of the combined drills. The two will have a total of 24 analysts and commentators anchored by Rich Eisen.
While most fans are probably pretty used to catching a good deal of the combine via television coverage there is a good deal of information that is available online only or via social media, from fan participation polls to an extensive database of prospects.
Here are a few of the programs: Cover it Live: this includes polls, the ability to interact with other fans and see player interviews and video highlights and also provides leads to interesting Twitter pages. The NFL Fan Pass: this provides unique interviews, photos and videos with prospects via the NFL.Com and NFL insider position as the official NFL digital media provider.
The NFL.com’s Combine Tracker gives statistics and results from the drills and skill tests while the Prospects’ Database includes the scouting reports and statistics as well as profiles for every participant of the combine.
The NFL Network will be using 17 cameras at the event and have a range of technologies designed to enhance the viewing experience including its NFLN-Focus Camera Technology that allows a moving target to not only stay in frames longer but also in greater detail. The Simulcam Camera Technology allows the comparison of different athletes’ styles when participating in the same drill such as the 40-yard dash.
Something that might be of key interest to fans is the “Draft Journey” program that will follow four prospects as they prepare for an NFL career. They four are Matt Barkley from USC, Geno Smith from West Virginia, Marcus Lattimore from South Carolina and LSU’s Barkevious Mingo. The profiles and behind the scene coverage will continue on these four until the NFL draft in April.
The network will start with pre-combine coverage on Feb. 21 with Path to the Draft:2013 NFL Scouting Combine Press Conferences. All of this will take place at Lucas Oil Field.
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