At The NFL Combine

By Jamie Silva

I just finished an intense 4 days at the NFL Combine.

If you saw the Combine coverage on the NFL Network, I’m told it barely scratched the surface of the things we had to do while in Indianapolis.

For example, the wakeup call each morning ranged from as early as 4:45 a.m. to as late as 6:15 a.m. I got to sleep most nights at midnight. Each day we were kept very busy.

Our time was consumed by medical and psychological tests, daily workouts and meetings with teams interested in drafting you and NFL player personnel officials. During the medical test most players were ordered to take an MRI. It was all based on your past medical and injury history or suspicions of injuries. They pulled and tugged on me a lot. I ended up on the MRI table for 3 hours.

The meetings with the teams sometimes stretched into the evening. Each team was allotted 15 minutes to speak with each player. The team meetings weren’t only a get to know you session, they also tested your football knowledge. The coaches and scouts would ask you to diagram a play or ask about particular coverage.

I met with at least 20 different teams.

I would have to say that the NFL Combine wasn’t an enjoyable experience. We got plenty of free “Stuff”, but there was no free time and very little time for sleep. 

The final day of the Combine was devoted to the high profile on-field tests. Each position group was graded on 10 different drills. I think I did my best on the field events where they threw the football in my direction. Running the 40 yard dash is not my thing. Leading up to the Combine, I ran a 4.6, but in Indianapolis of the hundred or so clocks I heard two of the results….One had me at 4.8 the other at 4.75

It was cool to be here. After all this is the place every college player wants to be. It means you are in the elite group and it was an honor to be invited.  But make no mistake this was not a pleasure trip. This was hardcore business. A trip I hope will reap dividends for me down the road.

I am headed back to Orlando where I did my pre-combine workouts. I’m going to pack up my stuff and head to Pennsylvania to workout with Matt Sherry. That name may sound familiar. Matt is a football player who graduated from Hendricken. He is currently at Villanova. He wasn’t invited to the Combine, but a lot of scouts were asking me about him.  I think if he went to a school with a higher football profile, he would have been at the Combine.

My workouts with Matt will be in preparation for Pro Day, March 18th at Boston College. It’s another audition for the NFL scouts.

Finally, my sincerest thanks to all of you who have submitted comments to my blog.

Your messages and good wishes are very much appreciated.

Please keep the comments and questions coming. In the coming weeks, I hope to answer those questions when I update you again on my progress.

Congratulations on being invited to the combine. I am good friends with your father, and you and my son David took a picture together after the Super Bowl while you were at East Providence. My son played center at LaSalle when they defeated you in the Super Bowl 26 to 16. He played with Lorenzo Perry, Eddy Piccola, and Liam Coen, and their team went undefeated that season. We both have beeb following your career,and also want to congratulate you on being named MVP of your last college bowl game. I keep telling my son David that some day the picture of you and him will be valuable as soon as you get drafted. It will be worth more when we get you to sign it. Best of luck Jamie, please tell your Dad, John Braz said hello. He is a good man

Jamie,

Congrats on a wonderful season and top honors this season . Well deserved to a great and caring person like yourself. You have made us all very proud of u of the way u carry yourself on and off the field, your a class act just like ur brother Steve . You have been a great player and person since ur days in Pop Warner THE RAIDERS DAYS and thru out ur jr. high days and dont forget the Townies. I just thought i would take a moment to Thank You for the enjoyment u have giving all of us here in Riverside and the East Providence area and now on to bigger and better things God Bless You and thanks again good luck in ur future

Best Wishes,
Coach Scott Winter
give me a call

Just another townie from East Providence, who knows your family and wishes you the very best.  It is such a pleasure to watch you play, you really make us townies proud.  May all good things happen for you, its obvious you work hard and deserve all that comes your way.

Hey Bud, My family and I were lucky enough to meet you last year at the spring game you signed a football and took pics with me. Now I know we discussed you throwing the ball to me in section Z when you scored on an INT for TD and son of a gun here he comes running right to me in the Bowling Green game but gosh darn it no ball :( ... LOL ! Just before the game ended I made my way over behind the bench and congradulated you on another great game and knew you’ld be the ACC defensive player of the week and you were! YA! It was a pleasure watching you play at B.C. can’t wait to see you in the NFL! Good Luck Buddy we’ll never forget you at B.C.