My 5 favorite moments as an NFL and college football player - SB Nation

It’s officially NFL Combine workout season, which means your favorite players either confirmed what scouts thought about them or ran slower and lost money. I covered the process of combine training and how it’s changed over the years. Before you read the mailbag, that piece is worth the eyes.

We’ll talk a little about the combine in this week’s mailbag, but first, I’m going to answer a question from my own career.

Do you have a question you’d like Geoff to answer next time? Hit him up on on Twitter or Instagram.

What was your all-time favorite moment playing football? — @itsmeyames

I’m not sure I have a definitive all-time favorite moment, but I have plenty that would qualify:

1. My first snow game

I grew up in Los Angeles watching all the November and December football games being played in the snow and dreamed about having that opportunity one day. It finally happened in 2013. We (the Chiefs) traveled to DC to play Washington. The field was covered in snow for the first half. We dominated them and won by four touchdowns. The second half was mostly sleet, which was miserable. But the combination of snow + the blowout win was amazing.

2. My first start

It came in Week 15 of the 2009 season on Sunday Night Football. We (the Panthers) were 5-8 and playing against a Vikings team with Brett Favre that was destined for the NFC Championship Game. The Vikings had an awesome defensive line with Jared Allen, the “Williams Wall” of both Kevin and Pat, and Ray Edwards.

It was a tough spot for me to get my first start. The coaches altered the gameplan a bit to give me more help and move the pocket some. I played well, we won, and it was a blast.

There are a couple things I remember most about that game. First, how tired I was. I was exhausted by the middle of the second quarter. All the emotions of starting for the first time can be overwhelming for anyone. Secondly, late in the game, we called a run play and I ended up on the ground face-to-face with our center, Ryan Kalil. We just hysterically laughed under the pile at each other. Such a cool memory.

3. The Odell catch game

It was my first start for the Giants in 2014, and we all know about the catch. But what I remember most was the buzz in the stadium. I’d never experienced anything like that electricity. Everyone in the stadium knew it was a special play, but I doubt we thought it would be life-changing for Odell Beckham, Jr.

4 and 5. Two loud moments in college

I’ve never experienced a louder stadium than Autzen in Eugene. It’s painfully loud at times, and two times from my Oregon career stand out.

We intercepted Mark Sanchez to beat USC in 2007. It was the end of USC’s reign and the beginning of Oregon’s run through the conference. It was a monumental moment in program history, and the noise in the stadium reflected that.

The previous year, we won after blocking Oklahoma’s game-winning field-goal attempt. I’ll never forget the noise that erupted from the stadium as I ran onto the field to celebrate.

Who’s your favorite player in the 2020 NFL Combine and why? — @EndweII

I’m not a draftnik. I do not spend all season watching college film to prepare for the draft. That’s a full-time job, and I have other gigs. I watch film for the Joe Moore Award, but for the most part, I’m watching Pac-12 film.

So instead of listing my favorite players, I’ll explain the purpose of the combine workouts, which get all the attention. Combine workouts let scouts double check what their eyes see on the film. Scouts and front office personnel have already watched every snap of these players. They have a good sense of how prospects will test. When a fast player runs fast, like Henry Ruggs III from Alabama, it confirms what the film shows.

If a player who looks “slower” on film runs fast, then scouts must return to the film to find out why that doesn’t show on film. Does that player have poor footwork? Is it more top-end speed and not a burst? The inverse is also true. If a player who appears fast on film runs slower at the combine, you need to rewatch the film to find out why that is. That is what the combine is for.

I always hear about how Prospect X is going to just throw on 20 pounds of good weight in the pros. Is this common? I feel like most guys I see are about the same size as they were in college. — @JDB_219

This is far more common in college, where players routinely enter a college strength program underdeveloped. Their bodies can undergo a rapid change, whether it’s up or down. When you get older, it’s tougher on the body to make these changes. Plus, you’re in a different type of strength program, one more about maintaining than heavy lifting in the NFL.

Of course there are players who need to gain a few or more commonly lose a few, but you don’t often see big weight swings unless players are switching positions.

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My 5 favorite moments as an NFL and college football player - SB Nation
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