NFL Draft Watch: Combine To Remain In Indy + Latest All-Star Game Invites
All Access Football counts you down to the 2025 NFL Draft with the latest buzz involving the combine, plus Carson Beck under the microscope and updated all-star game invites.
Volume XXIV Edition LXIX | NFL Draft Watch: Combine To Remain In Indy
Welcome to the November 15, 2024 edition of the All Access Football Report, Presented by Sports Management Worldwide.
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COMBINE TO REMAIN IN INDY, EVERYONE WINS
It was announced on Thursday that the NFL Scouting Combine will remain in Indianapolis for at least two more years, which is a big ‘W’ for all stakeholders involved. Anyone who has ever attended the combine from a business perspective knows that the combine should NEVER leave Indy.
The compact downtown city design, building architecture that enables you to connect to every building using skywalks, top-notch medical facilities, easy access to Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indiana Convention Center, plus familiarity with the lay of the and, having been the host for the past 40 years, are all obvious reasons why the combine should stay.
However, the league continues to explore how to monetize the event. The most logical move from an owner’s perspective would be to sell off the rights to host cities and move the event around from year-to-year, much like they have facilitated with the NFL Draft. One hinderance could be the NFL’s failure to convert the combine into a fan-friendly event.
Few tourists from outside the local neighborhood seem interested in showing up for the weeklong activities. Other than being able to view the bench press drill in person and a very lame fan experience, there is not much to do or see, expect maybe wait and linger for a possible autograph.
(Photo: One never knows who they might run into at St. Elmo Steak House)
In recent years, the NFL has opened up select seating to a limited amount of fans but gauging how much to charge a ticket for such an event is unprecedented and would likely need more testing, tweaking and/or surveying. Hence, why the NFL is likely giving themselves at least two more years to gather market research for such scenarios.
Hopefully (selfishly and for the people), the league and city of Indianapolis can figure out a way to make the NFL Scouting Combine remain in the city for the next forty years!
In the meantime, cheers to the NFL for making a smart (short-term) decision. Besides, how else are we going to clear up our sinuses in the winter without an annual visit to St. Elmo’s?
OPPORTUNITY BECK-ENS IN KEY SEC MATCHUP
This week’s marque matchup between Tennessee at Georgia brings NFL Draft ramifications for Bulldogs signal-caller Carson Beck. Once considered a candidate to be the number one overall pick for the 2025 NFL Draft, the possibility remains that Beck could now return to Athens for his final year of eligibility.
Due to several poor game performances and his propensity for turnovers, Beck has fallen from his top status and may have stumbled out of first round contention altogether in the eyes of some observers. His most recent three game span, which includes a win over Texas (zero touchdowns, three interceptions), win over Florida (two touchdowns, three interceptions) and a loss against Ole Miss (zero touchdowns, one interception), has been one of the worst stretches of his career.
While his completion percentage has dipped and his interception total has doubled, there’s still optimism that Beck projects as a future NFL franchise quarterback. The Jacksonville native possesses prototype height, boasts plenty of big game experience and can make all the throws. However, a loss to the Volunteers and those big games come to an end. A three-loss Georgia squad would be on the outside looking in of the College Football Playoffs and the two remaining games against Massachusetts and Georgia Tech would appear to moot at that point.
Would Beck even participate in a non-playoff bowl game?
These are questions that won’t be answered until the next challenge is met. A strong performance against Tennessee would not only boost the confidence of evaluators but also provide Beck with some much needed momentum to seek out his first national championship as a starter (he won back-to-back championships as the backup to Stetson Bennett).
Slaying the Volunteers and their fifth ranked defense is Beck’s opportunity to start stacking victories on his way to proving that he too is a championship-claiber quarterback who is worthy enough to stake his claim as QB1 for the 2025 NFL Draft.
2025 REESE’S SENIOR BOWL ACCEPTANCES
The first wave of Reese’s Senior Bowl invitations have been sent out and the player acceptances have produced some fine moments on social media. We recommend that you give the Senior Bowl account a follow. We’ll be updating the list every Friday until the event kicks off in Mobile, Alabama on January 27th (Game Day = February 1st). Be sure to meet us at Veets! There have been 18 confirmed acceptances thus far.
POS | PLAYER | SCHOOL | YEAR | HEIGHT | WEIGHT | FORTY | (photo: Utah State)
RB RJ Harvey, UCF, rSr, 5082, 201, 4.48
WR Jalen Royals, Utah State, Sr, 5114, 193, 4.45
WR Tez Johnson, Oregon, Sr, 5100, 160, 4.38
WR Jaylin Noel, Iowa State, Sr, 5096, 196, 4.46
TE Jackson Hawes, Georgia Tech, rSr, 6042, 260, 4.70
OT Charles Grant, William & Mary, Sr, 6035, 280, 4.85
OT Chase Lundt, Connecticut, rSr, 6070, 285, 5.10
OT Grey Zabel, North Dakota State, Sr, 6054, 304, 5.00
C Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State, Sr, 6035, 305, 5.35
DT Cam Jackson, Florida, rSr, 6060, 340, 5.35
ER Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M, Jr, 6050, 290
LB Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State, Sr, 6020, 235, 4.64
CB Tommi Hill, Nebraska, Sr, 6002, 204, 4.46
CB BJ Adams, UCF, Sr, 6021, 190, 4.50
CB Upton Stout, Western Kentucky, Sr, 5081, 190, 4.50
PK Ryan Fitzgerald, Florida State, rSr, 6002, 190, 4.90
PT James Burnip, Alabama, rSr, 6051, 236, 4.85
PT Jeremy Crawshaw, Florida, rSr, 6035, 205, 4.75
2025 EAST-WEST SHRINE BOWL ACCEPTANCES
The 100th Annual East-West Shrine Bowl also has begun to announce official player acceptances, which can be found on the Shrine Bowl account. We will continue to track the announcements leading up to the event scheduled to start on January 25th in Dallas, Texas (Game Day = January 30th). There have been a total of seven player confirmations announced.
POS | PLAYER | SCHOOL | YEAR | HEIGHT | WEIGHT | FORTY | (photo: EWS Bowl)
QB Tyler Shough, Louisville, rSr, 6046, 231, 4.78
TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt, rJr, 6035, 234, 4.59
ER Bradyn Swinson, LSU, rSr, 6032, 250, 4.76
ER Sai’vion Jones, LSU, Sr, 6051, 280, 4.82
LB Greg Penn III, LSU, Sr, 6010, 235, 4.58
LB Aaron Smith, South Carolina State, LB, 6010, 218, 4.70
CB Zy Alexander, LSU, Sr, 6010, 188, 4.47
ON LOCATION: AAF AT THE GREY CUP — VANCOUVER
All Access Football goes behind the scenes for the 111th Grey Cup in Vancouver this weekend. Be sure to follow us on X. Enjoy REAL football talk? Tune-in for The Markcast Pre Game Show, featuring various CFL special guests, including Ric Serritella, Rod Pederson, Bryan Scott and many more!
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