The general purpose of the NFL Scouting Combine is to:

• A. Sign players to contracts without testing their skills.
• B. Allow scouts the chance to trade players among teams.
• C. Assess talent by testing SAT scores.
• D. Assess talent by measuring 6 specific skills.

Answer: (D)

The main idea is that the NFL Scouting Combine is about quantifying a player’s athletic abilities through standardized tests so teams can compare prospects objectively. Six key drills cover the core athletic skills teams most want to evaluate: speed (the 40-yard dash), strength and power (bench press), explosive leg power (vertical jump and broad jump), and agility/change of direction (the 20-yard shuttle and the 3-cone drill). By measuring these specific skills, scouts generate objective data to rank and project a player’s potential, even when those players come from different levels of competition. While medical evaluations and interviews are also part of the process, the primary purpose reflected here is assessing talent by measuring these six skills.