The NFL Scouting Combine is the ultimate job interview for more than 300 of the top college players. It's an opportunity to prove yourself in front of every NFL head coach, assistant coach, general manager, scout and just about everyone else involved in NFL football operations who descend upon Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
For Steelers' linebacker Jordan Zumwalt, the combine was an opportunity to show what he was capable of, how he could handle the pressure, and gave teams a chance to really get to know him.
Zumwalt shared some of his memories about the combine.
**
How would you describe the combine?**
"It's organized chaos. It's the biggest job interview. The whole time you are being conscientious of the things you say and do, how you look and act. It's three days of it. It's not like you come in and sit down for 10 minutes, do your interview and think I killed it. It's three days of how can I make myself better."
What was the interview process like for you?
"It's surreal. When that moment came for me, growing up as a football player you watched the combine, you knew that was how you were going to make it. It was surreal meeting the coaches you see on television and you are getting to know and they are asking about you. These are prestigious men who want to know about me. It makes you feel special. Meeting all of the coaches was the best part. They made it special. They are prestigious people and they asked about me."
You get asked a lot of crazy questions at the combine. What was the craziest one you were asked?
"We did a brain test and the Cleveland Browns came in and said you have one minute, give me all of the uses for a brick. Go. I was like, what. I am rattling off door stop, car stop, or paper weight, ground it up and make sand. Anything I could think of."
Do you compare yourself to others at your position as you are working out?"Yes and no. You look a guy and think I know I am better than him, or he ran faster than me. For me I was more in the zone of what I have to do and how well I do it and didn't really think about anybody else. I know people were talking about how they did and comparing."
**
A look back at the Steelers rookies this time last year at the NFL Scouting Combine.
What was the biggest surprise at the combine?**"There is no sleep. That was the worst part. I thought they would make sure we got a lot of sleep because of the performance aspect of it. But you are moving around so much it's nonstop. They want to know every little bit about you so you are nonstop moving and doing things.
"What everybody tells you is when you are there, and you don't think it, but you are being watched, you are being watched every minute. You always have to act respectful and use your manners. You are there doing things early in the morning, you aren't happy, it takes a long time but you have to remain calm and do what you have to do. Looking back it was a really cool experience, once in a lifetime. But getting into the football part was exciting. That is what we do."
