TFB Short | Orlando Brown
 A lot has been said and written about Orlando Brown’s performance in the combine.

-14 Reps on the 225 Bench Rep Test

-5.85 Seconds in the 40

-19.5 Inch Vertical Leap

Naturally, this raised some eyebrows from fans, NFL pundits and internet tough guys everywhere.  As to be expected, the NFL, and everyone else makes a bigger deal about what many call the “underwear Olympics” than they do about the film.  While I was admittedly disappointed in Big O’s performance at the combine, I didn’t really freak out about it, and honestly I don’t think it’s too much cause for concern.  Before I delve deeper into my reasoning, let’s look at this guy’s resume.

-3 year starter at Oklahoma

-TOOK the starting spot as a Redshirt Freshman due to his work ethic

-Honorable Mention All-Big XII 2015

-Freshman All-American 2015

-1st Team All-Big XII 2016

-Big XII Offensive Lineman of the Year 2016

-1st Team All-Big XII 2017

-Big XII Offensive Lineman of the Year 2017

-Unanimous 1st Team All-American 2017

-Outland Trophy Finalist

The bottom line is that the guy can play.  He was dominant last year and this year. He anchored an offensive line that was at or near the top of College Football for the past two years.  I don’t think that he woke up all of a sudden one morning after the Rose Bowl was over and all of a sudden forgot how to play. He was absolutely dominant in that Rose Bowl and helped Oklahoma completely gash a much ballyhooed Georgia defense as well.

What I’m getting at is that while the combine is important, and the tests have a purpose, I think that too much stock and value can be placed in how a player performs during a few days.  I think that the thing that gets undervalued year after year is how well a player performed on tape.

When it comes to Orlando, the thing that’s the most telling to me is that in just two weeks time he went from 14 reps to 18.  He lowered his 40 time from a 5.85 to 5.63, and finally he increased his vertical from 19.5 inches to 25.5. For whatever reason he was more focused on the tests this time, than he was at the combine.  It tells me a couple of things.

  1.  When he puts his mind to something he can get it done.
  2.  He’s worked his butt off in the last two weeks improving.

To me that’s very important.  The tests at the combine are indicators of athleticism and preparation.  Just like the ACT or an SAT, if you really prepare to take those tests you can do really well at them.  You may not be the best student, but you can work on a test. Same thing here.

When I played, every year there would be guys who had monster off-seasons.  The coaches would get enamored with these guys who could jump out of the gym, lift the whole weight room and just test out of their minds.  Then when spring ball started it was the same old same. The guy may have gotten stronger, but he still couldn’t play dead in a cowboy movie.

Here’s what I think is going to happen.  Orlando is going to get picked by someone in the latter part of the 1st round.  Someone who trusts the tape and sees what kind of player he is. The perennial cellar dwellers who put too much stock in the combine will pass on him, and they’ll end up regretting it and being unemployed.  Orlando Brown is one hell of a ballplayer who didn’t prepare well for the combine. He’ll have to answer for that, but at the end of the day the guy is a grade a Elite talent who takes a lot of pride in his family’s name and his on field performance.