Four members of the 2016 Stanford football team were invited to Indianapolis to participate in the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine. We caught up with them about their experiences both on and off camera.
What was the most surprising question asked of you during an interview?
"How far could you kick this pencil through the uprights?" – Conrad Ukropina
"One team gave me four words at the beginning, and then after all of their questions at the end they asked me what the four words were." – Solomon Thomas
"What is your best blocking game?" – Michael Rector
"It's a lot of mind games. Right when you walk in, they'll show you really quick something about their pass protection. Then after 15 minutes of personal questions, they finish asking you about that protection ... At the start of one of the meetings, each person will introduce themselves to you. At the end of all their questions, they'll ask you who everybody is again. You can meet 250 people in a day." – Christian McCaffrey
What answer did you give to a question that you're most proud of?
"I felt like I was very well prepared and handled all of my questions well. One coach told me, 'You are a strong runner. You are a tough runner. You are physical. But you only put up 10 reps on the bench press here – why?' I told him, 'When you bring a bench press out on the football field, then it will be a factor.'" – Christian McCaffrey
"Somebody asked me how important football is to me. I gave my schedule at Stanford and how I planned out my day, showing that I got my school work done but also put in all of the extra time to be my most successful in football. It really showed my work ethic." – Solomon Thomas
"The most common question I got was why I did not kickoff my fifth year. I said, 'I can kick off at the NFL level, and I'm going to kick off here at the combine and at Pro Day. More importantly, I will make pressure field goals, I will make big kicks and I will win you games.'" – Conrad Ukropina
"After a team had showed me a play and its terminology, they asked me all of their questions for 15 or 20 minutes then gave me a blank sheet of paper and made me draw it up. Because of our pro-style offense at Stanford, I understood exactly what they did and nailed it." – Michael Rector
Of all the combine testing, which do you value the most for what it reveals of your football athleticism?
"I like the three-cone drill because it shows that you can bend, get off the ball and change direction. All three of those are in one test, so I'm proud of how I performed in that." – Solomon Thomas
"The 40-yard dash because I put down a top-5 time among 58 wide receivers, confirming my label as a fast guy." – Michael Rector
"People don't know how much goes on throughout the week. They wake you up at 4:30 a.m., and you're on your feet all day. Performing at the end of that week is a great challenge ... Explosion is important, so I'm proud of my vertical. Cutting in and out of breaks is huge, so I value the L-cone drill. Speed is critical, so the 40 matters." – Christian McCaffrey
"I only kicked. They measured my height, weight, hands, arms and did all of their medical evaluations. No bench, no running." – Conrad Ukropina
What makes the NFL Combine such a grueling experience?
"It's the schedule. You're up late with interviews until 11:30 p.m. or midnight, then wake up early the next morning – it may be 3 a.m. one day for a drug test and 6 a.m. the next day to meet with doctors." – Michael Rector
"It's waking up early every day and being on your feet all day with no time to rest or take care of your body. No break for cold tub or a nap. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You know it's going to be a grind, so you have to remember to appreciate being there." – Christian McCaffrey
"Definitely the sleep. You have medical stuff in the morning, either in the hospital or with team doctors. In the afternoons, you have all the psychological testing – the Wonderlic and every team's individual tests. Then every night you have interviews, which start at 8 p.m. and can go to 1 a.m. My toughest was the second night: I went to sleep after interviews at midnight and had to do my drug test at 3:30 a.m." – Conrad Ukropina
"It's never stopping and knowing that you are always being watched. Interviews every day, psychological testing and medical examination, and then on the last day, you have to put everything out there on the field." – Solomon Thomas
What important piece of advice would you give to the next classes of Stanford men who will perform at the NFL Combine?
"Take advantage of the experience. A lot of guys will complain about being tired, so come in with a positive mindset and attack it. It's a job interview. Embrace it and have the most fun with it you can." – Solomon Thomas
"Leading up to the combine, be sure that you're well rested, well hydrated and well fed. The nutrition is huge because they don't feed you all the time. It sounds trivial, but carry water with you at all times. The next thing is to enjoy it. It's a grind and tough, but realize where you are. You're at the NFL Combine, and so many guys wish they could be here." – Christian McCaffrey
"Be genuine with all of the NFL teams you talk to because they really want to get to know who you are. Stanford guys fit the mold of what they want, and they'll really enjoy talking you." – Michael Rector
"First, be honest and confident with your interviews because the guys talking to you know everything about you. You are there because you're one of the best in the country at your position, so be confident in yourself and rely on your strengths. It will be a grind with little sleep and long schedules, so stay positive. Remember you are at the NFL Combine, one of the coolest experiences of your lifetime. If you enjoy it, then the teams talking to you will enjoy you. I stayed confident and happy throughout." – Conrad Ukropina
Is there an advantage at the NFL Combine of being a Stanford man?
"One hundred percent. There were so many times that a coach would not ask me certain questions because I went to Stanford, and he assumes I already know. Coming in prepared is nothing new for Stanford people, so you can be on point ... I've been around Stanford a long time, with my parents being alumni and then me going to school, so the easiest and most important thing is to be yourself. Stanford people are so impressive when you get the chance to know them." – Christian McCaffrey
"I think there is because of the quality of guys we have. The NFL expects a lot out of Stanford guys, and we more than live up to expectations." – Michael Rector
"Stanford helps you in every facet. Everyone interacting with you knows that you are smart and can carry yourself. They know you are athletically accomplished because of all of our success. The biggest part of the combine is the psychological testing and interviews, and Stanford prepares you so well for that. The kicking is important, but these teams are taking everything into account in their assessments." – Conrad Ukropina
"Definitely. There is a way I come off and express myself, articulating how I work and who I am, which Stanford gives you. They know there are certain questions they don't have to ask you, so they can get right to it. Meetings are more efficient and meaningful." – Solomon Thomas
When do you return to Stanford to finish your preparation for Stanford Pro Day on March 23?
"I got back last week on Friday night." – Conrad Ukropina
"I started back here on Monday." – Michael Rector
"I will be back March 10 on Friday and be there for a while." – Solomon Thomas
"I fly out on Sunday and can't wait to be back." – Christian McCaffrey