Getting prepared for the NFL Combine and Pro Day is an emotional journey for prospective professional athletes.
The eyes of NFL coaches, scouts, executives, media and hopefuls are all on you. For players, it’s a job interview for the most important job of their lives.
Players lucky enough to receive an invitation to these events are no longer judged solely on their ability to play a certain position, but rather how well they can run the 40-yard dash, or how many reps they can hit on the bench press.
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Before Seahawks phenom DK Metcalf was breaking Steve Largent’s franchise record for receiving yards in a single season, or chasing down Cardinals defender Budda Baker, the former Ole Miss WR ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. It was the fastest ever recorded for a player 225 pounds or heavier.
Even superhuman Metcalf proved he is human too. The historic 40-time brought him to tears.
Metcalf Facetimed his mom after the incredulous moment and like all good moms do, she reminded her son that he deserved to enjoy the moment.
“Do you,” she said. “Don’t worry about what nobody outside this house got to say. Keep letting them talk.”
Oh, they’d have a lot to talk about alright.
Metcalf’s impressive NFL Combine performance, along with an absurdly low body fat percentage of 1.6 percent went viral, and the Seattle Seahawks couldn’t pass up on the opportunity of taking Metcalf when he fell to the second round at No. 64 overall.
Three years later, the Seahawks receiver has ascended into the conversation as one of the NFL’s best receivers. As a rookie, Metcalf had 58 receptions for 900 yards and seven touchdowns. He capped off his sophomore campaign with his first All-Pro nod after a season with 83 receptions for 1,303 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. The sky is the limit for Metcalf as Year 3 is upon us.
