Are combines really worth the money and do high school prospects get exposure?

The inside scoop on how combines work and their value to prospects

Combines are cropping up everywhere a high school athlete turns.  And at NSR, our prospect-clients are constantly asking the justifiable question, “Should I go to these combines?  Will I get exposure to college coaches?”

It’s important to first identify and acknowledge the purpose of these combines.  Some, particularly those operated by state high school associations, are used to evaluate senior talent for selecting athletes for their annual All-Star games.  Rarely do college coaches attend these events.  They may be interested in the published results, but few college coaches take the time to watch them in person.  In truth, most college staffs already have evaluated these seniors and the athletes are either on their recruiting white boards or they aren’t.  One more combine will not usually sway a staff to jump on an athlete because of these events.

The higher profile combines run by nationally known companies or highly respected organizations are a different story altogether.  College coaches will attend these events because they typically attract the better underclass prospects.  Coaches normally want to be seen at these events.  They know that getting eyes on the prospects offers them the chance to observe prospects in a competitive environment and the testing is typically more technically advanced which offer more accurate pictures of the prospects’ abilities.  In these situations, it can definitely be an advantage for athletes to participate and get a leg up on their peers which choose to sit them out.

Still, money can be a factor, too.  Charging fees to the athletes is a cash flow bonanza for some groups.  Entry tickets can rise into the hundreds of dollars for a one- or two-day combines and this, of course, funds the events at the expense of the athletes.  That in itself can be problematic because not all high school student-athletes can muster up the bucks to attend leaving them on the outside looking in.  Still, because of the press generated, particularly for the top performers, it can be a boon for sophomores and juniors that may have previously flown under the radar.