2021 NFL Scouting Combine Cancelled

With just three more games remaining in the 2020 NFL season, the push towards the 2021 NFL Draft will be getting underway in earnest here in a few weeks. As of today, you can chalk the pre-draft process up as one of the many things that the COVID-19 situation has brought dramatic changes to.

A memo that went out to the NFL teams on Monday stated that there would be no in-person workouts at this year’s Scouting Combine, and instead individual workouts for draft prospects will take place at the Pro Days on college campuses across the nation.

This decision was reached by a special committee that included Minnesota Vikings’ GM Rick Spielman, among others.

The lack of a Scouting Combine is going to bring a pretty drastic change to the pre-draft process. I know we all dig watching the Underwear Olympics at Lucas Oil Stadium each year, but for scouting staffs it’s a real opportunity to pick up information about prospects that they might not have had as much familiarity with. Now, there’s going to be a greater reliance on game film.

There will, potentially, be issues for the prospects as well. If you’ll recall, last year cornerback Cameron Dantzler had a pretty lousy Scouting Combine, but had an opportunity to redeem himself at his Pro Day after that. With no Combine this year, if a player has one bad workout. . .that’s it. There’s no second chance between their Pro Day and the NFL Draft to try to make another impression.

So, the offseason is not going to have the kickoff that we’ve become accustomed to it having over the past few years. But, that’s not going to stop us from trying to bring you the best coverage of the Minnesota Vikings’ offseason and their outlook for the 2021 NFL Draft anyway.