General manager Phil Emery will lead a contingent of about 50 Bears staffers down Interstate 65 to Indianapolis Wednesday for the NFL Scouting Combine.
 |
| Bears general manager Phil Emery will address the media Thursday at the NFL Scouting Combine. |
The Bears will be well-represented at the seven-day gathering, with Emery being joined by new head coach Marc Trestman; assistant coaches; staffers from the college scouting, pro personnel and video departments; and doctors, trainers and strength coaches.
The NFL prospects will participate in position drills and be timed in the 40-yard dash, three-cone drill and shuttle run; tested in the vertical jump and broad jump; and asked to bench-press 225 pounds as many times as they can.
Every evening beginning Thursday, each NFL team will conduct 15-minute interviews with 60 prospects they had to choose in advance. Like their counterparts, the Bears interview players in a hotel suite.
The players also take the Wonderlic test, an exam of problem-solving ability that measures intelligence. Participants have 12 minutes to answer 50 questions. One of the questions might ask: "A train travels 20 feet in 1/5 second. At this same speed, how many feet will it travel in three seconds?"
Medical tests are also a key aspect of the evaluation process. Players who have suffered injuries in college are sent to a nearby hospital for an X-ray, and some who've had surgery are asked to take an MRI exam.
On Thursday, Emery and Trestman are both scheduled to speak with the media. ChicagoBears.com will provide complete coverage of the Combine throughout the weekend.
