Notes on a trip to the NFL Scouting Combine.A young man who wants to play in the NFL but isn't blessed with freakish athletic ability could do a lot worse than to learn the art of long snapping.
Here at the Indianapolis Combine, I've heard from a few different coaches who emphasize the importance of finding a reliable long snapper. One player, Indiana's Tim Bugg, was invited to the Combine solely because of his ability to long snap -- he isn't being evaluated for any other position.
Bugg has an uphill battle to get drafted, as most coaches say that their teams probably wouldn't spend a draft pick on a player solely because he can long snap. But Bugg, who had 326 snaps at Indiana, will at the very least get signed as an undrafted free agent.
And players who play an offensive or defensive position but also long snap can see their draft stock rise as a result. Other NFL teams took notice last year when the Giants drafted two defensive players, Zak DeOssie and Jay Alford, who could also long snap. Both long snapped for the Giants in their Super Bowl-winning season, with DeOssie handling punts and Alford handling extra points and field goals.
I've also heard from one player, Louisville tight end Gary Barnidge, who said teams took a special interest in him after he showed off his long snapping abilities at the East-West Shrine Game.
"They like that you can long snap because you never know when you'll need a backup if somebody goes down," Barnidge said. "Going into my junior year in high school my coach was the one who told me to do it, and it was something that I actually enjoyed."
That coach gave him some valuable advice.
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