Here’s how the CFL’s virtual combine is going to work

Photo courtesy: John Hodge

The CFL has been forced to make a number of changes to its annual combine due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Here’s how the event is going to be conducted virtually.

Players who wish to participate in the league’s virtual combine needed to submit personal information and medical forms by Sunday, February 28.

The medical form included questions regarding the player’s medical concerns, medication, supplements, and allergies. Players were also required to disclose a complete history of their injuries, including the nature of all injuries, the date they occurred, and the status of each one (resolved or treatment ongoing).

The document also had a portion that needed to be filled out by an athletic therapist or physician. This was done to verify the accuracy of the information provided by the player and determine if the player would have any restrictions or limitations in their participation in the virtual combine.

Players have been asked to video record their performance in the height and weight measurements, bench press, forty-yard dash, three-cone drill, short shuttle, broad jump, and two specific positional drills. These videos must be submitted to the league no later than Saturday, April 10.

CFL teams will have the opportunity to contact players directly for interviews over the next two months. These interviews will be conducted via online video conferencing.

The league has yet to release a full list of virtual combine participants, though it plans to do so in the near future. The date of the CFL draft remains unannounced but it is expected to take place after the NFL draft, which is slated for April 29 to May 1, 2021.