Published: May 15, 2008 11:16 pm         

Combines: Athletes get their name out

Big Fayetteville sophomore Chase Lafferty is a big believer in high school combines.

The 6-foot-2, 275-pound two-way lineman has been to three and figures he will have attended as many as seven by the time he graduates in 2010.

“It’s about exposure, getting your name out,” said Lafferty, who recently turned 16.

In March, Lafferty, a first-team all-stater for the Pirates, attended the Dave Shuman National Underclassman Combine for the second time. As a freshman at 5-11, 220, he did it for the experience.

This time, he did it for the exposure, which is what he got when he was runner-up for the MVP among the offensive linemen from the Pittsburgh region. As such, he has been invited to the National 100 Combine in New York.

West Virginia coach Bill Stewart knows all about the prep combines.

“It does help to get their name out there,” Stewart said. “To be honest, we like to get kids to our camp (in June). It’s not as far to go, you don’t have to put all that money into the gas tank. I’ve never recruited a kid off a combine test or a highlight tape alone.”

Stewart told a story about a kid he was considering recruiting from Maryland a few years back.

“This kid had gone to some different combines and such, and he tested really well,” Stewart said.

“Turns out somebody called (defensive coordinator) Jeff Casteel and Rich (Rodriguez) and told him the kid was getting all kinds of interest from the ACC and the SEC.

“I looked at the tape. I said, ‘Guys, this kid can’t play football. If you want me to recruit him, he’s in my area, and I’ll do it. But I’m telling you, he can’t play football.’ Then we all watched the tape and saw he couldn’t play.”

Lafferty is well aware of this, and as a first-team all-stater, he obviously knows he has to have good films to back whatever he does at the combines. He has already received interest from Marshall and Virginia.

Lafferty plans on going to football camps at Marshall (June 7) and West Virginia (June 22-25) as well as the WVU Speed, Strength and Conditioning Camp. Which will obviously please coach Stewart.

“Obviously, you have to be able to play football and have some tapes showing you can play football,” Lafferty said. “But I do think it helps when you have good numbers and test well. Take for example the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. That can make or break being drafted in the first round.”

Stewart said the tale of the tape shows him all he needs to know.

“Does he block, does he tackle, will he play as hard in the fourth quarter as he does in the first quarter,” Stewart said. “Highlight tapes are nice, but I want a game film. Then you can judge if a kid does everything you want from a football player. Does he show up in the fourth quarter like he does in the first.”

Lafferty said he’s definitely one of those.