Texans' Nick Caserio Explains Why NFL Combine Drills Don't Matter

INDIANAPOLIS, IN–– The NFL Scouting Combine has seen an increasing number of incoming prospects in recent years electing to either limit or elect not to participate entirely when it comes to on-field drills and tests during the week in Indianapolis.

Whether it be opting out of the 40-yard dash and other speed/agility tests, position-specific drills, or the entire on-field portion altogether, it's marked a bit of a shift in the draft process compared to how the norm has typically fared around this time of year.

However, when asking Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio about the impact of those on-field drills or their participation, he doesn't seem to put too much stock in those within the overall evaluation process.

In fact, Caserio bluntly stated ahead of this week's workouts that the combine numbers really don't matter to him much at all.

"You'll probably get a different answer from everybody. It doesn't matter to me, honestly," Caserio said during his combine media availability. "Whatever they do here, they do. It doesn't really matter. So, eventually, you'd like to have a [40-yard dash] time. Okay, how relevant is that time?"

"Let's go back to [CB Kamari] Lassiter however many years ago. He ran, what was his time? I don't know, 4.65 [seconds]? He's not a 4.65 guy. The guy plays 4.5 or below. He's a football player. He's one of our best players. So, if we're so caught up in, 'Well, the guy ran this.' Okay, well, it's a data point."

"Does it affect their play if they choose not to do something here? Ultimately, it's the player's prerogative. Our job is to understand the thought process, the rationale behind why they do or not do something and then figure out, 'All right, does this player fit in our building or not?"

Texans, Caserio Don't Take Major Stock Into Combine Numbers

It's not to say that the Texans take zero thought in what's seen at the combine. In 2023, both C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. had some of the best performances at their respective positions over the week, and Houston clearly saw enough both there and in their interviews to invest two top-three picks in their services.

Mar 4, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State quarterback C J Stroud (QB12) participates in drills at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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But rather than putting a major emphasis on those numbers during the small stint of workouts in Indianapolis, Caserio likes to base more of his and the Texans' evaluation process around how they translate on-field and on tape, while also focusing more on the mental makeup of the player as well.

"Ultimately, when they walk in our building, they're all starting from scratch," Caserio continued. "So, we're going to teach them and train them and provide them with the resources that [they] need to be successful. So, whatever they decide to do here. Now, I'd say sometimes they listen to the wrong people because they're getting misinformation. So, you have to balance that off here a little bit. Our job is to understand it, not to make a judgment about it, and ultimately make a good decision that we feel is in the best interest of our team and organization."

It's far from a black-and-white process for any team when going through this time of year, and every team does its combine events differently. Some, like Houston's division rival Jacksonville Jaguars, have even opted not to send their lead decision-makers to scout out things in Indianapolis at all.

But the Texans and Caserio still value their appearance throughout the week at the combine to get that one-on-one time with a prospect to see exactly what they're made of. And if able to ace that, while also being built of the right qualities on film, a disappointing 40-yard dash time won't make or break Houston's appeal to select them.

Keep that in mind as the Texans move deeper into the pre-draft process, and especially so as combine drills begin to get underway later this week.