Prospects pay for their shot at NFL contract

If the players performed well enough in the drills, they could receive invitations to the Super Regional combine which will be held March 29-31 in Detroit.

Stephen Austin, the director, started running the combines from Newport Beach, Calif., in 1989. The NFL purchased his company, ELITE Scouting Services, two years ago.

“It really is an insurance policy for the league against missing anyone,” Austin said. “It’s also a way to provide a job interview to these players who have been playing football for so many years. They deserve a legitimate NFL tryout. It helps the players either move on or conclude their careers with dignity.”

The “contestants” came from as far away as Seattle and as nearby as Georgia Tech. Their mission, much like the popular reality music show, was to get invited to that next stage and then land the coveted pro football contract.

More than 2,000 players have graduated from these regional combines to earn deals in the NFL (475), Canadian Football League (365) and indoor football leagues (1,505).

Last season, linebacker Bryan Braman made it all the way to the Houston Texans’ roster.

Among those waiting in line this time were former NFL draft picks like DeAndra Cobb, 30, who was picked by the Falcons in the 2005 draft but has since played in the CFL.

There were undrafted players who had spent time in NFL camps like Jared Bronson (Miami Dolphins, 2009) and Collin Zych (Dallas Cowboys, 2011).

Others, like Georgia Tech running back Roddy Jones and Georgia State linebacker Evan Bostic, recently completed their college eligibility. Some, like Kevin O’Bryan, never played in college, but wanted to give the NFL a shot.

Someday, Zych, who was friends with NBA sensation Jeremy Lin when they were both at Harvard, hopes to have his own story about making it big out of the Ivy League. A free safety, he had a vertical leap of 35 1.2 inches and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.42 and 4.44 seconds.

He made it to the last cut with the Cowboys last summer.

“I felt like the lockout kind of hurt me in the process as an undrafted guy,” Zych said. “My takeaway from camp was that I can play at that level.”

Bronson, a 27-year-old chauffeur, flew in from Seattle to give it one last shot. A tight end who played at Central Washington, he was in camp with the Dolphins in 2009. His dad, Gordon Bronson, played with Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon at the University of Washington in the 1970s.

“We have a lot of business travelers,” Bronson said of his chauffeuring gig. “A lot of my runs are back and forth to the airport.”

But he’d much rather be running routes in the NFL on his Sundays.

“I’ve worked a lot on my speed, quickness and agility,” said Bronson. “I feel like I’m a much better athlete than I was coming out of college.”

There were also some super-long shots like Jimmy Lamour, 33, of Greensboro. He played at Guilford College and then in lower-level indoor arena leagues with the Greensboro Prowlers and the Winston-Salem Energy.

“I just wanted to give it one last try,” said Lamour, who sells recreational vehicle antifreeze and windshield washer fluid while running a performance training business with his wife Charlene. “Being one of the older guys, I’ve been through several combines and it’s just been a dream of mine. I just wanted to make sure that I gave it one last shot.”

Kevin O’Bryan, 33, made the seven-hour hour drive from Henderson, Ky. He was working on four hours of sleep, but was ready to run his 40-yard dash.

Despite not playing college football, at 6-foot-3 and 268 pounds, the former amateur boxer believes that he can play middle linebacker in the NFL. His idol is Ray Lewis.

“Chasing down a dream,” O’Bryan said. “I’ve learned that at my age, that if you’re allowed to, you live out your dreams with no regrets. Hopefully, I can inspire somebody else to chase down a dream.”

O’Bryan, who owns an exterior restoration business, seemed to embrace his outside-the-lines status.

“Realistically, I’m not up here with any expectations of making it to the league right now at this age,” he said. “I know the odds are against me.”

Then in the very next moment, he allowed a moment to dream.

“All of my life, I’ve been an odds-beater so we’re going to see how it works out,” O’Bryan said. “If I get invited to Detroit, I’m going to definitely be ready for it.”

Bostic played two seasons for Georgia State and faced Alabama – he had 10 tackles against the Crimson Tide -- and Houston. He received some tips from Georgia State head coach Bill Curry, a 10-year NFL veteran.

Bostic said he didn’t mind paying the $190 registration fee. The Shelby, N.C., native, who played in high school with New England Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes, looked at it as an investment in his future.

“All I need is a shot, just to show the NFL that I can play,” Bostic said.

At the end of each session, the U.S. Navy Seals spoke to the athletes and Bostic paid attention to the presentation.

“Everything is an option, really,” he said.