The NFL scouting combine begins this week and the activity that yields the least information compared to its hype isn't the 40-yard dash times of nose guards.

It is team executives posturing about how diligently and effectively they are determining "character."

Private investigators. Private interviews. Background checks. Psychologists. Blah, blah, blah.

View photos Heavy scrutiny didn't keep Johnny Manziel out of the first round of the NFL draft last year. (Getty Images) More

There is nothing the NFL likes to do more than brag on its self-importance, and no time does the league lay it on thicker than when claiming it is "doing their due diligence" on a prospect.

You can't blame the teams for trying. While the likelihood of catching a clear warning sign of trouble is unlikely, if the guy bombs out, you want plausible deniability (especially with your owner) that you looked hard and were just fooled.

You can blame the rest of us for believing this is anything more than public relations; the NFL's annual hope and pray effort because it's proven it has no ability to accurately predict character.

A year ago it was Johnny Manziel, who was under the microscope over concerns of partying too much and lacking the proper mindset to be an NFL quarterback.

Manziel, well prepped and not dumb, aced the predraft process, of course.

As such, the Cleveland Browns took an undersized quarterback with the 22nd pick and that was only because Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had been overruled so the team could stick to building through the offensive line. If not, Johnny goes 16th.

It's possible some teams saw Manziel's off-field issues (or figured he lacked the physical tools for the position) but others literally could not have been more inaccurate in their "character" assessment.

After a disastrous rookie season when he admitted he didn't take development and preparation seriously Manziel is in rehab.

View photos Jameis Winston (AP) More

So Jameis Winston? Don't worry about him this week; he'll do fine.

Yes, it is Winston's turn to watch everyone puff out their chests this week and talk about how they will finally be the ones who get tough with him. They'll grill him, and say how this is different because it's not the protective womb of college. The truth will supposedly come out, either in the brief media conference or one of those 15-minute team interview sessions that Winston will no doubt be professionally trained to roll right through.

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