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The CFL Combine is a big deal to Ottawa Redblacks GM Marcel Desjardins, who will be there along with his football operations people and head coach Rick Campbell. But as big a deal as it is, the Redblacks have plenty of other information-gathering processes in place.

Photo by Justin Tang / THE CANADIAN PRESS

“Watching film (of a player) is the most important thing,” said Desjardins. “But this adds depth to your evaluation of the individual. Sometimes you watch film and you have a perception of who the person is – just based on whether they’re physical or have a little nasty to them. Then you talk to the player and he’s the most well-spoken … it puts the whole puzzle together, it adds pieces to your process. It’s a lot about understanding the player, how he interacts off the field with interviews, how he interacts on the field when he’s given instructions. It’s about getting to know the player better, it adds layers to our evaluation process.”

Having the club’s head coach as part of the evaluation process is also good.

“Rick’s always been involved in our draft process,” said Desjardins. “To different degrees, our coaches will be as well – just not at the Combine.”

Test results themselves – like how many times a player can bench press 225 lbs., plus a short shuttle, a three-cone drill, a 40-yard dash, a vertical jump and a broad jump – can help a team measure a player’s commitment to getting faster and stronger. But it doesn’t tell the whole story.

“The testing is important, sure,” said Desjardins. “But sometimes they run faster than they test. Sometimes they run slower than they test. Or sometimes they play stronger. So it’s about getting to know the player – getting a sense as to what the personality’s all about.”