Recruiting site to offer pro-style combine

Published 1:55 pm Monday, July 6, 2009

This weekend, high school football players from across Alabama and the southeast region are being invited to a pro-style combine at Oak Mountain High School in Birmingham, to help increase their chances of playing at the next level.

Jim Cavale, president of Eporro.com, launched their pro-style combine formula earlier this spring and is now adding a twist to the once $199 event. The combine will be offered free to those who seek a reservation on either the July 10 or 11 sessions which both begin at 8:30am.

“We want to show everyone that this is truly a one-of-a-kind event that has no competition,” said Cavale, who started the Birmingham-based recruiting service last year.

Participants will have the opportunity to feel like they are at the annual NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, as they will be divided into small groups and trained in the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, five-ten-five cone drill and various other skill drills based on the athlete’s respective position.

Each of these training stations will be headed up by former collegiate and NFL players such as Antonio Langham, Matt Caddell, Chris Goode, Santonio Beard and Dre Fulgham.

In addition to the training stations, athletes will have the opportunity to have medical evaluation and psychological evaluations.

Cavale said a special treat is in store for those who attend this week, as Eporro.com supporter and two-time Super Bowl MVP Bart Starr will speak to athletes about life on and off the field.

“This combine event is just the first of many to come,” said Cavale, who wants to host one for every sport.

“I’d rather have 1,000 kids with Eporro.com recruit profiles that are 110 percent credible than 100,000 kids on the site with profiles that are misleading,” he said. “This event will document each participants performance with video and statistics that are displayed on their profile.”

Oak Mountain was picked as the location in the Birmingham area because of the close proximity of its multiple fields, weight room and film room.

“It’s everything you need to run a large combine in a small radius,” Cavale said.

Athletes must reserve a spot to participate in the July 10 or 11 combines. Reservations can be made by e-mailing a player’s name and phone number to workflow@eporro.com or by calling Seth Beard at 913-3589.

“Don’t just show up, because if you show up there won’t be a spot,” Cavale said.

After the day one training session comes to an end, the day two session will provide the opportunity for each athlete to perform each of the combine stations in front of a video production crew which will upload this video and their measurements to their Eporro.com Recruit Profile for the original $199 fee on either July 17 or 18.

In addition to the combine footage and measurements, athletes can also submit game footage to have uploaded to their recruit profile that they can send via email to the college coaches of their choice.

Cavale said if players are interested in attending one of those two video days, they should first attend July 10 or 11 to make the best of the opportunity.