Saturday, February 21, 2015

Between quarterbacks, wide receivers, defensive linemen, linebackers and coaches, yesterday's media day was jam-packed. 

We heard from top prospects Jameis Winston, Amari Cooper, Leonard Williams, Dante Fowler and more. 

The offensive linemen and tight ends took the field for their 40-yard dash, broad jump, high jump and on-field drills. I was able to step inside the bowl to watch the O-line 40s in action. Offensive coordinators, offensive line coaches, head coaches and scouts took in the prospects. 

Traveling to the Combine allowed me to see much more of the Combine process. In the morning, team personnel go to the stadium to watch the weigh-ins and measurements before watching the on-field drills. Then there's a small break in the afternoon before coaches and player personnel conduct player interviews late into the night. Prospects have informal interviews with position coaches and then several formal interviews scheduled by specific teams. 

Meanwhile, national and local media and digital teams from across the league hustle to obtain as much content as possible from coaches and general managers and some of the over 300 Combine participants. 

It's been extremely cold in Indianapolis throughout the week. Last night, the cold turned to snow. It snowed throughout the night and into the morning. The snow is really beautiful from inside a building. I can't say I enjoy it when I have to step outside. 

My Indianapolis trip is coming to a close, but Raiders.com will continue to keep you covered with as much content as possible from the Combine. 

Thank you for following along.

Friday, February 20, 2015

We were up bright and early to get work started in the media room at Lucas Oil Stadium Thursday.

While we heard from more coaches and general managers, everyone was anxious to see the wide receivers, running backs and quarterbacks.

Oregon QB Marcus Mariota drew the biggest crowd of the day when he took the podium in the afternoon. Other big draws included Todd Gurley (Alabama) and Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin).

The Raiders.com crew had the opportunity to hear from Seahawks GM John Schneider and Atlanta Head Coach Dan Quinn on new Defensive Coordinator Ken Norton, Jr. We also spoke with Mike Florio, Gil Brandt, Rich Gannon and more about the state of the Raiders, this Combine and 2015 NFL Draft. 

The NFL Combine is a great chance to learn about draft needs from the experts. We've heard about the possibility of a wide receiver or a defensive lineman with the 4th pick. While they give their educated opinion, at the end of the day, we won't know what the Raiders will decide until GM Reggie McKenzie and his staff make their selection on April 30. 

Today, WR Amari Cooper and QB Jameis Winston should take the podium. Both will draw huge media crowds.

We will also hear from defensive linemen and linebackers.

The offensive linemen and tight ends are on the field for their workouts this morning.

Make sure to visit Raiders.com throughout the day for coverage.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Yesterday was a long day, but extremely productive. It was my first day ever at an NFL Combine and it was filled with coach and general manager coverage. 

Head Coach Jack Del Rio took the podium, was interviewed by Rich Gannon on SiriusXM NFL, spoke with ESPN and Fox Sports 1 and talked one-on-one with Silver and Black Productions.

The media heard from head coaches and general managers from around the league at the podium. There was also the opportunity to speak with special teamers, offensive linemen and tight ends at the tables. 

I had the chance to participate in GM Reggie McKenzie's sit down with a few of the Raiders beat writers. He talked about the status of some of our current players and the various needs at positions on both sides of the football. McKenzie was fairly candid – without giving too much away, of course.

As the day came to a close, I checked the weather on my phone around 11:00 p.m. ET. It said 0 degrees…and feels like -17 degrees. I can't even fathom such cold. I promise I will not be stepping outside.

The NFL Combine is a whirlwind. It's non-stop content opportunities.

Today, we will hear from quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers. There are a lot of big names taking the podium today and Raiders.com will have you covered.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Raiders.com has arrived in Indianapolis for the 2015 NFL Combine. After a long day of travel – Oakland through Las Vegas to Indianapolis – the crew made it to downtown Indy Tuesday night.

Saying it's cold in this city is an understatement. When I arrived last night, the temperature hovered around 10 degrees, and the wind-chill made it even colder. When the plane landed and I looked out the window, it was snowing sideways.

As a born and bred California-girl, sideways snow is unacceptable. To me, anything under 50 degrees is cold.

Lucky for me, the rest of the Raiders crew, and pretty much everyone else, there is a skyway that allows us to get from our hotels to Lucas Oil Stadium without needing to step outside. 

After an early west coast wakeup call this morning, we made our way to the media area of the stadium. Three different podiums are set up where coaches, general managers and players will speak with media from across the country, as well as staff from the different clubs.

Each team brings several members of their digital media staff and broadcast crew to cover the press conferences, speak with draft experts, and provide behind-the-scenes coverage of the Combine.

Raiders.com will have you covered this week with video, written content and photos. Tune in to stay up-to-date on everything Combine-related.

Make sure to log on to Raiders.com at 10:15 a.m. PT to watch Head Coach Jack Del Rio at the podium.