DENVER — In a year of so much change, the Denver Broncos organization is staying as consistent as ever by helping in our community.
"This is the first time we have dabbled in the high school recruiting space," explained the Broncos Director of Youth & High School Football Bobby Mestas. "A lot of these season C kids won't have any senior football highlights on tape with them playing in the spring. We really thought it was the right year to try to do something."
With the 2020-21 high school football calendar altered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Denver Broncos and the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) have launched the Denver Broncos High School Virtual Combine.
The Broncos have teamed up with GMTM - an athlete exposure platform - that provides an all-virtual combine for high school football players looking to play college football.
The platform is as simple as signing up, making a profile page, adding highlights, statistics & what you are interested in studying for college.
Then student-athletes can compete virtually in 11 pre-set combine tests like the 40 yard dash and cone drill.
In addition, the combine includes character tests to help student-athletes show who they are off the field and what drives them to be great.
And of course, the Broncos threw in a twist of their own.
"Next week are excited to add videos of Broncos head strength and conditioning coach Loren Landow just showing tips on how to do the 40 yard dash," added Mestas. "And when you have someone with that type of expertise, educating these high school kids on how to do these drills, that makes it super cool."
The reason for the partnership is the Broncos understand the void left by the COVID-19 pandemic - limiting high school football players from getting the usual exposure. And with that, the organization felt like it needed to do something to help their football community.
"It breaks our heart to know that so many kids didn't have the ability to showcase their skills this year and show what they are made of. Especially for those kids that are on the Division II, Division III level who are kind of on the bubble to play college football. That is where it really hurts."
This program may be more helpful than ever, as the NCAA announced that the current dead period will continue until April 15th of this year.
To sign up for GMTM and the Broncos virtual pro day, please click here.
Submissions for combine-specific elements will remain open for around eight-weeks.
