A Perfect Balance of Brains and Brawn

In an instant, all the chatter, discussions, and buzz came to a halt as every gaze in the narrow hallway shifted to Lance.

Not far away, the cornerbacks were moving closer, their noise amplifying the silence around Lance. It was so quiet that even the sound of breathing seemed to have stopped.

A perfect score?

Yes, a perfect score!

This made Lance the second player in NFL history, after receiver Pat McInally in 1975, to achieve a perfect score on the Wonderlic test.

A full forty-one years had passed since then.

The news was impressive, but without much immediate impact—it was more a piece of trivia for casual conversations since the Wonderlic test is only a reference metric. After all, McInally, despite his perfect score, wasn't selected until the fifth round of the draft. There was no need to make a big deal out of it.

But this time, the player achieving a perfect Wonderlic score was a running back—the so-called "muscle over mind" position?

This…

The news spread like wildfire, and soon everyone in Lucas Oil Stadium was aware. Curious eyes from all around shifted toward Lance.

Sure, Lance's regular-season performance already showed he was a sharp player, but seeing the test results was a different level of surprise.

Kamara glanced down at his own Wonderlic score. The number he'd been so proud of suddenly felt burning hot. Muttering a curse, he quickly backtracked, blending back into the crowd before he could embarrass himself.

Taking a step back, Kamara spotted Fournette nearby, their eyes meeting in mid-air.

Fournette looked uncomfortable, holding his breath and avoiding Kamara's gaze. He turned his eyes to the ceiling, trying to mentally distance himself, almost like a ninja.

Kamara wisely shifted his own focus, turning to the approaching cornerback group and counting them silently.

One, two, three…

Meanwhile, McCaffrey, the unintentional cause of the whole scene, was oblivious to the reactions around him. He looked at Lance with wide eyes, studying him like an alien life form.

"Wow!"

"That's incredible. Really incredible. I got twenty-one and was feeling pretty smug, but now I see I was way too narrow-minded. The real pro is right here."

"No doubt about it."

"You're really something, so strong! I'm so pumped right now—I can't wait to get into the physical tests to see how we compare."

After a rapid-fire flurry of praise, McCaffrey rubbed his hands eagerly, his eyes lighting up with determination, like a deep-sea fish's small glowing lantern, all focused on Lance.

As the runner-up for the 2015 Heisman Trophy, McCaffrey had continued to excel in the 2016 season, delivering another top-tier performance.

Thanks to this, McCaffrey, Fournette, and Lance were touted as the three top running backs in the NCAA this year.

But unfortunately, Stanford's overall performance had been lackluster; they only ranked fourth within the Pac-12 Conference, missing out not only on the national championship but even on any major bowl games, eventually just receiving an invitation to the unremarkable Sun Bowl.

After the regular season ended, McCaffrey announced he would enter the draft and skip the Sun Bowl, dedicating himself fully to preparing for the draft.

This decision sparked polarized reactions, both support and criticism.

But McCaffrey stayed focused, undistracted by the noise. He was driven by a simple desire: to be the best running back, constantly pushing his limits, challenging himself, and reaching new heights on the field.

To McCaffrey, Lance was currently the best running back in the NCAA—a point that wasn't up for debate—and also one of the best players in this draft class. While McCaffrey knew he wasn't quite at Lance's level yet, he also believed that what mattered was not where they were now but where they could go in the future.

Clearly, McCaffrey wasn't alone.

Whether out of admiration or envy, ambition or strategy, Lance had become the player everyone was gunning to beat.

Especially after his Wonderlic test blew away expectations, even teams not particularly interested in running backs started to take notice.

Next up was the physical testing. Unlike games or training, these tests would showcase each player's physical attributes in specific exercises.

The standard tests included seven events: the 40-yard dash, 225-pound (102 kg) bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, 40-yard shuttle, 60-yard shuttle, and 3-cone drill.

Players didn't have to participate in every event.

For example, quarterbacks and wide receivers could skip the bench press, but it was a requirement for offensive and defensive linemen.

Likewise, the 60-yard shuttle was mandatory for wide receivers but optional for other positions, while running backs usually chose the 20-yard shuttle.

Additionally, players could complete specialized drills based on their position, since each football position faces unique challenges and demands.

Among the running backs, Fournette had initially drawn the most attention due to his physical prowess, which was well-established.

However, due to lingering injuries throughout the season, Fournette wasn't in top form, and his physical test results reflected that.

His 40-yard dash was 4.51 seconds, his 20-yard shuttle 4.53, his 3-cone drill 7.27, his vertical jump 30.5 inches (77 cm), his broad jump 2.95 meters, and his bench press was 25 reps.

The bench press was his standout performance, ranking first among the running backs.

Many had assumed that Fournette might skip some of the tests, given his injuries. After all, his abilities were already proven, and attempting tests with a partially healed injury could hurt his draft prospects if the results were subpar.

But with pressure mounting from Lance and McCaffrey, Fournette clearly felt the need to take part in the physical tests, despite the risk.

The results were in, and while Fournette's dark expression revealed little, his scattered, unfocused gaze suggested uncertainty.

Then—

Whoa!

A collective gasp rose from the crowd. Before anyone could look at the big screen to check the results, they saw a figure tumbling through the air with gymnastic precision, performing a series of cartwheels, front flips, and twisting somersaults that dazzled the audience like a circus act.

Smack!

Kamara landed squarely on his feet, chin held high, displaying himself proudly to the cheers, whistles, and applause of the crowd.

It wasn't just impressive; it was downright brazen.

Even the staff recording the physical test results couldn't help but smile.

Kamara held his head high, his eyes glinting with confidence as he glanced at Fournette before turning his gaze to Lance with a look that clearly said:

Are you ready?

Fournette had no time to observe Lance's reaction as he turned his attention to the big screen. His face instantly darkened:

Damn.

----------

Powerstones?

For 20 advance chapters: patreon.com/michaeltranslates