Last year, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni made some waves at the NFL Combine by conducting player interviews In his sophomore season, the head man for Philadelphia appears to be keeping the Cornelius Lucas Jersey gimmick alive, this time by while fielding questions, per Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia.Former North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell, a rising commodity in this year's draft, said that Sirianni and the Eagles tested him by having him effectively play pop-a-shot during their meeting, and if his basketball skills are something he's being graded on, he didn't help his draft stock.MORE:"I only made like two out Russ Grimm Jersey of five, so I'm probably not high on their board right now," Howell said of the experience, Sirianni is hardly the first coach to employ gimmicks to determine NFL players' mental toughne s, although his consistency is notable. Heading into this year's combine in Indianapolis, the NFL said that teams for interview questions deemed "disrespectful, inappropriate, or unprofe sional." This is in John Riggins Jersey the wake of a myriad of stories from prospects about team staff members asking inappropriate questions about their sexuality or their personal lives, most infamously Dez Bryant when he went through the proce s.Sirianni and the Eagles aren't doing anything inappropriate here, but it's certainly an interesting tactic. They must have liked the results from interviewing players while making their minds wander last year, when they landed wide receiver DeVonta Smith in the first round. It could be a test on a players' ability to multi-task, or effectively communicate while focusing in on a task-- a chew bubble gum and walk at the same time type of drill.MORE:Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer currently has Wes Schweitzer Jersey Howell in his mock draft, though the Eagles appear to want to add competition to their quarterback room for Jalen Hurts. Kyle Allen Jersey They made it into the NFC playoffs last year with a 9-8 record, ultimately losing to the Buccaneers on Wild Card Weekend.The mini hoop may be unconventional, but that's the combine in a nutshell.With that in mind, they appear to be adhering closely to the age-old adage: "It's only silly if it doesn't work."