Andre Smith is an idiot

The NFL combine is essentially the world's most in-depth job interview. It includes a full array of medical tests, a thorough mental evaluation (often with 32 different interviews), an intelligence test, physical competitions and probably a lot of other annoying crap.

Personally, I usually go into a job interview with the goal of making a positive impresson, but apparently that isn't a concern for Alabama tackle Andre Smith.

The PA announcer in Lucas Oil Stadium told the assembled teams Saturday morning that Alabama offensive tackle Andre Smith, one of the top prospects in April's NFL draft, had gone AWOL.

While he made the announcement, Smith was in the air, flying to Atlanta to go meet with his personal trainer for the first of two previously scheduled workouts. After he landed, and questions were raised, Smith explained that he made a mistake in failing to communicate to the people at the combine that he was leaving Indianapolis earlier than previously scheduled.

Smith explained later in the day that after recently switching trainers, he didn't feel ready for workouts because of a change in his regimen. Fair enough. It probably wasn't a wise move to make that change so close the combine, but plenty of top prospects don't work out in Indianapolis.

But at an event that's basically, as mentioned, a giant job interview, how do you skip town at 6 a.m. -- without telling anyone that you're done -- and think no one will notice?

Smith thought he had accomplished everything he had wanted. He weighed in for NFL scouts at 332 pounds, interviewed with the teams, answered any questions teams had about any potential weight issues, and even told teams that he was unsure whether he was going to work out Saturday. Then, when the day came and the announcement was made, no one at the combine knew where Smith was or what he had done.

Smith and his agent have been attempting to mitigate the damage ever since, but even if his motives were pure and his intent was to get started right away on preparations for his Pro Day, the lack of maturity and communication have to be a concern for NFL teams.

I'll let Will Ferrell speak for me and the various NFL scouts who were in attendance Saturday: