NFL Combine 2023: Participants, dates, event info, drills and everything you need to know
2023-02-28
The NFL Combine 2023 provides the football world with an opportunity to examine the future of the sport. Fans, scouts and coaches will see the next wave of Hall of Famers, All-Pro selections, Super Bowl winners and eventual draft busts all trying to prove themselves.
This is a life-changing opportunity for many of the top prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. A strong showing at the scouting combine can elevate someone’s draft stock by multiple rounds, the difference between millions of dollars and fighting for a roster spot.
While some of the top prospects might skip specific drills and even some head coaches will bypass the NFL Combine, this is one of the most important events on the offseason calendar.
Keeping that in mind, here’s everything you need to know about the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine.
What is the NFL Combine?
The NFL Combine is a four-day event where some of the top prospects in the upcoming draft class are allowed to showcase their skills in front of all 32 NFL teams. As perfectly described by the league itself, this is an invite-only event that offers young football players with a shot to prove themselves on the biggest stage.
“The National Invitational Camp (NIC) is the Super Bowl of the player development process. Also known as the NFL Scouting Combine, this four-day, invitation-only event allows NFL scouts to evaluate that year’s top draft-eligible college players on a variety of medical, mental and physical criteria. Only 300 or so players attend each year.”
NFL’s expalnation of the NFL Scouting Combine
Players will experience a wide variety of things at the NFL Combine. They have sit-down interviews with coaches and general managers to discuss their personal background, schemes, and transitioning to the NFL and can address any off-field or character concerns. Prospects also go through exhaustive medical testing, with their physical, medical and mental health reviewed.
On top of that, they put their physical skills on display and get to meet with NFL reporters for the first time. The four-day event is essentially a gauntlet of activities that keep them busy and has a profound impact on each player’s future.
When is the NFL Scouting Combine 2023?
The NFL Combine is from Thursday, March 2 – Sunday, March 5 and it is located in Indianapolis, Indiana. While the league has made numerous changes to the NFL Scouting Combine every year, it has been held in Indianapolis since 1987.
Where is the 2023 NFL Combine? Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana
Fans are welcome to buy tickets to the NFL Scouting Combine. While spectators are welcome, they will be kept separate from the NFL teams and draft prospects who are working out inside Lucas Oil Stadium. Meetings with team officials are held in hotels located in downtown Indianapolis.
NFL Combine participants – How many players go to NFL Scouting Combine?
A total of 319 prospects were invited to the 2023 NFL Combine. While some prospects will decline the invitations, there will be approximately 300 draft-eligible players staying in Indianapolis for the event.
Here’s a full breakdown of the 319 participants invited. Of note, 13 Alabama players were invited to the NFL Combine and 12 Georgia Bulldogs received invites. TCU (nine), Ohio State (eight) and Michigan (nine) were among the schools with the most invites.
2023 NFL Combine participation tracker: Who is skipping the combine?
For many of the top draft prospects, there is nothing to be gained from participating in the NFL Scouting Combine. As a result, they show up to Indianapolis to simply go through medicals and meet with teams.
Here are the prospects who won’t be full participants at the 2023 NFL Combine.
Bryce Young, QB, Alabama – Not throwing at NFL Combine
Tyree Wilson, EDGE, Texas Tech – Not taking part in NFL Combine drills (fractured foot)
Jalen Carter, DL, Georgia – Not participating in combine drills
Zach Evans, RB, Ole Miss – Not participating in combine drills (hamstring)
Will Anderson Jr, EDGE, Alabama – Limited on-field work
Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee – Not taking part in combine drills (torn ACL)
JL Skinner, S, Boise State – Not participating in combine drills (torn pec)
Jaquelin Roy, DT, LSU – Not participating in combine drills (hamstring)
Here is a breakdown for the entire NFL Scouting Combine schedule, with a day-by-day guide for which position groups will practice at what days and times.
Thursday, March 2
Positions: Defensive Lineman and Linebackers
Time: Drills start at 3 PM ET
TV: ESPN, NFL Network
Friday, March 3
Positions: Cornerbacks and Safeties
Time: Drills start at 3 PM ET
TV: ESPN, NFL Network
Saturday, March 4
Positions: Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
The 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, 3-cone drill and broad jump are among the most important drills at the NFL Combine for teams. Of course, each drill holds a varied significance to each position.
40-yard dash
Using both electronic and hand times, NFL teams have players run 40 yards to determine their speed. While a 40-yard time isn’t necessarily important for linemen, the 10-yard split shows how explosive they are. For skill players, the 40-yard dash shows their long speed and max speed.
The bench press at the NFL Combine measures how much upper-body strength a draft prospect has. The bench press requires each participant to lift a 225-pound barbell as many times as possible. While the drill is losing its importance to evaluators, it remains popular for fans watching on television.
The vertical jump is one way NFL teams measure an athlete’s explosiveness. Standing flat-footed, each participant must jump as high as they can and touch as many of the elevated flags as possible. A stick is then brought in to measure how many inches the athlete jumped, with the number helping show how much initial explosiveness a player offers.
Similar to the vertical jump, the broad jump tests an athlete’s explosiveness and lower-body strength with an emphasis on the hips and ankles. Standing flat-footed, the athletes jump forward as far as they can and they must land balanced on two feet and hold it for the measurement to count. It’s a valuable drill for running backs, wide receivers and pass rushers.
The 3-cone drill at the NFL Combine measures an athlete’s change-of-direction ability and hip fluidity. It’s important for positions like cornerback, wide receiver and running backs. You can watch an example of it below.