NFL
Where is the NFL Scouting Combine 2024? When does it start?
With the embers of Super Bowl LVIII still warm, we already begin to turn our attention to one of the key days in the NFL’s offseason, the Combine.
Are you still recovering and/or celebrating following the Chiefs’ dramatic overtime win over the 49ers in Super Bowl 2024? Well, just when you thought the gridiron action was in the rear view mirror, we are here to remind you that there’s always some football to keep us focused. That’s right, it’s the moment when some dreams become reality and others are shattered. For all young football players, the NFL combine is the place and time when they have the opportunity to prove themselves worthy of a spot on one of the league’s teams. With that in mind, here’s a look at what it is, where it is and how it all goes down.
What is the NFL Combine? What drills are there?
If there is one major highlight before the Draft process begins, it’s got to be the NFL’s Scouting Combine.The country’s top football prospects attempt to stake their claims in front of head coaches, general managers, scouts and executives. Also known as the “Underwear Olympics,” the Combine is largely a proving ground for young players who run the gauntlet of drills which include the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump, bench press, 20-yard shuttle, 60-yard shuttle and many more. For perspective, John Ross still holds the fastest time in the 40-yard dash, which he set at 4:22 back in 2017. Check out some of the greatest Combine feats over the years.
On the other hand, the Combine also represents a key moment in the filtering process. prospects are also asked to attend interviews with coaches and general managers alike. Needless to say, these sessions go a long way toward determining the character and personality of players, something which is as important - if not more so - as their on field skills. Where this year’s combine is concerned, at the time of writing we do not have the definitive number of names that will be taking part but last year’s 319 invites give you an idea of what to expect. After the Combine they will also participate in College Pro Days, which begin in the subsequent days, where they will be given the opportunity to work out - with scouts present - at their respective schools.
When & where is the 2024 NFL Combine?
Running from 26 February to 4 March - but with the on-field workouts from Thursday 29 February (yes, it’s a leap year) until Sunday 3 March - the 2024 NFL combine will be staged at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, home of the Indianapolis Colts in Indiana. Interestingly, the event has been held in Indianapolis since 1987 and will continue that tradition for the foreseeable, with the 2025 edition already secured.
The days are split across player positions with, for example, Running Backs, Quarterbacks and Wide Receivers invited on Saturday 2 March.
Who will be at the 2024 NFL Combine?
From college football powerhouses like Alabama, all the way down to Vanderbilt, the league’s Scouting Combine is always an interesting time as the next generation of football players hope to make their mark. As mentioned above, they will be evaluated based on a number of criteria from physical condition, to game IQ, to the very nature of the personalities off the field. If there was ever a make-or-break moment in the life of a budding football player, it’s the NFL’s Combine.