What is the NFL Scouting Combine?
The league’s annual player assessment explained

The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine begins in Indianapolis on Thursday, February 27th, and will run through to Sunday, March 2nd. It provides an opportunity for team scouts to take a closer look at the best college players ahead of April’s draft. Often dubbed the ‘Underwear Olympics’, spandex-clad prospects will take part in both physical and mental assessments, including the 40-yard dash, the bench press, and various position-specific drills.

The results of the Combine are highly publicised but good performances don’t always guarantee a player will make it in the NFL. However, the event represents an opportunity for overlooked players to put themselves in the shop window and get themselves drafted.

Let’s take a look at what the Combine is and how you can watch it…

How to watch the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine

• When? Thursday, February 27th – Sunday, March 2nd
• Where? Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
• How? Watch on NFL Network via NFL Game Pass on DAZN

Who goes to the Combine?

Attendance at the Combine is by invitation only, limited to the best 300 or so college players from around the country. This year, 329 potential future NFL players have been invited to participate. Prospects can decline to take part in the physical drills, preferring to show off their skills at a so-called Pro Day at their university, but most will usually attend in some capacity. For example, this year, top quarterback Shedeur Sanders will be at the Combine, but only to speak to teams.

What do players do at the NFL Scouting Combine?

The 40-yard dash and the bench press are the real highlights of the Combine. In the 40, players get into a sprint stance and on starter’s orders, they just have to run 40 yards as quickly as possible. Speed is important for any player, but wide receivers and cornerbacks usually do the best at this. The record time of 4.21 seconds was set last year by Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who ended up getting drafted in the first round by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Whereas the 40-yard dash is a speed exercise, the bench press is all about power. Prospects are given a 225 lb (102 kg) barbell and tasked with lifting it as many times as possible. There’s no time limit, they just keep going until they can’t manage any more reps. The event is usually dominated by offensive and defensive linemen – the record of 51 reps was set by Eastern Kentucky defensive tackle Justin Ernest back in 1999; however, Ernest went undrafted, ending up on the Saints practice squad, but never played in the league despite his record-breaking performance.

Other drills include the vertical jump and the broad jump, which test the height and distance prospects can leap to from a standing start; the 20-yard shuttle, which tests a prospect’s lateral movement and ability to change direction; and the three-cone drill, in which prospects have to run as quickly as possible in a set pattern around three cones laid out in an L-shape.

Players will also participate in position-specific drills. One highlight is the receiver drill known as the Gauntlet. Players run across the field catching balls from alternating sides until they reach the far sideline before turning upfield towards the end zone. This tests not only the player’s ability to catch but also to find the ball in the air quickly after getting their head around.

Is the Combine just about physical traits?

The Combine also represents an opportunity for teams to get to know the prospects as people, not just as players. Teams can interview up to 60 candidates for 15 minutes at a time. Interviews can range from questions about football IQ to delving into the player’s family history.

Players may also undergo the Wonderlic test, which grades their cognitive aptitude on a scale of 0-50. These grades usually aren’t released publicly, but a score of 20 is considered average. Offensive tackles typically score best, with an average of around 26, while running backs are the lowest, averaging at 16. Quarterbacks are typically around 24.

When can I watch the Combine this year?

Each day of this year’s Combine will see different positional groups take the field for drills. These will get underway at 3pm ET (8pm GMT) each day, and you can watch live on NFL Network via NFL Game Pass on DAZN. This is when each position group will be taking the field:

• Thursday, February 27th: Defensive linemen/linebackers
• Friday, February 28th: Defensive backs/tight ends
• Saturday, March 1st: Quarterbacks/wide receivers/running backs
• Sunday, March 2nd: Offensive linemen

Keep an eye out for NFL Network’s Rich Eisen over the course of the weekend. Every year since 2015, the presenter has run the 40-yard dash to raise money for St Jude Children’s Research Hospital. His best run came in 2016, when he dipped just under the 6-second mark!

Who are you most looking forward to seeing in this year’s Combine? How do you think the top prospects will do? Let us know via email at UKVikingsFanClub@gmail.com or on any of our social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Discord)