NFL combine: Who to watch, how to watch, when to watch

Every late February, the NFL world descends on Indianapolis, where league decisionmakers conduct unofficial free agent business and official NFL draft business. This year, 329 college prospects were invited. Players, agents, coaches, front office executives and team medical personnel are all there for their own angle, which revolves around transaction season starting with the opening of free agency on March 12 and followed by April’s NFL draft. Teams put players through a long list of evaluations, including medical testing, group interviews, on-field drills, strength testing and measurements.

While the NFL has explored moving the combine out of Indianapolis, the league announced in November that the event will remain in place through at least 2026. This is the combine’s 38th consecutive year in Indy.

The NFL Network will broadcast four days of live on-field drills from Thursday through Sunday, beginning with defensive linemen and linebackers from 2-7 p.m. Central time on Thursday. The league network is also streaming the event through the NFL app or NFL.com/watch.

Thursday, 2 p.m.: Defensive linemen and linebackers

Friday, 2 p.m.: Defensive backs and tight ends

Saturday, noon: Quarterbacks, receivers and running backs

Sunday, noon: Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen: You’ll hear talking heads decrying this as a bad draft, but that’s not the D-line’s fault. Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter is often mocked as the No. 1 overall pick to the Tennessee Titans. Carter tops what NFL Media draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah called a deep class along the defensive line, where two Vikings starters — interior defenders Jerry Tillery and Jonathan Bullard — are pending free agents. “Some positions maybe don’t have that superstar that we have had in years past,” Jeremiah said, “but we do have a boatload of starters, particularly the defensive line. A bunch of really, really good players.”

Locals: Gophers offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery (listed 6-foot-6, 330 pounds by the program) may be the best NFL prospect among the six University of Minnesota prospects invited to Indianapolis. There aren’t many people born with the capability to fill out a tall and long frame like Ersery, who was a three-year starter at left tackle for the Gophers. Apple Valley’s Bilhal Kone, a Western Michigan cornerback and one of four Mid-American Conference players invited, will take the field on Friday. Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer and receiver Daniel Jackson follow him on Saturday. Ersery and other offensive linemen run drills Sunday.

Will a quarterback emerge? This year’s QB class resembles 2022 in its lack of excitement and consensus about potential franchise passers. In 2022, the one and only first-round quarterback went 20th overall when Kenny Pickett was drafted by the Steelers. This year, Miami’s Cam Ward has frequently been mocked as the top passer ahead of Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, the youngest son of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders. The teams at the top of the draft order — the Titans, Browns and Giants — all need a starting quarterback.

The most visible portion of the week will be the televised on-field drills, in which you’ll see a lot of speed and agility testing such as the 40-yard dash or 20-yard shuttle. Quarterbacks will throw various routes. Receivers or safeties will run the “gauntlet drill,” in which players make a series of catches both flat-footed and while sprinting to either sideline. More data is collected behind closed doors via MRI and X-ray machines, and interview sessions teams use to try to evaluate intangibles like football knowledge, personality, commitment, etc. Each team can invite 45 prospects throughout the week for official 18-minute interviews with a group of team personnel. Those interviews used to be conducted in team hotels, but have recently been moved to Lucas Oil Stadium suites. Teams also conduct unofficial interviews, often by assistant coaches in a quicker manner that players liken to speed dating.

Coach Kevin O’Connell and General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah are scheduled to be on the podium for news conferences in Indianapolis on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. and noon Central time, respectively. Both are also scheduled to sit down with local reporters.

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