The 2023 NFL Combine and What to Expect Heading into the Draft
Following the exciting Super Bowl LVII and a victory for the Kansas City Chiefs, it is now time to look ahead toward one of the most exciting events of the National Football League, the NFL Draft. Each year, the scouting combine is held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN to prepare for the NFL Draft. The 2023 combine just wrapped up this past weekend, taking place February 27th until this past Friday, March 6th. Knowing what the combine is and how it operates is pivotal to understand the upcoming draft, so follow along for a recap of what you may have missed last week.
The combine was first introduced in 1982 and was created by former Cowboys President and General Manager Tex Schramm. The week-long event was created so that NFL coaches, scouts, and general managers could evaluate the top prospects coming out of college football, all in one place at the same time. For players to be eligible for the draft they must have been out of high school for three years and used up all of their college eligibility. Prior to the creation of the combine, coaches, scouts, and general managers had to set up their own interviews and evaluations with players prior to drafting them.
During the combine, players are asked to participate in various on-field drills and mental and physical tests. Some of these activities include the 40-yard dash, 225-pound bench press, the vertical jump, and a drug screening. The staff from each NFL team is also allocated 15-minute interviews with 60 players of their choice. The most notable event at the combine is the 40-yard dash. The 40-yard dash is supposed to resemble the time it takes during a game from when the punter kicks the ball to the opposing team after a set of downs. The average time it takes from when the ball leaves the punter’s foot, flies in the air, and reaches the hands of the opposing player on the other side of the field is 4.5 seconds. The fastest recorded 40-yard dash time at the combine was performed in 4.22 seconds in 2017 by John Ross, the former Wide Receiver at the University of Washington, who was drafted as the number nine overall pick in the 2017 draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.
Typically, the most exciting players to watch and look out for at the combine and heading into the draft are quarterbacks. This year, there are many talented quarterbacks who have entered this year’s draft. After this past week’s combine, analysts from Bleacher Report and CBS Sports noted that this year’s top quarterback prospects “did not disappoint and their performances exceeded expectations.” The most noteworthy quarterbacks are C.J. Stroud from The Ohio State University, Anthony Richardson from the University of Florida, and Bryce Young from the University of Alabama. According to Bleacher Report, they analyzed Stroud as “the most accurate quarterback at the combine and Richardson as having the most impressive overall performance.” Richardson recorded a 4.43-second 40-yard dash and a 40.5-inch vertical jump. Another notable player who is expected to get drafted in the first round of the NFL draft is outside linebacker Will Anderson, from the University of Alabama. Standing at 6 foot 4 and 250 pounds, Anderson recorded a 4.6-second 40-yard dash.
After an exciting and promising 2023 NFL combine, scouts, coaches, and analysts are looking forward to a thrilling draft. The 2023 NFL draft will take place in Kansas City, Missouri, and the first round will be televised on April 27th. The Chicago Bears hold this year’s first-overall pick after a disappointing season. While the 2023 NFL combine is not watched by as many viewers as the draft, it is a key aspect in how teams choose which up-and-coming stars to put on their rosters. NFL superfans should be sure to tune into the combine to get insight into which college football players could be the next franchise stars on their favorite teams.