NFL Combine 2026: NFL Combine Schedule, Workouts, and What To Watch

The nfl combine 2026 is underway in Indianapolis, bringing hundreds of draft prospects into football’s most compressed evaluation window. Over a few days, teams collect verified measurements, medical information, interviews, and on-field testing data that can reshape draft boards in real time. For fans tracking the 2026 class, the nfl combine offers a first side-by-side look at elite athletes running the same drills under the same conditions, with every tenth of a second carrying real financial stakes.

NFL Combine 2026: Why This Year’s Event Feels Bigger

The nfl combine 2026 arrives at a moment when front offices are leaning harder on verified athletic thresholds, position-specific movement skills, and durability indicators. For prospects, it’s the closest thing to a standardized exam: height, weight, arm length, hand size, explosiveness tests, change-of-direction drills, and the headline sprint. For teams, it’s also an information marketplace—formal interviews and informal meetings help confirm whether a player’s film matches his habits, personality, and learning style.

The result is a weekend where “winners” and “losers” can shift quickly. A smooth field workout can elevate a mid-round projection into Day 2. A slow forty or tight hips in agility work can prompt deeper film review. And sometimes the most meaningful movement happens quietly in medical rechecks and team interviews rather than on the broadcast.

NFL Combine Schedule: Day-by-Day Workout Times in ET

Below is the nfl combine schedule for the on-field workouts (all times Eastern Time). These are the primary “workout window” blocks when position groups take the field for testing and drills.

With today falling on Friday, Feb. 27, the spotlight shifts to defensive backs and tight ends in the afternoon-to-evening window. The weekend slate is typically the most watched, with quarterbacks, wide receivers, and running backs on Saturday, then offensive linemen closing the on-field portion Sunday.

NFL Combine: The Drills That Move Draft Boards Fast

The nfl combine isn’t a full football game, but certain drills can answer specific questions scouts carry from the season:

Speed and acceleration: The 40-yard dash remains the headline, but scouts also focus on the start and the first 10 yards for positions that win with burst. A clean, powerful start can matter as much as the final time.

Explosiveness: Vertical and broad jumps help quantify lower-body power. Teams often use these as supporting evidence for a player who flashes suddenness on tape—or as a red flag when the athletic profile doesn’t match the film reputation.

Change of direction: Shuttle and three-cone testing can validate fluidity, balance, and stop-start quickness. These numbers tend to loom larger for defensive backs, receivers, and some linebackers than for pure linear athletes.

Position drills: Route detail for tight ends, hip transitions for defensive backs, hand usage and bend for edge defenders—these are the moments where a prospect can either look natural or look like he’s thinking through every step.

What To Watch Tonight and Through the Weekend

For Friday’s defensive backs, focus on backpedal-to-break efficiency, body control at the catch point, and whether top prospects move like true outside corners or project better inside. Cornerbacks who can flip hips smoothly and drive downhill without wasted steps tend to separate themselves quickly.

For tight ends, the range of outcomes is wide: some will test like oversized wideouts and cement mismatch potential; others will aim to prove they can move well enough to stay on the field for all three downs. Scouts will be watching how cleanly tight ends accelerate into routes, how naturally they catch away from their frame, and whether they show the flexibility to handle varied alignments.

Saturday is the marquee day. Quarterbacks draw the most attention, but their throwing session is best viewed as a timing-and-footwork check rather than a definitive ranking. For wide receivers and running backs, the weekend can turn on speed plus smooth movement: crisp routes, easy changes of direction, and confident hands. Sunday’s offensive line session is a different kind of test—more about foot quickness, body control, and the ability to mirror in space than about raw power.

How Fans and Bettors Misread the NFL Combine—and How Not To

It’s easy to overreact to a single number, but the nfl combine works best as a context tool. A blazing time doesn’t automatically make someone a better football player, and a mediocre test doesn’t automatically erase high-level film. The most useful approach is to connect results back to tape: does the testing confirm what you already saw, or does it reveal a mismatch that needs explanation?

As the nfl combine 2026 continues through Sunday, expect rankings to move at the margins first—special athletes who confirm elite traits, plus a handful of surprises who test above expectations. The biggest changes often come from the combination of verified athleticism, clean medicals, and strong interviews—three pillars that can turn a “maybe” prospect into a confident draft investment.