NFL Scouting Combine 2017: Schedule, events, participants and what to know

The NFL Scouting Combine is officially underway with prospects starting to arrive in Indianapolis and NFL team executives and coaches taking over the city. NFL prospects will be heavily evaluated, analyzed and sized up during the next week as their football ability, strength, body and even IQ come into question.

Prospects are also analyzed by a psychologist during team interviews and complete the Wonderlic test to further test their intelligence. It’s far more than football that is evaluated at the Scouting Combine each year. Last year, the Bengals asked wide receiver prospect Josh Doctson the following question during his interview with the team: If you're standing at the northeast corner of a grass field at 4 p.m., which way is your shadow cast? Would you have known the answer?

Teams will learn quite a bit about prospects during the Combine, and about far more than just their football skills. As the NFL Combine has become a major drawing point for NFL fans, many of the events during the Combine are televised and this year for the first time, there are even events that fans can attend at Lucas Oil Stadium.

During the Combine, free agency rumors and offseason decisions begin to come into focus. Every team will have multiple representatives on hand (so naturally, rumors run wild) and each team also will have a representative speak at the podium to reporters in attendance during the Combine. Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis will be meeting with the media on Friday, March 8 at 11:00 a.m. ET.

Here’s everything you need to know to watch and follow the 2017 NFL Combine.

What To Know

When: Feb. 28 to March 6

Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis

TV: NFL Network

Live stream: NFL Mobile App and NFL.com/nflnetwork

In-person fan events: 2017 NFL Combine Experience

NFL Network media team: A 21-person roster of talent will cover the Combine on television, including NFL Draft experts Mike Mayock, Charles Davis and Daniel Jeremiah. Rich Eisen anchors NFL Network's coverage of the on-field workouts, joined by Mayock and NFL Network's team of analysts. Expert commentary includes Marshall Faulk on running backs (Friday), Shaun O'Hara on offensive linemen (Friday), David Carr on quarterbacks (Saturday), Michael Irvin and Steve Smith Sr. on wide receivers (Saturday), Willie McGinest on pass rushers (Sunday), and Deion Sanders on defensive backs (Monday). Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen will join NFL Network's live coverage of on-field drills on Saturday. Additional coverage on NFL Network is provided by Melissa Stark and Steve Mariucci interviewing a variety of coaches and general managers, as well as NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport and NFL Network reporter Kimberly Jones providing the latest news reports from around the league.

Schedule

Tuesday, Feb. 28:

— Special teams players, offensive linemen, running backs arrive

— Special teams players, offensive linemen, and running backs go through hospital pre-exam and X-rays, overflow testing, orientation, and interviews

— 1:00 p.m. NFL Scouting Combine NFL Network TV coverage

— 5:00 p.m. NFL Scouting Combine NFL Network TV coverage

Wednesday, March 1:

— Quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends arrive

— Quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends go through hospital pre-exam and X-rays, overflow testing, orientation, and interviews

— Special teams players, offensive linemen, and running backs go through measurements, medical examinations, overflow testing, and interviews

— 1:00 p.m. NFL Scouting Combine coach and GM interviews on NFL Network

Thursday, March 2:

— Defensive linemen and linebackers arrive

— Defensive linemen and linebackers go through hospital pre-exam and X-rays, overflow testing, orientation, and interviews

— Quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends go through measurements, medical examinations, overflow testing, and interviews

— Special teams players, offensive linemen, and running backs go through psychological testing, an NFLPA meeting, workouts, media, bench press, and interviews

— 1:00 p.m. NFL Scouting Combine coach and GM interviews on NFL Network

Friday, March 3:

— Defensive backs arrive

— Defensive backs go through hospital pre-exam and X-rays, overflow testing, orientation, and interviews

— Defensive linemen and linebackers go through measurements, medical examinations, overflow testing, and interviews

— Quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends go through psychological testing, an NFLPA meeting, media, bench press, and interviews

— Special teams players, offensive linemen, and running backs go through an on-field workout (timing, stations, skill drills), then depart from Indianapolis

— TV coverage of running backs, offensive linemen and special teams participants taking the field for the first day of on-field workouts. This begins at 9:00 a.m. ET.

Saturday, March 4:

— Defensive backs go through measurements, medical examinations, overflow testing, and interviews

— Defensive linemen and linebackers go through psychological testing, an NFLPA meeting, media, bench press, and interviews

— Quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends go through an on-field workout (timing, stations, skill drills), then depart from Indianapolis

— TV coverage of quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends taking the field for the second day of on-field workouts. This begins at 9:00 a.m. ET.

Sunday, March 5:

— Defensive backs go through psychological testing, an NFLPA meeting, media, bench press, and interviews

— Defensive linemen and linebackers go through an on-field workout (timing, stations, skill drills), then depart from Indianapolis

— TV coverage of defensive linemen and linebackers taking the field for day three of on-field workouts. This begins at 9:00 a.m. ET.

Monday, March 6:

— Defensive backs go through an on-field workout (timing, stations, skill drills), then depart from Indianapolis

— TV coverage of defensive backs as they take the field for day four of on-field workouts. This begins at 9:00 a.m. ET.

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Here’s a look at the measurable drills prospects take part in at the combine:

40-yard dash: The 40-yard dash measures an athlete’s speed and explosion. The 40-yard dash is a fan-favorite among the Combine events as the prospects will attempt to run as fast as they can for 40 yards down a football field. Former Bengals first round pick Jonathan Joseph still maintains one of the fastest 40-yard dash times among all NFL players (4.31 seconds in 2006). Running a fast 40 can push a prospect into first round contention, while a bad time can hurt a player’s draft stock with some significance.

Bench press: The bench press measures strength as prospects attempt to bench as many 225 pound reps as possible. Bengals center Russell Bodine remains one of the best all-time bench press performers at the Combine, as he registered 42 reps, which is tied for sixth best.

Vertical jump: With the vertical jump, scouts are looking for lower-body explosion and power. An athlete’s reach is measured here, after jumping into the air, flat footed.

Broad jump: Different from the vertical jump, the broad jump tests lower-body explosion and lower-body strength. Prospects must land without movement.

3-cone drill: The 3-cone drill is used to measure an athlete's ability to change directions at a high speed. Three cones are placed in an L-shape and here’s what happens, per NFL.com: Prospects begin at the starting line, go 5 yards to the first cone and back. Then, turn, run around the second cone, run a weave around the third cone, which is the high point of the L, change directions, come back around that second cone and finish off the drill.

Shuttle run: The short shuttle measures lateral quickness and explosion in limited areas. Per NFL.com: The athlete starts in the three-point stance, explodes out 5 yards to his right, touches the line, goes back 10 yards to his left, left hand touches the line, pivot, and he turns 5 more yards and finishes.

Read more about the drills here.