NFL 2024 Scouting Combine Guide: Workout Schedule, How to Watch and More

Only two months remain before National Football League (NFL) commissioner Roger Goodell takes the NFL Draft stage in Detroit to announce this year's first pick, and draft season is about to quickly heat up.

The 2024 NFL scouting combine, a pivotal precursor to the league's signature offseason event, kicks off in Indianapolis on Thursday with on-field workouts inside Lucas Oil Stadium. A first batch of the 300-plus prospects invited to this year's combine arrived in town on Sunday, with more to follow in the coming days. The combine, which will officially conclude March 4 with the bench press for some position groups, serves as an opportunity for college standouts to boost their draft stock and make impressions on NFL general managers, coaches and scouts.

Check out the essential information for this week in Newsweek's NFL scouting combine guide.

NFL Combine 2024 On-Field Schedule

Participants at this year's NFL scouting combine have a loaded itinerary in Indianapolis this week. Medical examinations, team and media interviews, NFLPA meetings, bench press sessions and more are all packed into player schedules, but the on-field workouts are often the main attraction—at least for most football fans—at this annual event.

Spread out over a four-day period late in the week, each player will take the field to engage in a variety of drills, from the 40-yard dash to the broad jump to position-specific activities.

The on-field workout schedule goes as follows:

• Thursday, February 29: Defensive lineman and linebackers at 3 p.m. ET.
• Friday, March 1: Defensive backs and tight ends at 3 p.m. ET.
• Saturday, March 2: Running backs, quarterbacks and wide receivers at 1 p.m. ET.
• Sunday, March 3: Offensive linemen and special teams players at 1 p.m. ET.

How to Watch NFL Scouting Combine

The entire combine will be broadcast exclusively on NFL Network throughout the week, with more than 50 hours of live coverage beginning on Tuesday, according to the league.

NFL Network host Rich Eisen and lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah will anchor coverage of the on-field workouts, the network said, and will be joined by Charles Davis, Peter Schrager, Chris Rose, Ian Rapoport, Stacey Dales and Jamie Erdahl at different points in the event's schedule. New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Cameron Jordan, former NFL offensive tackle Taylor Lewan and NFL Network analyst Shaun O'Hara will also make guest appearances on the air.

Additionally, the scouting combine will be available to stream on NFL+.

Who Was Invited to NFL Combine?

Each year, the combine is a prime opportunity for top college football players—turned draft hopefuls—to showcase their skills in front of NFL decision-makers.

The chance to participate shouldn't be taken lightly. Attendance in Indianapolis is on an invitation basis. According to ESPN, all 32 teams provide input on the draft-eligible prospects they would like to see, then a selection committee reviews and votes on which players will receive a bid. The end goal, per the league, is to invite every player who will be picked in the draft. Earlier this month, the NFL released the 321 players summoned for the 2024 combine.

USC quarterback Caleb Williams, Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers are among the highly touted prospects in this year's group. A full list of invitees was shared by the NFL on X, formerly Twitter.

NFL Combine 40-Yard Dash Record

Perhaps the signature combine event is the 40-yard dash. Prospects get two attempts to run it, while 10 and 20-yard splits are also tracked along the way. In a league that puts a premium on speed, the drill always has evaluators gripping their stopwatches firmly, anxious to see if the speedsters they've identified can put together an impressive—or perhaps even record-breaking—time.

Before new challengers enter the arena this week, here's what the podium for the fastest official 40-yard dash reps in scouting combine history looks like, per the NFL website:

1. John Ross, WR, Washington — 4.22 seconds (2017)
2. Kalon Barnes, CB, Baylor — 4.23 seconds (2022)
3. Chris Johnson, RB, East Carolina — 4.24 seconds (2008)

When Is the 2024 NFL Draft?

The 2024 NFL Draft begins with the first round on Thursday, April 25 in Detroit around Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza. Rounds two and three will air the next day on Friday, April 26 before the event concludes with rounds four through seven on Saturday, April 27. The Chicago Bears—for the moment, at least—are on the clock, owning the 2024 No. 1 overall pick thanks to a trade last year with the Carolina Panthers.