Every year, since 1987, the NFL has made a mass pilgrimage to Indianapolis for the NFL Combine ahead of the draft. Some of the best football players and athletes are represented each year, but how are the players that are on show selected for the league’s annual testing and measuring event?
How Are Players Selected for the NFL Combine?
Participants for the NFL Combine are selected by the Player Selection Committee. The committee is made up of individuals from several NFL player personnel departments, and the directors of the National and BLESTO (Bears-Lions-Eagles-Steelers Talent Organization).
Every single player that is eligible for the NFL Combine — see eligibility criteria below — is voted on by the Player Selection Committee. Selection is done on a position-by-position basis. If a player receives the requisite number of votes, within their position group, then they will be invited to the event in Indianapolis.
MORE: What Is the NFL Combine?
As per NFLcombine.net, “while it is not a perfect science, the goal of the committee is to invite every player that will be drafted in the ensuing NFL Draft.”
With over 300 players invited annually and around 250-265 draft picks every year, the chances of hitting that goal should be remarkably high. However, there are multiple players each year that aren’t invited to Indianapolis that go on to be selected in the NFL draft.
Which Players Are Eligible for the NFL Combine?
In order to be invited to the NFL Combine, first, you must be eligible. At present, there are three eligibility criteria, and a player must meet one of them to be invited to Indianapolis.
The eligibility criteria are as follows:
- All college seniors are eligible immediately following their final year of eligibility.
- All underclassmen who declare for the NFL Draft in advance of the deadline while satisfying all NCAA and NFL requirements.
- Any athlete who is not playing college football may qualify under a special circumstance. Said athlete must enter in the year that he would naturally be draftable had he they been playing collegiately.
Any player seeking eligibility for the NFL Combine under the third criteria element must contact the NFL’s Player Personnel Department to verify their eligibility for the draft they intend to enter.
How Many Players Get Invited to the NFL Combine?
While there isn’t a minimum number of players that can be invited to the NFL Combine, to satisfy the Player Selection Committee’s goal of inviting every player who will be drafted, the number of invitees usually surpasses 300 each draft cycle.
This number varies due to the available talent each year. While NFLcombine.net states that the event can facilitate up to 335 players each year, there have been events with 337 players in recent years. The 319 players invited to the 2023 Combine is the lowest there has been since 2010.