The pre-draft process kicks off in earnest this week at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Here is a New England Patriots-centric primer on everything you need to know about one of the NFL’s marquee offseason events:
WHERE IS THE COMBINE?
Indianapolis, as it has been since the late 1980s. The NFL recently made an unsuccessful push to move the event to Los Angeles, but many teams prefer the convenience and familiarity that downtown Indy provides.
The player workouts will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Colts, with many other combine-related activities taking place at the nearby Indianapolis Convention Center.
WHEN IS THE COMBINE?
The on-field portion of the combine doesn’t kick off until Thursday. That’s when defensive linemen and linebackers will complete their drills, followed by defensive backs and specialists on Friday; quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends on Saturday; and O-linemen and running backs on Sunday.
NFL Network will broadcast the player workouts during the following windows:
March 2 (3 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET): DL, LB
March 3 (3 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET): DB, PK/ST
March 4 (1 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET): QB, WR, TE
March 5 (1 p.m. to 7 p.m. ET): OL, RB
Players will meet the media one day before their on-field workout. So, expect to hear from the D-linemen and linebackers on Wednesday, and so forth.
WHAT ARE THE DRILLS?
These seven, plus assorted position-specific drills:
40-yard dash
Bench press
Vertical jump
Broad jump
Three-cone drill
20-yard shuttle
60-yard shuttle
The workout is just one part of a prospect’s combine experience, however. Before taking the field, each will undergo multiple medical examinations, take part in formal and informal meetings with NFL teams, have their official measurements taken (height, weight, arm length, hand size, etc.) and speak with reporters.
Though testing numbers — which paint an overall picture of a prospect’s athletic ability — can and do impact draft position, the medicals and interviews are widely viewed as the more important portion of combine week.
WHICH PLAYERS WILL BE THERE?
A total of 319 draft prospects received combine invites this year, a full rundown of which can be found here. Some invited players will travel to Indianapolis but opt not to participate in some or all drills due to injury or choice.
Recently, it’s become increasingly less common for a draft prospect to test in every available drill. At last year’s combine, only about a third of the participants ran the three-cone drill, and even fewer did the bench press.
WHAT ARE THE PATRIOTS’ NEEDS?
Those could change between now and the draft depending on how the Patriots approach free agency, which opens March 15. But right now, offensive tackle, cornerback and wide receiver look like the top three.
Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski, Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. and Georgia’s Broderick Jones project as the best available tackles entering the combine, though there’s a chance all three will be off the board by the time the Patriots pick at No. 14.
USC’s Jordan Addison, Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Boston College’s Zay Flowers are three wideouts who could be in play in the mid-to-late first round. If the Patriots want to go corner in Round 1, Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon, Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. and Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez would be logical high-end targets.
New England also might need a new free safety if Devin McCourty retires and could look to target a pass-catching running back in the James White mold. Punter could be on Bill Belichick’s radar, too, after Jake Bailey’s poor season and subsequent suspension put his status with the team in question. Keep an eye on the tight ends, as well, with Hunter Henry entering a contract year and Jonnu Smith underperforming.
WHAT ELSE HAPPENS AT THE COMBINE?
A whole lot, actually.
Indianapolis becomes the epicenter of the NFL world this week, with coaches, executives, scouts, agents and media members all packing the same convention center hallways, sports bars and steakhouses. That setting is a natural breeding ground for gossip, so expect to hear plenty of rumors about free agent destinations and in-the-works trades over the coming days.
Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers and cornerback Jonathan Jones headline the Patriots’ list of internal free agents, and New England has been mentioned as a possible trade suitor for several high-profile veterans, including wideouts DeAndre Hopkins and Tee Higgins and corner Jalen Ramsey.
Teams cannot engage in any official discussions about player movement until next month, but the groundwork for many such moves is laid during combine week.
Many NFL head coaches and general managers also hold their first news conferences of the offseason at the combine, though the Patriots always opt out of that opportunity. Belichick hasn’t held an official combine presser in years, and as expected, New England is one of just four teams that isn’t scheduled to have its coach, GM or both meet with reporters this week. The New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers are the others
Those pressers will take place Tuesday and Wednesday. Ex-Patriots employees scheduled to speak include Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels (Tuesday, 10 a.m. ET), Houston Texans GM Nick Caserio (Tuesday, 11:45 a.m.) and Arizona Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort (Tuesday, 12:30 p.m.).
