The NFL Scouting Combine has descended upon Indianapolis this week, and the countdown to April’s NFL Draft in Pittsburgh has begun.

A total of 319 prospects were invited to this year’s combine, where they will have the opportunity to prove themselves to NFL teams through a series of athletic drills, medical evaluations, cognition tests and interviews.

In recent years, many top players have opted out of on-field combine evaluations. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, this year’s projected No. 1 pick, said throwing at the combine won’t be a priority and he’s instead planning on showing off his arm at Indiana’s pro day April 1.

“At the combine, you’re throwing to different receivers, the whole different thing,” Mendoza said on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Feb. 6. “I want to make sure that I give my guys the best chance, so I want to throw at pro day with my guys, with my running backs and be there with the boys.”

Mendoza’s decision is in line with the thinking of the last three top overall picks, Cam Ward (2025), Caleb Williams (2024) and Bryce Young (2023). For some top prospects, combine participation can look more like a risk to their draft stock than an opportunity, and they’d prefer to lean on game tape and pro day evaluations with familiar receivers. Moreover, the Los Angeles Rams and others have changed their approach to combine scouting, with many staffers evaluating the event virtually.

Mendoza also mentioned the quick turnaround to the combine as a factor in his decision. With the expanded College Football Playoff, Mendoza and the Hoosiers won the national championship Jan. 19, giving players just about one month to begin draft prep.

On-field testing aside, the combine is still an important opportunity for players to meet and interview with potential teams.

“Whenever I watch interviews or ask former NFL players,” Mendoza said, “they say, ‘Hey, this is an eight-week interview. You’ve got to give it your all, limit your distractions and really lock in because where you go and how you set yourself up in front of these GMs and in front of these teams is going to change your life forever.’ So, I’m making sure I have my head to the grindstone.”

This year’s draft class is rich in top-tier talent at edge rusher and linebacker. Two players at each position rank in the top 10 of the prospect rankings from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, including Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 1. Wide receiver is another deep group, highlighted by Carnell Tate (Ohio State), Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State) and Makai Lemon (USC).

The class is thin at running back, with the caveat being that Notre Dame star Jeremiyah Love (third) is the only running back ranked in Brugler’s top 50.

The combine will take place Feb. 23 through March 2. Tuesday and Wednesday feature media interviews with coaches and general managers around the league, and players start doing media availability Wednesday morning. On-field drills begin Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium and will be completed by position group according to the following schedule:

• Thursday, 3 p.m.; place kickers, defensive linemen, linebackers
• Friday, 3 p.m.; tight ends, defensive backs
• Saturday, 1 p.m.; quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs
• Sunday, 1 p.m.; offensive linemen

On-field drills include the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, standing broad jump, three-cone drill and shuttle. A breakdown of each event is here. Receiver Xavier Worthy most recently set a combine record with a 4.21-second 40-yard dash in 2024, leading up to his first-round selection by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Players to watch and other notes

I asked Brugler, The Athletic’s draft expert, for players to watch in Indianapolis. Here’s what he told me:

• Brugler predicts Mississippi State wide receiver Brenen Thompson will have the fastest 40-yard dash. Thompson is 74th on Brugler’s prospect rankings, and he led the SEC in receiving yards in 2025. Across stints at Texas, Oklahoma and Mississippi State, Thompson played in 40 career games with 23 starts.

• Oklahoma wide receiver Deion Burks could climb draft boards with a strong combine showing. Burks is not ranked on Brugler’s top 100 prospects list, so he could be an underdog in this strong class of receivers. He totaled 57 receptions for 620 yards and four touchdowns for the Sooners in 2025, and had his best game (seven catches, 107 yards) in the playoff loss to Alabama.

• South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse ranks 14th on Brugler’s prospect list. In one season with the Gamecocks, Cisse tied for second on the team in pass breakups (five) while also recording 27 tackles (19 solo stops). His speed and athleticism stand out, and Brugler expects Cisse to put up impressive showings in the 40-yard dash and vertical jump (could get over 40 inches).

• Also, per Brugler, Oregon left tackle Isaiah World suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during the Ducks’ playoff loss against Indiana on Jan. 9. World had surgery earlier this month for the injury, and won’t be attending the combine.