4. Why is the Combine important?
Teams usually break down the Combine into three main categories: interviews, medical exams and on-field workouts.
While some players at the Combine recently participated in the Senior Bowl or East-West Shrine Bowl, numerous prospects did not.
This means it is the first chance for teams to get an up close look at prospects with individual interviews that last 18 minutes. These interviews can cover a wide range of topics from football to what a player is like away from the field.
Medical exams are also a huge part of the equation, too, as teams want to ensure a player doesn’t have any red flags going forward.
And players can obviously help or hurt their stock with their on-field performance, too. Drills held inside Lucas Oil Stadium include the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and position-specific drills such as throwing for quarterbacks or movement work for linemen.
Here is the schedule for on-field workouts:
Thursday, Feb. 26 at noon (PT): defensive linemen and linebackers
Friday, Feb. 27 at noon (PT): defensive backs and tight ends
Saturday, Feb. 28 at 10 a.m. (PT): quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs
Sunday, March 1 at 10 a.m. (PT): offensive linemen
The 2026 Combine can be seen on NFL Network.
5. What positions could the Chargers focus on?
With free agency less than a month away, the Chargers have lots of flexibility as they navigate forward with the No. 22 pick.
Recent mock drafts have the Bolts taking everything from an offensive lineman or wide receiver on offense, while pundits have also projected help at edge rusher and along the defensive line on the other side of the ball.
While free agency will surely shape the Chargers roster when the New League Year begins on March 11, the Combine will serve as an important marker for Hortiz and the Bolts front office.
The 2026 NFL Draft will be held April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.