The who, what and why of the NFL's talent showcase

Though the crowds are a lot quieter than a typical game, the audience at the scouting combine likely takes a much more intense interest in what happens on the field. Todd Rosenberg/SI

By Tony Pauline, Special to SI.com, TFYDraft.com

Hundreds of NFL draft hopefuls will be working out this week for NFL coaches, scouts and GMs at the annual scouting combine in Indianapolis. SI.com offers a quick guide to how the next week of talent analysis will play out.

When? Feb. 21 through Feb. 26.

Where? Indianapolis Convention Center and RCA Dome

Who? More than 325 of the top NFL prospects available for April's draft. Coaching staffs, personnel departments, scouting departments and medical staffs from all 32 franchises, as well as a large number of team owners and executives. More than 400 members of the media.

In past years a committee of a half dozen people chose who would be invited to the combine. This committee was made up of general managers and combine officials. The process changed this year. The officials of the combine initiated a list of the players they thought were worthy of an invitation to Indianapolis. They then sat down with representatives from the leagues 32 teams and whittled the names down to the final list. Wiggle room was left to offer a few late invitations for deserving players who may have been left off the initial list.

What Will Happen? Players will be brought to the combine by position and stay a total of four days. Positions are brought in by entire units (offensive linemen, defensive linemen, defensive backs, etc.) and are staggered over the six-day period.

During the first three days players are measured and weighed, physically examined, mentally tested and interviewed.

The physical exams include a complete orthopedic check, X-rays and a MRI if a team requests one. Players may be asked to undergo a second physical exam should something show up on their MRI or X-rays. Urine samples are completed during this time, too.

Players also are administered the infamous Wonderlic Personnel Test, which usually occurs on the second day of their combine visit. A 12-minute, 50-question exam, the Wonderlic is used to help assess aptitude for learning a job and adapting to solve problems. It offers NFL teams a barometer of how well players will digest playbooks and adapt to potentially difficult surroundings.

It is also during this time players are asked to participate in the bench press. Except for quarterbacks and place kickers/punters, players are asked to lift as many repetitions as possible on the bench with 225 pounds on the bar.

In this initial period players are interviewed throughout the day by a number of teams. Some players may meet with more than 25 teams, if those franchises have an interest in the prospect's talents and feel they have a chance to select him. The interviews last 15 minutes each, and teams can interview a maximum of 60 players at the combine.

Though possible, it is unusual for a player to deny an interview request or turn down the mental or physical examinations.

The fourth and final day of a combine visits consists of a workout on the floor of the RCA Dome, during which each player is asked to participate in a 40-yard dash, a vertical jump, a broad jump and a three cone exercise, or L-drill. Depending on the position, some players are asked to participate in the 20-yard shuttle run (QB, OL, DL) or both the 20-yard and 60-yard shuttle runs (RB, TE, WR, LB, DB).

While many players participate in the workout, a large number do not. Some cannot due to injury, while others purposely avoid testing in the RCA Dome, preferring an individual or pro-day workout at the comfortable surroundings of their college.

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