Why the NFL Combine is Crucial for College Athlete

The National Invitational Camp

The National Invitational Camp (NIC), commonly known as the NFL Scouting Combine, is a four-day invitation. Where NFL scouts evaluate that year's top draft-eligible college players on various medical, mental, and physical criteria. Only around 300 players are invited each year. Besides testing the players, the event also tests the NFL team's personnel department as they make decisions that will shape the future of their Franchise.  The combine draws national attention as fans and the media watch and speculates who will be drafted and where they will go. 

Historical Background

In the 1970s, teams typically didn't give physical exams to the potential draft picks, it wasn't until 1976 that the New York Jets became one of the first teams to invite college seniors to their headquarters for physicals and interviews. Former director of the player's personnel Mike Hickey explained that character and intelligence were important, but the medical aspect was crucial. "We attempt to have every player we are interested in have an orthopedic physical by our team physicians," said Hickey. Other teams followed the Jets' lead, making it their top priority to evaluate prospects through physicals and interviews, which cost a lot of time and money.  Tex Schramm, the president and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys, recommended to the competition committee that teams should work together to centralize the evaluation process. In 1982, Indianapolis-based National Football Scouting Inc., (NFS) conducted the first National Invitational Camp in Tampa, FL. They brought top college draft picks into one location to gather medical backgrounds for the 16-member clubs, The camp featured 163 players, about half the number that attend today, establishing the foundation for assessing potential draftees. Two more camps, run by Blesto and Quadra scouting organizations, soon followed to collect information for teams that didn't partner with NFS.  

Eligibility

A committee of professional NFL talent evaluators coordinates the process of selecting which prospects will attend the scouting combine. The NIC, led by Jeff Foster, who has been president of the NFS since 2005, coordinates the registration process and player logistics. Draft-eligible prospects will not be permitted to participate in any aspect of the combine if a background check reveals a conviction of a felony or misdemeanor involving violence, use of a weapon, domestic violence, sexual offense, or sexual assault. The NFL also reserves the right to deny participation to any prospect dismissed by their university or the NCAA. 

What the NFL Team looks for 

NFL teams use combined data to evaluate players and make decisions about who to draft, teams compare players' combined results to those of other players in the same position they might be looking to fill. They also assess how players perform in drills and interviews with team personnel.