The NFL Combine 2024 launches Thursday at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium, with 329 prospects battling to reshape the 2024 NFL Draft landscape. For the first time in years, no consensus top pick exists – a reality the Tennessee Titans must navigate with their No. 1 selection. NFL Network coverage begins at 3 p.m. EST Thursday, offering live drills through Sunday.
Colorado’s Travis Hunter enters as the combine’s ultimate wildcard. “Teams are debating if he’s a lockdown corner, elite receiver, or both,” one scout told reporters. Penn State’s Abdul Carter boldly claims he deserves the draft’s top spot, while quarterbacks Cam Ward (Miami) and Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) face pressure to justify hype.
- Thursday: Defensive linemen & linebackers
- Friday: DBs & tight ends
- Saturday: QBs & WRs
- Sunday: RBs & skill positions
Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty (5’9”, 215 lbs) aims to silence size concerns as the draft’s top running back prospect. Michigan’s Will Johnson, recovering from injury, could vault into top-10 contention with a sub-4.4-second 40-yard dash.
“This combine will reshuffle draft boards more than any since 2017,”noted ESPN’s Mel Kiper in a Tuesday podcast.
With $300M+ contracts at stake, prospects undergo rigorous testing:
Key Combine Metrics:
- 40-yard dash (speed)
- Vertical jump (explosiveness)
- 3-cone drill (agility)
- Bench press (strength)
Team interviews – conducted nightly – weigh equally for many franchises. The Chicago Bears (No. 2 pick) and Arizona Cardinals (No. 7) have scheduled 45+ meetings with prospects. As combine results emerge, expect seismic shifts in mock drafts before April’s first-round spectacle in Green Bay.
