The 2016 NFL Combine got underway proper on Friday, with the first group of players getting out onto the field at Indianapolis for workouts and position drills. Players began arriving on Tuesday earlier in the week, but other than a bench press and other measurements on prior days, there wasn't much excitement until Friday.
NFL Combine live stream 2016: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online for Saturday
The NFL Combine continues on Saturday, and the big guns -- the quarterbacks, receivers and tight ends -- will be in action.


Offensive linemen, running backs and special teams players all took the field on Friday for the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump, 3-cone drill, short shuttle and 60-yard shuttle drills. Meanwhile, quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends took part in the bench press. They will now move to the drills that the previous group did, while the Day 3 arrivals go into the bench press themselves.
That third group includes defensive linemen and linebackers. They will get on the field for workouts on Sunday, while the final group, consisting of defensive backs, will get on the field on the final day of the combine, Monday.
Saturday is especially important because more attention is paid to the position-specific drills than the measurements and other numbers. How a quarterback looks throwing the football is indisputably more important than how he performs in the 40-yard dash, 3-cone drill or any other number of drills.
Fortunately, this year, the top passers are expected to throw. Each year there is usually a couple big-name players who elect not to throw at the combine either due to injury or other reasons. The biggest reason is usually that said quarterback would prefer to throw in the more controlled environment of his college pro day.
North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz, Cal’s Jared Goff, Memphis’ Paxton Lynch, Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg, Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott and Michigan State’s Connor Cook all intend to throw at the combine, so they will definitely be front and center when it comes to Saturday’s drills.
As far as the more athletic-oriented drills go, the wide receivers will be in full force. Only one running back, Keith Marshall of Georgia, ran the 40-yard dash in under 4.4 seconds, posting a time of 4.31 seconds. The receivers will have plenty of opportunities to best that time and potentially set a best for this year’s combine. Obviously, their biggest competition will likely be the defensive backs on the final day.
Then there are the tight ends, who have already taken part in one crucial drill for them in the bench press. Strength is a big part of being a blocking tight end, which is important for rookies especially. If a young tight end can’t block, the only way he will see the field is if he is a great pass catcher on top of that.
Television coverage of the combine is carried on the NFL Network, and begins at 9 a.m. ET each day. The quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends will be front and center on the network throughout the day. On top of that, media interviews with defensive backs should also be on throughout the broadcast.
NFL Combine schedule for Feb. 7
Player Set B (Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers, Tight Ends): On-field drills and positional workouts
Player Set C (Defensive Linemen, Linebackers): NFLPA meeting, psychological testing, bench press
Player Set D (Cornerbacks, Safeties): Media availability, physical measurements, medical exams
How to Watch
When: 9 a.m. ET (Three-hour edition airs at 4 p.m.)
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
TV: NFL Network
Announcers: Rich Eisen, Mike Mayock, and other NFL Network analysts
Online: NFLN Online
Further Reading
For more on the NFL Draft, be sure to check out Mocking The Draft.











