As part of the NFL draft camp testing event - officially the National Invitational Camp (NIC) - the invited-only prospective players have interviews with teams and a comprehensive physical, medical and psychological testing program.

football fitness testing football combine fitness testing

Since 1979, some sort of scouting testing was performed, leading to the first official combine in 1982 where players and team scouts got together to see prospects put through their paces (see more on the history of the combine).

The combine has been held in Indianapolis since 1987, and is set to stay there through at least 2028. On-field testing takes place at Lucas Oil Stadium, with the measurements, medical examinations and team interviews conducted at the neighbouring convention centre and hospitals. The 2026 combine was held in late February, with around 320 prospects invited and the on-field workouts run over four days (February 26 to March 1), each day covering a different set of position groups.

Below is an outline of the range of tests currently conducted at the combine. For the top scores in many of these tests, see the NFL Combine Results. See also the poll about Which NFL Combine event do you think is the most important?

Note that taking part in each test is voluntary. It is now common for prospects - particularly highly-rated ones - to complete only some of the tests at the combine, and to leave the rest for their college pro day where they can perform in more familiar surroundings. The medical examinations and interviews, rather than the fitness test scores, are what most teams consider the real value of the week.

There are other combines too - see details of a quarterback specific combine, the NFL Veteran Combine and the Regional Combines.

Physical Testing

physical measurements Each prospect has measurements of height, weight, arm length, wingspan and hand length. In the past, running backs and linemen’s body fat percentage was also measured using the 'bod pod'.
40 yard dash This is a test of speed and power, and remains the headline event of the combine. From a three-point stance, a player runs 40 yards as fast as he can. Split times are recorded at 10 and 20 yards to measure acceleration. The 10-yard split is especially important for offensive and defensive linemen because they usually don't run further than that during a play.
bench press The bench press test is a test of upper body strength endurance. Each player must bench press 225 lbs. as many times as they can. Quarterbacks and wide receivers are exempt from the test. The bench press is the most important for offensive and defensive linemen. Despite talk in recent years of dropping this test, it was still part of the testing program at the 2026 combine.
vertical jump A test of explosion and power. The player jumps off both feet straight up as high as he can, with the score being the difference between his standing reach and the highest point reached. The vertical jump is most important for receivers and defensive backs.
broad jump Similar to the vertical jump, this is a test of lower body strength, explosion, and power. The broad jump measures how far you can jump, not how high. From a standing position, the player jumps forward off two feet as far as he can. The broad jump is the most important for running backs, linemen, and linebackers.
20-yard shuttle Also called the 5-10-5 Shuttle, this is a test of agility including speed, explosion and changing of directions. Technique is also important. Each player will be timed how fast they can go 5 yards laterally, then 10 back in the opposite direction, and finishing 5 yards back to the start line.
three-cone drill This is an agility test where the player runs around three cones placed in the shape of an "L". There are 5 yards between each cone. Along with the 20-yard shuttle, this is one of the tests most often skipped at the combine and completed at a pro day instead.
60-yard shuttle An anaerobic ladder shuttle of progressing distances - from a starting line, a player runs 5 yards and back, then 10 yards and back, then 15 yards and back, touching the line each time. This test is no longer part of the combine testing program, and results for it are not recorded at recent combines.

In addition to the traditional hand-timed and electronically-timed results, players now wear tracking devices during the on-field work, so the league also captures player-tracking (Next Gen Stats) data such as maximum speed reached during the 40-yard dash and during the position drills.

Skill Testing

  • position-specific drills: Each prospect must go through football drills designed for their specific position - such as the gauntlet and route running for receivers, a throwing script for quarterbacks, blocking and pulling movements for linemen, and one-on-one pass coverage for defensive backs. The results of the drills are somewhat overlooked since the fitness test numbers are what everyone seems to care about, though coaches often rate them highly. Some quarterbacks choose not to throw at the combine, preferring to do so at their pro day.

Psychology

  • Wonderlic test (discontinued): from the 1970s until 2022, the Wonderlic test, an intelligence type test, was given to combine attendees. The NFL dropped it after the 2022 combine, following a review of all of its player assessments, with the league describing the process as outdated. Research had also repeatedly failed to find a meaningful relationship between Wonderlic scores and on-field performance.
  • player assessment: in 2013 the league added its own 60-minute assessment tool, designed to offer a more robust and comprehensive assessment of a player’s non-physical capabilities, aptitudes and strengths. The test measures a wide range of competencies, including learning styles, motivation, decision-making skills, responding to pressure or unexpected stimuli, and core intellect. Results are confidential to the teams.
  • cognitive testing by teams: individual clubs also use their own assessments outside the official program, the best known being the S2 Cognition test, which measures how quickly a player processes visual information and makes decisions. After scores were leaked to the media in 2023, some agencies began advising their clients to decline these tests, so participation varies from year to year.

Medical

  • injury evaluation: Each prospect will go through X-rays, MRI scans, orthopaedic and general physical examinations to determine their current injuries and their injury histories. Injured prospects coming into the combine will get closely looked at, and those with unresolved concerns can be called back for a medical recheck in April, shortly before the draft. For most teams this is the single most valuable part of the combine week.
  • drug screen: each prospect will take a urine test to check for substances that are not allowed in the NFL, including illegal drugs such as marijuana and cocaine, and performance-enhancing drugs. More about drug testing.
  • functional movement screening: a functional movement screen for performance testing was added from about 2015. In 2018 a force-plate balance and jump test was introduced (run with a group called Sparta Science), giving clubs an extra layer of information on a prospect's physical capabilities. The system tracks athletes making six jumps in 90 seconds using force plate technology and proprietary software, to indicate what injuries they may be at risk of, what training they need to stay healthy, and what position may best suit their movement profile.
  • cybex test: The Cybex Test is not the most important test prospects must go through, although injured and previously injured prospects’ results will get serious looks from coaches. The Cybex Test measures the flexibility and joint movement of each prospect, who is hooked up to an isokinetic dynamometer to determine their results.