A Steelers fan’s Guide to the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine

The NFL Scouting Combine is next up on the list of offseason activities for the National Football League. From Sunday, February 26 thru Monday, March 6, 319 college prospects will gather in Indianapolis for 10 days of evaluation. Every NFL team will be represented and watching as these prospects participate in interviews, tests of strength and speed, official measurements, and positional drills designed to challenge them mentally, physically, and even emotionally in a massive audition for the NFL Draft just two months later.

For many fans, its their first exposure to the vast majority of the draftable prospects the team will be selecting from in April. The Combine can be deceiving, though. Watching a wideout run a 4.2 in the 40-yard dash is thrilling! Seeing a defensive lineman pump out 30 plus reps on the bench press is awe inspiring.

Keep this in mind when watching the Scouting Combine: just because a player puts on a show doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll turn into an All-Pro at the NFL level. Take everything you see and all the hype you hear with a grain of salt.

That’s not to say we can’t learn something about each prospect from the Combine activities. It’s important to know what to look for though when watching the athletic feats play out on the field and in the weight room. As Steelers fans, we’re interested in some positions more than others. Cornerback, Linebacker, Defensive Line, and Offensive Line are typically at the top of most fans’ and pundits’ team needs, in varying orders. So what do we need to be looking for as followers of the black-and-gold when watching the Combine in 2023? I’ll break down each of these important positions for Pittsburgh this offseason and tell you what matters and what doesn’t.

NOTE: You can view the full 2023 NFL Combine Schedule RIGHT HERE.

Cornerbacks

For corners, it’s all about speed, quickness, and fluidity. Watch the on-field position-specific drills and you can see who has natural agility and smoothness. Specifically watch when a DB flips his hips from his backpedal to his sprint. Keep an eye on each players’ ball skills and eye-hand coordination. Scouts are looking for suddenness and fluidity from CB prospects in every drill. Strength and power aren’t as vital to a CB, although it comes in handy when helping in run support. Here’s a list of athletic drills that are vitally important to measure the athletic abilities of these players:

• 40-YARD DASH (speed)
• 3-CONE DRILL (change of direction/agility)
• SHORT SHUTTLE (quickness/fluidity)
• LONG SHUTTLE (quickness/fluidity)
• BROAD JUMP (explosiveness/power)
• VERTICAL JUMP (explosiveness/power)

Linebackers

When evaluating “off-ball” linebackers, scouts are looking for explosiveness, play recognition, and, most importantly, athletic versatility. Linebackers have to play both the run and the pass and need to be able to excel in both facets. In their positional drills, scouts are looking for quick reactions to ball movement and smooth but powerful change of direction ability. Speed plays a role, but not nearly as much as it does for the Corners. Here’s a list of athletic drills that are important for evaluating these players and what they measure:

• BENCH PRESS (strength/power/stamina)
• 3-CONE DRILL (change of direction/agility)
• SHORT SHUTTLE (quickness/fluidity)
• BROAD JUMP (explosiveness/power)
• VERTICAL JUMP (explosiveness/power)

Offensive Line

For the “Big Uglies” up front, scouts love to see the initial explosiveness in the “punch”, where the lineman’s hands makes initial contact with a defender. Heavy hands that can shock and control the opponent are vital for success. As are “quick feet” and agility to out-leverage the defender and mirror his rush. For an OL prospect, straight line speed is basically irrelevant, but good agility and quickness is a major point of emphasis. Positional drills focus on showing these attributes, but here are the athletic drills to consider when evaluating offensive linemen:

• BENCH PRESS (strength/power/stamina)
• 3-CONE DRILL (change of direction/agility)
• SHORT SHUTTLE (quickness/fluidity)
• BROAD JUMP (explosiveness/power)

Defensive Line

Scouting defensive linemen starts and ends with explosiveness. A quick initial get-off and fast feet are vital for out-leveraging a blocker at the point of attack. Scouts also want to see a repertoire of moves to overpower offensive linemen and move them off their spot. Watch for the swims, rips, hand chops, dips, and spins these guys will attempt in positional drills. Similar to the O-linemen, agility, suddenness, and initial explosiveness are the most important traits for this group. With that in mind, here are the athletic drills that matter most for prospects along the DL:

• BENCH PRESS (strength/power/stamina)
• 3-CONE DRILL (change of direction/agility)
• SHORT SHUTTLE (quickness/fluidity)
• BROAD JUMP (explosiveness/power)

The Steelers will likely address each of these position groups in some form or fashion during the NFL Draft, and knowing what to look for at the Combine when evaluation these prospects makes following the NFL Draft process even more fun. Other position groups to watch this year are the RBs and the Pass Rushers, each of which are very deep groups in 2023. If you’re new to the NFL Combine or just wanting to know how much stock to put into the results in Indianapolis next week, I hope this was helpful.

For more NFL Draft analysis, tune into my podcast with fellow BTSC contributor Andrew Wilbar, The Steelers Fix, from the Steel Curtain Network of shows! Check out our latest episode reviewing my Steelers 7-Round Mock Draft and the intriguing 2023 TE draft class.

Go Steelers!