Making a good impression in the NFL Draft is important for every college football player aspiring to play in the NFL, and for that, the NFL Pro Day and the NFL Combine play important roles, know the difference vs them
While most college football players have dreams of one day playing in the NFL, however, only a small percentage of the players actually manage to turn professional every year.
What is the difference vs the NFL Pro Day and the NFL Combine
Kelee Ringo’s speed is FOR REAL 😳
The Georgia CB is reportedly looking to run in the early 4.3’s at the NFL Combine. pic.twitter.com/lEIBrIMp2S
— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) January 31, 2023
NFL Pro Day group putting in the work 💪🔥 #NFL #NFLCombine #proday pic.twitter.com/glTgGuX87A
— STASportsPerformance (@STAPerformance) January 24, 2023
Key off-season dates for 2023:
Feb 21: franchise tagging starts
Feb 28: NFL combine starts
March 7: franchise tagging ends/pro day starts
March 13: LEGAL TAMPERING PERIOD
March 15: New League Year/Free agency
April 27: NFL DRAFT#TakeFlight #NFL #Jets
— Ethan The Jet Fan (@Ethan_NYJ) January 23, 2023
To sign any big contract with an NFL franchise, players must first go through pro day and the combine.
The NFL Draft
Less than 300 players get selected each year during the annual NFL Draft. This is a very small number compared to the 73,000 players who currently play across different NCAA football divisions.
At the end of every regular season in college football, players from different national championships, wait until the end of the NFL postseason to get their evaluations during Pro Days and the NFL Scouting Combine.
Both of these evaluations play an important role in filtering out the best players, and ranking them. This process of ranking players helps set up a strong roster before the start of the next NFL Draft.
Difference between NFL Pro Day and the NFL Combine
In general, both the NFL Pro Day and the NFL Combine are pre-draft scouting events ahead of the NFL Draft. However, the NFL Pro Day and the NFL Combine both share a major difference.
The NFL Pro Day features various scouts from the NFL who visit multiple universities to watch players play. On the other hand, the NFL Combine is an event where the NFL invites several college players to attend the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. There, various scouts, general managers, and head coaches get the chance to evaluate the upcoming players.
Players who had an outstanding year in the most recent college football regular season usually receive the NFL Combine invitation. In most cases, players who receive a good evaluation from the NFL Combine end up attracting a big NFL franchise.
Importance of NFL Combine and Pro Day
Despite the differences, evaluations from both the combine and the pro day can directly affect the future of a college football player looking to become a professional. In fact, players who fail to perform well during the combine can even get downgraded.