2016 NFL Scouting Combine: Schedule, Position Groups, Coverage

The NFL offseason is only a little more than two weeks old an the next highlight of the league calendar is already on its way: the 2016 scouting combine. As has been the case for the last 30 years, the NFL's underwear olympics will take place in Indianapolis; the Colts' Lucas Oil Stadium will once again host the event which begins today and will end next Monday, February 29.

Let's take a look at what awaits us the next days (via nflcombine.net):

Day 1: Tuesday, February 23

Group 1 (PK, ST, OL), Group 2 (OL), Group 3 (RB): Arrival, Registration, Hospital Pre-Exams & X-Rays, Orientation, Interviews

Day 2: Wednesday, February 24

Group 1 (PK, ST, OL), Group 2 (OL), Group 3 (RB): Measurements, Medical Examination, Media, Interviews

Group 4 (QB, WR), Group 5 (QB, WR), Group 6 (TE): Arrival, Registration, Hospital Pre-Exams & X-Rays, Orientation, Interviews

Day 3: Thursday, February 25

Group 1 (PK, ST, OL), Group 2 (OL), Group 3 (RB): NFLPA Meeting, Psychological Testing, PK/ST Workout, Bench-Press, Interviews

Group 4 (QB, WR), Group 5 (QB, WR), Group 6 (TE): Measurements, Medical Examination, Media, Interviews

Group 7 (DL), Group 8 (DL), Group 9 (LB): Arrival, Registration, Hospital Pre-Exams & X-Rays, Orientation, Interviews

Day 4: Friday, February 26

Group 1 (PK, ST, OL), Group 2 (OL), Group 3 (RB): On-Field Workout (timing, station, skill-drills), Departure

Group 4 (QB, WR), Group 5 (QB, WR), Group 6 (TE): NFLPA Meeting, Psychological Testing, Workout, Bench-Press, Interviews

Group 7 (DL), Group 8 (DL), Group 9 (LB): Measurements, Medical Examination, Media, Interviews

Group 10 (DB), Group 11 (DB): Arrival, Registration, Hospital Pre-Exams & X-Rays, Orientation, Interviews

Day 5: Saturday, February 27

Group 4 (QB, WR), Group 5 (QB, WR), Group 6 (TE): On-Field Workout (timing, station, skill-drills), Departure

Group 7 (DL), Group 8 (DL), Group 9 (LB): NFLPA Meeting, Psychological Testing, Workout, Bench-Press, Interviews

Group 10 (DB), Group 11 (DB): Measurements, Medical Examination, Media, Interviews

Day 6: Sunday, February 28

Group 7 (DL), Group 8 (DL), Group 9 (LB): On-Field Workout (timing, station, skill-drills), Departure

Group 10 (DB), Group 11 (DB): NFLPA Meeting, Psychological Testing, Workout, Bench-Press, Interviews

Day 7: Monday, February 29

Group 10 (DB), Group 11 (DB): On-Field Workout (timing, station, skill-drills), Departure

Overall, 332 players have been invited to participate in this year's scouting combine, seven of whom come from New England schools:

DL Mehdi Abdesmad (Boston College)

TE Ben Braunecker (Harvard)

LB Steven Daniels (Boston College)

WR Tajae Sharp (Massachusetts-Amherst)

DB Justin Simmons (Boston College)

OL Cole Toner (Harvard)

DL Connor Wujciak (Boston College)

Furthermore, head coaches and executives will hold press conferences during the combine. They will take place on Wednesday and Thursday and members of 30 of the league's 32 teams have so far been announced by NFL Communications. The two teams who are not yet scheduled to appear are the ones who arguably dislike the league offices the most: the New England Patriots and the New Orleans Saints.

The press conferences, just like the on-field drills, will be broadcast live on NFL Network. Beginning on Friday, the league's network will broadcast live from 9:00 a.m. ET until 4:00 p.m. ET (until 2:00 p.m. on Monday, February 29). The events can also be seen on nfl.com – and will be analyzed and discussed on Pats Pulpit.

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While the combine is the most famous, it is not the only pre-draft scouting event taking place and is only one piece of the complex puzzle that is college player evaluation. The Senior Bowl is already behind us, the combine kicks off today and college pro days will begin in early March – all this means one thing: draft season is upon us.