There will be no NFL Scouting Combine in 2021 — at least as we know it.
The league informed its teams in a memo on Monday that the event will be conducted with no in-person workouts because of the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, any workouts will be conducted at individual pro days on college campuses.
The NFL said it will work with colleges to encourage consistency in the testing and drills across the pro days to ensure there is video of the workouts available for all teams, even those that do not attend.
Last season’s combine was held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis — as was originally planned for 2021 — before the onset of the pandemic.
In addition, the league is planning to obtain comprehensive medical information on the invited prospects, which will include a combination of virtual interviews with team doctors and tests done near the prospects’ current residence.
For certain prospects, however, team will be allowed — via one physician and one athletic trainer — to conduct in-person exams over a two- or three-day period in early April. Prospects’ club interviews and physiological testing and assessment will all be done virtually. Teams had made it clear to the NFL after the virtual 2020 combine that collecting medical information on the players was vital and hard for them to do independently under the unorthodox format.
These recommendations were made by a special committee chaired by Giants co-owner John Mara.
