2014 NFL Combine Schedule: TV Channel, Online Streaming, Invite List, Workouts & More

The next big step in the NFL offseason is happening now. The Scouting Combine is taking place in Indianapolis. Since Wednesday players have been arriving for measurements, medical evaluations and other testing before they begin the televised portion of their week, the skills and drills on the field that start on Saturday.

Every year, there are workout warriors who blow it out at the combine and elevate their draft stock. Sometimes these guys pan out and other times teams get burned by believing too much of what happens at the Underwear Olympics. It's a delicate balance. The Cowboys may have interest in a guy who is a prime candidate for blowing up at the combine, Ra'Shede Hageman. If tales of his freakish athleticism are true he could put up big numbers. And he plays a position the Cowboys are interested in. We'll see how that goes.

Anyway, on to the nuts and bolts of the combine.

The quick guide to the Combine

• NFL Network will televise; NFL.com will stream
• Workouts take place Saturday-Tuesday
• Here are the players invited

The Combine workout schedule

Workouts on the field:

Saturday, Feb. 22: Tight Ends, Offensive Linemen, Special Teams

Sunday, Feb.23: Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers

Monday, Feb. 24: Defensive Line, Linebackers

Tuesday, Feb. 25: Defensive Backs

There are four groups of players and each group has four days of events.

Day 1: Travel to Indianapolis* ~ Registration ~ Hospital Pre-Exam & X-rays ~ Orientation ~ Interviews

Day 2: Measurements ~ Medical Examinations ~ Media ~ Interviews

Day 3: NFLPA Meeting ~ Psychological Testing ~ PK/ST Workout ~ Bench Press ~ Interviews

Day 4: On-Field Workout (timing, stations, skill drills) ~ Departure from Indianapolis

The players invited

The NFL invited over 300 players to attend.

Who is eligible to be invited to the combine? Basically, seniors without college eligibility left and those who have declared early.

And how are players selected to the combine? Read this:

Participants are determined annually by a Selection Committee. The Directors of both National and BLESTO scouting services, which combined represent twenty-five NFL teams, are joined by members of various NFL player personnel departments to form the committee. The participating NFL executives can rotate on a yearly basis, and remain anonymous. ALL eligible players are reviewed and voted on by the committee members. Each athlete receiving the necessary number of votes, by position, is then extended an invitation. While it is not a perfect science, the goal of the committee is to invite every player that will be drafted in the ensuing NFL Draft.

The workouts

Two big items happen before the players get out on the field to show their skills. One, they are interviewed by teams. This goes a long way towards shaping an organization's opinion of a player's character and whether they are a good fit for their team. The medical exam are also important. The player's weight and height, for a few guys, could also play a role.

Then they go through the drills. For excellent details on the skills tests and drills, check out these three articles from our own rabblerousr:

A Closer Look At The Skills Tests

The Position-Specific Drills For Offensive Players

The Position-Specific Drills For Defensive Players

How do I watch the Combine?

NFL Network will televise some of it.

NFL.com will stream the action.

Anything else I should know about the Combine?

Yes, here are a few links to prep you for the upcoming draft season:

• Latest SB Nation mock draft
• Top 200 Big Board
• Player scouting reports
• Player rankings at each position
• Mike Mayock's top 5 at each position

2014 NFL Combine list of invitees: