<P> The NFL Scouting Combine is a six - day assessment of skills occurring every year in late February or early March in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis , Indiana . College football players perform physical and mental tests in front of NFL coaches , general managers , and scouts . With increasing interest in the NFL draft , the scouting combine has grown in scope and significance , allowing personnel directors to evaluate upcoming prospects in a standardized setting . Its origins have evolved from the National , BLESTO , and Quadra Scouting services in 1977 to the media frenzy it has become today . Athletes attend by invitation only . Implications of one 's performance during the Combine can affect perception , draft status , salary , and ultimately his career . The draft has popularized the term `` Workout Warrior '' ( sometimes known as a `` Workout Wonder '' ) , describing an athlete who , based on superior measurables such as size , speed , and strength , has increased his `` draft stock '' despite having a possibly average or subpar college career . </P>
who picks the players in the nfl draft
NFL coaches , general managers , and scouts