Eric Smith

We're one week away from the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.

That means the entire NFL world will soon descend on Indianapolis for a weeklong event in preparation for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Here are five things to know about the Combine:

1. When is the Combine? And who is invited?

The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine will take place from February 23 to March 2.

It will take place in Indianapolis, the city that has hosted the event since 1987.

The NFL announced last week that319 playershave been invited to the Combine.

2. Will we hear from the Chargers front office?

Yes.

Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz is scheduled to speak to reporters next week in Indianapolis.

This will be the first time Hortiz has spoken publicly since his year-end presser in mid-January.

It's a safe bet that Hortiz will be asked aboutthe 26 playerswho are slated to be free agents in March.

Hortiz should also cover other topics such assalary cap spaceand potential Chargersdraft prospects.

Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh will stick to his same schedule as a year ago and will not speak to reporters.

3. What does the players' schedule look like?

The 319 players invited to the Combine are in for long days and a busy week that includes in-person interviews, on-field drills and various medical tests.

Players are broken down by position group and then bundled together for the week.

Tight ends and defensive backs, for example, will spend the week together. Here is what the general player schedule looks like for that group.

Monday:Arrive in Indianapolis

Tuesday:Registration, orientation and interviews with NFL teams

Wednesday:General medical exam and interviews with NFL teams

Thursday:Orthopedic medical exam, media interviews, NFLPA meeting and interviews with NFL teams

Friday:Measurements and on-field workouts

Saturday:Bench press, TV interviews and depart Indianapolis

In short, there is little time for prospects to relax as they essentially go through a weeklong job interviews with 32 possible employers.

4. Why is the Combine important?

Teams usually break down the Combine into three main categories: interviews, medical exams and on-field workouts.

While some players at the Combine recently participated in the Senior Bowl or East-West Shrine Bowl, numerous prospects did not.

This means it is the first chance for teams to get an up close look at prospects with individual interviews that last 18 minutes. These interviews can cover a wide range of topics from football to what a player is like away from the field.

Medical exams are also a huge part of the equation, too, as teams want to ensure a player doesn't have any red flags going forward.

And players can obviously help or hurt their stock with their on-field performance, too. Drills held inside Lucas Oil Stadium include the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and position-specific drills such as throwing for quarterbacks or movement work for linemen.

Here is the schedule for on-field workouts:

Thursday, Feb. 26 at noon (PT): defensive linemen and linebackers

Friday, Feb. 27 at noon (PT): defensive backs and tight ends

Saturday, Feb. 28 at 10 a.m. (PT): quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs

Sunday, March 1 at 10 a.m. (PT): offensive linemen

The 2026 Combine can be seen on NFL Network.

5. What positions could the Chargers focus on?

With free agency less than a month away, the Chargers have lots of flexibility as they navigate forward withthe No. 22 pick.

Recent mock drafts have the Bolts taking everything from an offensive lineman or wide receiver on offense, while pundits have also projected help at edge rusher and along the defensive line on the other side of the ball.

While free agency will surely shape the Chargers roster when the New League Year begins on March 11, the Combine will serve as an important marker for Hortiz and the Bolts front office.

The 2026 NFL Draft will be held April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.