It is that time of year again! The 2026 NFL Combine is just over a week away. A total of 319 prospects have been invited to attend this year's festivities, which will take place from February 23 through March 2. Live coverage will begin on Feb. 26 on NFL Network and NFL+. As is customary, the football world will soon descend upon chilly Indianapolis as teams around the NFL build for the future. For the Buccaneers, both Head Coach Todd Bowles and General Manager Jason Licht are scheduled to speak to media in attendance, covering a vast array of topics including free agency, top needs, player evaluations and more.
The 319 NFL hopefuls will undergo medical exams, in-person interviews and on-field drills and the players will be grouped by position throughout the week. Not all players participated in the Senior Bowl or the East-West Shrine Bowl so this could be the first chance for team evaluators and scouts to get a comprehensive, up-close look at prospects of interest. Each year, players rise and fall on draft boards based on intel gathered during the Combine from on-field performance and 40-yard dash times to the impressions made during the speed-dating-type of private interview sessions.
Here is the schedule for on-field workouts:
- Thursday, Feb. 26 at 3 p.m. ET: defensive linemen and linebackers
- Friday, Feb. 27 at 3 p.m. ET: defensive backs and tight ends
- Saturday, Feb. 28 at 1 p.m. ET: quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs
- Sunday, March 1 at 1 p.m. ET: offensive linemen
The Bucs currently own the 15th overall selection in the first round of the draft and most mocks are predicting the club will take an edge, off-ball linebacker, cornerback or interior offensive lineman with the first pick. Free agency will provide pieces to the puzzle when the New Legue Year begins but the Combine always serves as an important benchmark during the pre-draft process.
