:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71998369/usa_today_19703417.0.jpg "NFL Draft 2023: Where is the NFL Scouting Combine this year?")
The next focal point of the NFL offseason comes in the form of the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, which gives scouts and team personnel the first look at the incoming prospects for this year's draft. Where is this year's event being held and who are some of the must-watch names?
The scouting combine's week-long showcase will take place in Indianapolis from Lucas Oil Stadium. The event has been held in the city since 1987, where it was held at the RCA Dome before moving over to the newest home venue of the Indianapolis Colts. Incoming prospects will participate in various drills, get their official measurements, and speak with interested teams.
As interest in the event itself and the lead-up to the NFL Draft has increased over the years, the number of attendees has subsequently expanded, with a variety of personnel directors and scouting organizations from each of the NFL's 32 teams joining the event in person.
Among the highly coveted prospects in this year's list of combine invitees are the various quarterbacks, headlined by Alabama's Bryce Young, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, and Kentucky's Will Levis. With a handful of teams picking in the top 10 in need of a franchise quarterback, the expectation is that these three will hear their names called early into the 2023 NFL Draft.
On the defensive side of the ball, highly touted names such as Georgia's Jalen Carter, Alabama's Will Anderson Jr., and Oregon's Christian Gonzalez headline just a few of the top-tier non-quarterback prospects in this year's draft. While pocket passers tend to dominate the top of the scouting rankings, a strong performance at the combine can help move a defensive prospect's stock up the boards.