The Jacksonville Jaguars’ 2025 season may have wrapped up in January, but for a draft sicko like me, that was just the start of the 2026 NFL Draft cycle.
As the lead draft analyst at Big Cat Country, this time of year is my Super Bowl. Player profiles, team-need breakdowns, mock drafts, “you play GM” exercises — if it involves projecting collegiate stars into the future of the Jaguars, I’m all in. The offseason isn’t a lull. It’s just the beginning of what’s to come for the team we all love.
So you
can imagine how floored I was when I got the opportunity to attend the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine as a credentialed media member with SB Nation.
For those who don’t know me personally, this wasn’t just another assignment. This was full-circle stuff. I’ve been watching the Combine and obsessively jotting down notes on prospects I thought made sense for Jacksonville since I was in high school in the late 2000s. Somewhere in my parents’ house, there are notebooks with 40-yard dash times for guys like Michael Crabtree and Percy Harvin — written down as if I had personally uncovered these future stars before anyone else had.
I wasn’t just watching the Combine back then. I was studying it. Treating it like my own private scouting department.
That’s why being inside Lucas Oil Stadium this year — credential around my neck, notebook in hand — meant more than I can really put into words.
Without getting too sentimental about it, I was truly honored to represent SB Nation in Indianapolis. And more than anything, I wanted to bring Jaguars fans along with me and to give you a glimpse of what the week is really like behind the scenes at the Combine.
Credentials & Media Space
I touched down in Indy on Thursday — the first day of on-field drills — and my first order of business was picking up my credentials at the Indiana Convention Center.
The process was refreshingly simple. I walked up to the table, gave them my name, and within seconds they handed me my lanyard: name, photo, and the company I was there to represent. Just like that, it felt official.
The credential pickup table was set up right outside the media room in the Sagamore Ballroom, so naturally I had to pop in and take a look at where I’d be spending time working between interviews and workouts.
The room was packed.
Despite being fairly minimalist — rows of tables, laptops everywhere, and media members hustling around — the energy in the room was undeniable. It was the first day of positional interviews and on-field workouts, and you could feel that buzz in the air.
As I walked through, I started noticing familiar faces. Not people I knew personally, but people I recognized — writers, analysts, and reporters whose work I’ve followed and respected for years.
For a moment, it was a little intimidating.
But it was also strangely humanizing. For that week, credential around my neck just like everyone else, I wasn’t just reading their work anymore.
I was one of their peers.
Positional Interviews
From there, it was time for media availability; my first chance to experience the prospect interview process at the podiums.
Each day’s schedule was meticulously organized in hour-long blocks and distributed to credentialed media, so everyone knew exactly which position groups would be available and when.
On the walk to the interview space, it really hit me that I was inside a true NFL environment. I found myself shoulder-to-shoulder with recognizable names like Daniel Jeremiah, Bucky Brooks, and Allen Robinson, along with head coaches Mike Macdonald, Robert Saleh, and Mike Vrabel. Everywhere I looked, there was a familiar face. I made my way through security and into the room just before interviews began for the day.
I missed the defensive line and linebacker sessions on Wednesday, but I attended every other group the rest of the week. Thursday featured defensive backs and tight ends, Friday was running backs, quarterbacks, and wide receivers, and Saturday wrapped up with the offensive line. Each day was meticulously scheduled, and a copy was sent to the media group beforehand. (The schedule looked just like the photo below)
At the podium area, each station had a nameplate showing which prospect would be speaking at that time slot. On my first day, I’ll admit I was a little overwhelmed. The pace was faster than I expected as the moment a prospect stepped up, questions started flying, one after another with barely a pause.
I didn’t jump in right away. Instead, I took the first day to observe: learning the rhythm, seeing what kinds of questions produced thoughtful answers, and just soaking in the moment.
By Friday, I was ready.
The night before, I had picked out a couple of lesser-known prospects to target, figuring the media crowds around them would be smaller. I focused on two receivers — Vinny Anthony Jr. and Emmanuel Henderson — both of whom had strong backgrounds as kick returners. I planned to ask how their approach might change under the NFL’s dynamic kickoff rules.
I camped out in front of Anthony’s podium… and waited. And waited. And waited.
Eventually we learned he was stuck in medical evaluations and had missed his media window entirely. It might sound simple to just move on to another prospect, but it’s not that easy. If you jump into a new scrum midway through, you risk asking something that’s already been covered.
Still, I had the same question lined up for Henderson. Surely this one would work out.
He missed his window too. Medicals again.
At that point it almost felt like a sign that maybe I was meant to stay in the background. But I stuck it out, and later in the circuit both players finally made their way to the podiums. I got the chance to ask my questions, and from that point on the intimidation factor pretty much disappeared.
Once that first one was out of the way, it got easier. I started looking for opportunities to jump in. By Saturday’s offensive line interviews, I was tossing out questions left and right, including a quick bonding moment with Dillon Wade over our shared spelling of “Dillon.”
Looking back, my time at the podiums was rewarding in a way I didn’t expect. It pushed me outside my comfort zone and reminded me of something simple: at the end of the day, it’s just people talking to other people about a game they love.
Whether you’re a national TV analyst, a 20-year-old NFL prospect, or the lead draft analyst at Big Cat Country, everyone in that room was there for the same reason.
To talk ball.
On-Field Drills
Once media availability wrapped up each day, there was usually a couple-hour window before the on-field workouts began.
For the first few days, I spent that time back in the media room — grabbing the provided lunch, organizing notes, and preparing for the upcoming drills. By Saturday and Sunday, though, I decided to venture out and explore the beautiful downtown area of Indianapolis, even stopping for lunch at the legendary St. Elmo Steak House.
No matter where I was, though, I was getting ready for the workouts. Seeing the Combine drills in person was something I’d been looking forward to all week, so I began to make my way there a little early each day.
The Indiana Convention Center actually connects directly to Lucas Oil Stadium through an underground tunnel. Unfortunately for me, that entrance was reserved for NFL personnel, prospects, and higher-level credentials. Media members entered the old-fashioned way — through the stadium gates. From there, I was handed a physical pamphlet listing every prospect working out and the order of their drill groups as well as sections where I could take notes throughout drills.
From there, I was directed to Section 136, the designated media seating area. After flashing my credential to security, I made my way inside and grabbed a seat. I arrived early, so there were plenty to choose from.
The media section sat on the same sideline as the drills but on the opposite end of the field from the 40-yard dash start line. Even from that distance, the view was incredible.
The 40-yard dash was especially fascinating to experience in person. Everyone in the stadium was asked to remain completely quiet during each run. Without the commentary of Daniel Jeremiah or Rich Eisen like you hear on the NFL Network broadcast, the atmosphere felt completely different.
All you could hear were the sounds of spikes digging into turf and athletes emptying the tank on a sprint that could change their lives.
Between runs, the media section would come alive with chatter as everyone compared notes and reactions. The people around me were a mix of media members of all ages and experience levels. I ended up talking quite a bit with a recruiting analyst from Arkansas State who shared so much advice and perspective that I probably could write an entirely separate article about that conversation alone.
From Thursday through Sunday, I stayed for every drill I could — right up until it was time to head to the airport Sunday afternoon. I wanted to squeeze every ounce out of an opportunity I never imagined I’d have.
And looking back on it now, I feel like I did exactly that.
Final Thoughts
Looking back on the week, the entire experience somehow managed to exceed the expectations I had built up over years of watching the Combine from my couch.
For someone who has spent countless hours studying prospects, timing 40-yard dashes on TV, and scribbling notes about players who might one day wear a Jaguars uniform, being inside the building where it all actually happens was surreal. From the podium interviews, to the quiet tension of the 40-yard dash, to the casual conversations with other media members who share the same passion for the draft — it was everything I hoped it would be and more.
The Combine has always been one of my favorite parts of the NFL calendar because it represents possibility. For the prospects, it’s a chance to change their lives. For teams, it’s a chance to reshape their futures. And for someone like me who lives and breathes the NFL Draft, it’s the ultimate gathering of the football world.
Getting to experience that environment firsthand was something I’ll never forget.
More than anything, the week reinforced something I already believed: everyone there, from players, coaches, scouts, and media, was united by the same love for the game.
And for a draft nerd like me, that’s about as good as it gets.
A huge thank you to SB Nation for giving me the opportunity to attend the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine and represent Big Cat Country in Indianapolis. It was an experience I’ll always be grateful for, and hope to make it a recurring thing for the future.
