By Bill Bradley, contributing editor
The National Football League's event to evaluate this year's class rookies begins today. The first wave of players will take their physical exams at the NFL Scouting Combine at Indianapolis.
The event, which spans six days in Lucas Oil Stadium, will be televised by NFL Network beginning Saturday at 9 a.m. ET.
For NFL scouting departments, the combine is all about the numbers -- player height and weight or their 40-yard dash or how high they can jump. With that in mind, NFL Evolution previews the combine by looking at key numbers that have shaped the event:
1st overall draft pick -- Houston Texans, who went 2-14 last season.
2 -- Under Armour shirts given to each combine participant -- one loose and one tight.
3 nights/4 days -- Length of stay for each combine participant.
4.24 seconds --
Fastest 40-yard dash in the history of the combine, run in 2008 by East Carolina running back
Chris Johnson, who is now with the
Tennessee Titans.
6.03 seconds -- Time it has taken NFL Network anchor Rich Eisen to run the 40-yard dash the past two years at the combine.
10 -- Years the event has been televised by NFL Network.
11 feet, 7 inches --
Furthest broad jump in the history of the combine, performed in 2013 by Southern Miss outside linebacker Jonathan Collins, who plays for the
New England Patriots.
12 -- Players from Alabama, the most from any school, followed by 12 from LSU.
13 -- Number of colleges with at least six participants.
14 -- Players from NCAA Division II schools.
15 -- Regional combines, which will be held from February to April, spanning from Los Angeles to Baltimore.
17 -- NFL Network cameras devoted to covering the workouts.
23 -- Anchors, analysts and reporters who will be covering the event for NFL Network.
45.0 inches --
Highest vertical jump in the history of the combine, performed in 2009 by Ohio State cornerback
Donald Washington, who played with the
Kansas City Chiefs from 2009-'11.
49 --
Most 225-pound reps in the history of the combine, performed in 2011 by Oregon State defensive tackle
Stephen Paea, now with the
Chicago Bears.
59 -- Defensive backs invited to the combine, the most of any position, followed by 56 defensive linemen.
71 -- Players from the Southeastern Conference, the most from any league, followed by 58 from the ACC.
72 --- Days between the end of the combine and the start of the 2014 NFL Draft on May 8.
150 -- Estimated number of volunteers used to produce the six-day combine by National Football Scouting president Jeff Foster.
163 -- Players who attended the 1982 National Invitational Camp, the predecessor to the NFL Scouting Combine.
333 -- Participants in the 2013 combine.
365 -- MRI exams administered last year, lasting about an hour each.
1985 -- Year of the first official NFL Scouting Combine, which was held in the Phoenix area.