The NFL Scouting Combine (also called the National Invitational Camp), is a week-long showcase, occurring every February at Lucas Oil Stadium (and formerly at the RCA Dome until 2008) in Indianapolis, Indiana, where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general managers, and scouts. With increasing interest in the NFL Draft, the scouting combine has grown in scope and significance, allowing personnel directors to evaluate upcoming prospects in a standardized setting. Its origins have evolved from the National, BLESTO and Quadra Scouting organizations in 1977 to the media event it has become today.

Athletes attend by invitation only. Implications of one's performance during the combine can affect perception, draft status, salary and ultimately career. The draft has popularized the term "workout warrior," whereby an athlete's "draft stock" is increased based on superior measurable qualities such as size, speed, and strength, despite having an average or sub-par college career. The 2012 NFL Scouting Combine occurred February 22–28, 2012.

Jadeveon Clowney (born February 14, 1993) is an American football defensive end. He recently graduated from South Pointe High School in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Clowney was named South Carolina's 2010 Mr. Football, and considered the consensus No. 1 football recruit in the United States for his class.

For the 2010 season, Clowney had 162 tackles, 29.5 sacks, 29 tackles for loss, 11 forced fumbles, 6 fumbles recoveries, 43 quarterback pressures and five defensive touchdowns. South Pointe was 38-6 during his three varsity seasons. He is considered the best college football prospect in recent memory.

Clowney was named by ESPN, as well as Scouts and Rivals, as the top college football recruiting prospect in the nation leading into the 2011 NCAA Signing Day, (February 2, 2011). Clowney himself stated in an interview that he had narrowed down his prospects to the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Clemson Tigers, and the South Carolina Gamecocks; however, he did not commit on National Signing Day. On February 14, 2011, his 18th birthday, Clowney committed to the University of South Carolina.

Greg Robinson (born October 9, 1951 in Los Angeles, California) is an American football coach, most recently the defensive coordinator for Michigan. He was previously the head coach of the Syracuse Orange football team from 2005 until 2008. Robinson also served as the co-defensive coordinator at the University of Texas during the 2004 season. Prior to his role at Texas, he was defensive coordinator for three teams in the National Football League: the Kansas City Chiefs under Dick Vermeil, the Denver Broncos under Mike Shanahan, where his team won two Super Bowl championships in 1997 and 1998, and the New York Jets under Pete Carroll.

Robinson was hired as head coach of the Orange in January 2005 after the firing of head coach Paul Pasqualoni, who had been Syracuse's head coach since 1991. On November 17, 2008, with the Orange reeling from their fourth straight losing season under Robinson, and their only double-digit losing seasons in program history, it was announced that he would be fired from his coaching duties at the end of the season. He finished his tenure with a 10–37 record overall, and a 3–25 record in the Big East. Robinson finished up with the worst record in the history of the program.

Deion Luwynn Sanders (pronounced /ˈdiːɒn/; born August 9, 1967), nicknamed "Prime Time" and "Neon Deion", is a former National Football League cornerback and Major League Baseball outfielder who currently works as an NFL Network analyst. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 6, 2011.

Sanders is considered one of the most versatile athletes in sporting history because he played two sports at multiple positions. In the NFL, he played primarily at cornerback, but also occasionally as a running back, wide receiver, kick returner, and punt returner. He played for the Atlanta Falcons, the San Francisco 49ers, the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Redskins, and the Baltimore Ravens, winning the Super Bowl with both the 49ers and the Cowboys. In baseball, he played for the New York Yankees, the Atlanta Braves, the Cincinnati Reds, and the San Francisco Giants. He attended Florida State University, where he excelled at both football and baseball.

Sanders was born in Fort Myers, Florida. He attended North Fort Myers High School in North Fort Myers, Florida, and was a letterman and credited All-State in football, basketball, and baseball. He was an All-State honoree in all three sports. In 1985, Sanders was named to the Florida High School Association All-Century Team which selected the Top 33 players in the 100 year history of high school football in the state of Florida.

Todd McShay (born March 22, 1977) is an American football television analyst and commentator. McShay is a native of Swampscott, Massachusetts and played quarterback for Swampscott High School (1991–1994).

In 1999, he graduated from the University of Richmond with a B.A. and served as backup quarterback before an injury to his back ended his college career. After his injury he worked as an undergraduate assistant football coach at the University of Richmond before landing an internship with Gary Horton in 1998. Following graduation, McShay worked full-time for "The War Room", (1999–2006) a start-up publication created by former NFL scout Gary Horton. He joined ESPN in 2006 as a football analyst, providing in-depth scouting information on college football players across the country. He makes regular appearances on a number of ESPN programs, including ESPNU Coaches Spotlight, SportsCenter, and ESPN Radio focusing on the NFL Draft.^{[citation needed]}

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