The Indiana Hoosiers have not been a football program known for sending a lot of players to the NFL Draft, and especially not a program that gets a lot of NFL Combine invites. However, after an amazing season under first-year head coach Curt Cignetti, the Hoosiers will have some representation at the 2025 NFL Combine.
What is the NFL Combine?
The NFL Combine is a four-day invitation-only event where NFL scouts and executives all come together and put on different drills for this year's top draft eligible college players can come and showcase their talents. Only about 300 players attend the NFL Combine each year, but this event is meant to help players showcase their talent in front of each NFL team.
Not every player who has declared for the NFL Draft gets to just go to the combine though, they have to receive an invitation. A committee called the Player Selection Committee, which is made up of the Directors of both National and BLESTO scouting services, which also represent 28 NFL teams, and members of different NFL player personnel departments, chooses who attends the combine.
Every eligible player, whether a senior or not, is evaluated and voted on by the committee. A player must receive a certain amount of votes by the committee in order to warrant getting an invitation, and it is done so by player position.
Which former Indiana Hoosiers received NFL Combine invites?
To the surprise of no Hoosier fans, quarterback Kurtis Rourke received an invite to the 2025 NFL Combine as well as defensive line CJ West. Both Rourke and West must accept their invites and then make plans to travel to Indianapolis, Indiana to Lucas Oil Stadium, home to the Indianapolis Colts.
There was a little uncertainty as to whether Rourke would get an invite due to his ACL surgery he had in early January, but with almost two full months of rehab un his belt by the time the combine comes around, he should be cleared to do a few things.
While Rourke probably won't be able to do any running or a lot of leg movement, he should still be able to throw and do his closed-door meetings with NFL teams interested in speaking with him.
West on the other hand should be good to go for the NFL Combine, which will be held February 27 through March 2. After spending four seasons at Kent State, West transferred to Indiana for his final season and put up solid numbers. He finished the season with 42 total tackles, one pass defended, two sacks, adn one forced fumble.
Hoosier fans can watch both Rourke and West at the NFL Combine on NFL Network.