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2027 National Scouting Combine All-Star Showcase Returns to Naples with Expanded Opportunity for Draft-Eligible Athletes

2027 National Scouting Combine All-Star Showcase Returns to Naples with Expanded Opportunity for Draft-Eligible Athletes

NAPLES, Fla. — For the third consecutive year, the road to the next level will run through Naples.
 
From January 4–7, 2027, draft-eligible college football players from across the country will arrive at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex for the 2027 National Scouting Combine All-Star Showcase, four days of verified testing, professional evaluation, coaching, education and competition culminating with the National Scouting Combine All-Star Game under the lights at FC Naples Stadium.
 
This year, however, the opportunity is getting bigger.
 

For the first time in Naples, participation in the January 5 Combine will extend beyond the athletes selected for the All-Star Game roster. Additional draft-eligible college seniors will have the opportunity to attend the Combine portion of the week, establish verified testing numbers and receive an NSC Athletic Performance Report — even if they were not selected to play in the All-Star Game.

It is an important expansion of the National Scouting Combine’s mission to create legitimate evaluation opportunities for athletes during one of the most critical windows of their football careers.

“Every year, there are talented college football players who finish their careers without getting the opportunity to establish verified Combine numbers,” said Jimmy Kibble, CEO and Founder of the National Scouting Combine. “Not every school hosts a Pro Day, and only a very small percentage of players are invited to the major postseason events. We want to create another path. Whether an athlete is selected for our All-Star Game or comes to Naples specifically for the Combine, we want him to leave with something valuable — verified data, professional evaluation, resources and a better understanding of where he stands as he pursues the next level.”

More Athletes. More Opportunity.

Any draft-eligible college senior can submit his information, player bio, game film and playing history to the National Scouting Combine scouting department for evaluation.

The All-Star Game roster will remain a selected group of athletes recruited and evaluated by NSC staff. Athletes who are not selected for the All-Star Game may still be approved by NSC staff to participate in the January 5 Combine.
 
That distinction is significant.
 
The National Scouting Combine has built its evaluation model around standardized, objective testing and its proprietary algorithm. Athletes receive an Athletic Performance Report containing verified metrics, comparisons and data designed to provide additional context to their athletic performance.

Testing in Naples will include the 40-Yard Dash, Pro Agility (5-10-5), 3-Cone Drill, Broad Jump, Vertical Jump and 225-pound Bench Press.

Through NSC’s partnership with VALD, SmartSpeed timing technology adds another layer of precision and credibility to the testing process. VALD SmartSpeed timing gates provide objective electronic timing rather than relying on traditional hand timing, helping create consistent, repeatable results athletes and evaluators can trust.

For an athlete trying to earn professional consideration, that validation matters.

“Evaluation starts with information you can trust,” said Jay Wilson, Director of Player Personnel for the National Scouting Combine. “There are players at every level of college football who can play beyond college, but evaluators need something to work from. Film tells part of the story. Verified testing gives us another piece. Opening the Combine portion of the week to additional draft-eligible athletes gives more players an opportunity to put objective numbers next to their film and get that information in front of football personnel.”

Four Days. One Destination.

The 2027 event will once again make the Paradise Coast Sports Complex the center of National Scouting Combine activity, while Great Wolf Lodge South Florida returns as the Official Hotel.

The neighboring locations create a unique advantage for athletes. Great Wolf Lodge sits directly next to the Paradise Coast Sports Complex, allowing players to stay within steps of the fields where they will test, practice and compete. Through the partnership, special National Scouting Combine rates will also be available to athletes and their families.

Rather than spending valuable time each day traveling between an off-site hotel and the event venue, athletes can remain centered around one location and focus on preparation, recovery, meetings, evaluation and competition. Great Wolf Lodge also offers numerous on-site food options, providing additional convenience for players, families and supporters throughout the week.

“We’ve continued to learn what makes this week valuable to the athlete,” Kibble said. “It’s obviously about the testing and football, but it’s also about everything surrounding it. When an athlete can travel to Naples, stay next door to the facility, have his family there, walk into a professional environment and concentrate on performing instead of worrying about transportation and logistics, we’ve done our job. We want this to feel like an opportunity they’ve earned.”

Monday, January 4 — Arrival in Naples
The week begins Monday as athletes arrive from across the country and report to the ballrooms at Great Wolf Lodge between 4 and 9 p.m.

Players will officially check in, complete measurements and weigh-ins, receive their Combine apparel and prepare for the days ahead. Athletes selected to participate in the National Scouting Combine All-Star Game will also receive their game gear and jerseys.

For many players, Monday night will be the first time the scope of the event becomes apparent, as athletes representing college football programs from across the country arrive in Naples with the same objective: another opportunity to show what they can do.

Tuesday, January 5 — Combine Day

Tuesday brings every participating draft-eligible athlete together at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex.
From approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., All-Star selections and additional draft-eligible Combine participants will undergo NSC’s standardized testing and evaluation. The Combine will be open to the public, giving families, supporters and football fans an opportunity to watch the evaluation process firsthand.

Following testing, athletes will receive a healthy, performance-based meal provided by the Paradise Coast Sports Complex food and beverage team and funded by the National Scouting Combine.
Tuesday evening will transition from physical evaluation to education and access. Expert and VIP guest speakers have become an important part of National Scouting Combine week, providing athletes with insight into professional football and the transition beyond college.

The 2026 event featured longtime NFL head coach Jeff Fisher, former NFL Pro Bowl kicker and NSC coach Shayne Graham, NSC coach Todd Washington, and former NFL and CFL veteran and NSC coach David Arnold. Guest speakers and additional programming for the 2027 event will be announced at a later date.

Wednesday, January 6 — The Pads Come On
For the athletes selected to compete in the All-Star Game, Wednesday shifts the focus from testing numbers to football.

From approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., All-Star athletes will take the field in pads for practices, positional work, one-on-one competition and direct coaching from the National Scouting Combine staff. The practice will be open to the public, providing families and football fans with an up-close look at athletes from programs across the country preparing together for the following night’s game.

Wednesday also provides professional coaches, scouts and other football decision-makers another opportunity to evaluate players beyond measurements and testing data.

“Numbers are valuable, but Wednesday allows us to start putting the entire picture together,” said Todd Washington, National Scouting Combine coach and current offensive line coach for the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks. “Now I can see how a player takes coaching, how he competes against another talented player, how quickly he makes a correction and what happens when the pads come on. That’s why having the Combine, practice and game together is so valuable. You’re giving evaluators multiple ways to learn about the athlete.”

Wednesday has also become one of the most visually unique days of the event, with helmets representing colleges and universities from across the country sharing the same practice fields as athletes come together, compete and prepare for Thursday night.

Educational programming and guest speakers will continue Wednesday evening as the All-Star athletes prepare for the final stage of the week.

Thursday, January 7 — The All-Star Game

The week culminates Thursday night as the 2027 National Scouting Combine All-Star Game kicks off at 7 p.m. at FC Naples Stadium at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex.

Stadium gates will open at 6 p.m. Tickets will be $5 at the door, all seating will be general admission and parking will be free. Concessions will also be available inside the stadium.

FC Naples Stadium provides a first-class setting for the final night of competition, giving athletes the opportunity to finish their week under the lights in front of family, supporters, football personnel and fans.

For the athletes, Thursday represents the culmination of everything that began when they submitted their film. By the time they take the field at FC Naples Stadium, they will have been measured, tested, coached and evaluated through a full week of work. The All-Star Game gives them one final opportunity to put it all together in live competition.

“Players come here because they’re still chasing something,” said Shayne Graham, National Scouting Combine coach and former NFL Pro Bowl kicker. “There is a lot that happens between a player’s final college game and whatever opportunity may come next. This event gives them another chance to compete, learn, build relationships and show people what they can do. That’s what makes the week meaningful.”

More Than a Combine

The National Scouting Combine has spent more than 15 years building an evaluation platform centered on measurable performance, standardized testing and opportunity. Its system combines verified athletic testing with a proprietary algorithm and individualized Athletic Performance Reports designed to give athletes and evaluators additional context beyond raw numbers alone.

In Naples, those numbers are only the beginning. For some athletes, January 5 will provide an opportunity to establish verified Combine numbers as they pursue professional football. For those selected for the All-Star Game, the evaluation continues through padded practices, individual coaching, education and live game competition.
For scouts, coaches, agents and other football personnel, the format provides multiple ways to evaluate athletes in one location — from measurements and verified testing to positional work, practice and game film.

For the athletes arriving in Naples, the purpose is simple: one more meaningful opportunity to be measured, evaluated, coached and seen during a critical stage of their football careers.

2027 National Scouting Combine All-Star Showcase Schedule

Monday, January 4 — Athlete Arrival & Check-In
Great Wolf Lodge South Florida | 4–9 p.m.

Tuesday, January 5 — National Scouting Combine
Paradise Coast Sports Complex | Approximately 9 a.m.–3 p.m. | Open to the Public

Wednesday, January 6 — All-Star Padded Practices & Evaluation
Paradise Coast Sports Complex | Approximately 9 a.m.–3 p.m. | Open to the Public

Thursday, January 7 — National Scouting Combine All-Star Game
FC Naples Stadium at Paradise Coast Sports Complex | Gates: 6 p.m. | Kickoff: 7 p.m. | $5 General Admission at the Door | Free Parking
 
Draft-eligible athletes interested in participating can submit their player information, film and bio to the National Scouting Combine for evaluation here: https://nationalscoutingcombine.com/2027-national-scouting-combine/.