Why do some rookies skip the NFL combine?

The NFL scouting combine is the league's annual event that is held to get all the top draft prospects under one roof in Indianapolis. They do workouts, get medical exams, and meet with teams as they look to boost their personal stocks.

But it is not rare to see top prospects skip the event, and the same is true again in 2022. In particular, three top prospects are heading to Indianapolis but will not conduct on-field workouts.

Matt Corral, Derek Stingley Jr., and Evan Neal are three of the biggest names in the 2022 class. Yet none will conduct any workouts; instead, they will only meet with teams in attendance.

Other prospects in the past have skipped the combine altogether. So why is that the case?

Why would a top NFL prospect skip the scouting combine?

Ole Miss QB Matt Corral v Alabama

There are two main events for prospects leading up to the NFL Draft. The first is the general combine, while each school conducts a Pro Day. That is where players can design their own workout for NFL coaches and executives in attendance.

The benefit there is that the players have more control over the day. Their own coaches are also in attendance, hyping them up to anyone associated with a professional organization.

The workouts at the combine are more rigid and players may also just be nervous in general. Or maybe they are forced to do a drill that isn't their strong-suit and it makes them look bad.

Let's consider another factor as well. A player like Corral is already a top quarterback in the class. What else does he need to prove at the combine? Would a few passing drills mean more than all the games he has put on tape during his time at Ole Miss?

Fans have seen more college players sit out bowl games in recent years. That is because they want to focus on staying as healthy as possible before the draft rolls around. Injuries could always happen at the combine, such as when running a 40-yard dash or lifting weights.

Instead, players can focus on their Pro Days and solely prepare for that with a training staff they know well and are comfortable with. Even then, this should not change the opinions of the best of the best in the 2022 class.

Can this plan backfire? Potentially, but only for prospects who have gotten bad advice on their projected draft slot. The combine is more important for those projected to go after the first few rounds, as they try to prove they are future stars just waiting to be discovered.

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