There’s a monster at the NFL Scouting Combine — a turf monster.
In the early goings of the 2025 combine, where prospects are run through a series of drills testing their athletic prowess, prospective NFL players are slipping left and right on the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
There have been notable issues during the “Wave Drill,” where players are expected to shuffle left and right and sprint in short distances, with several players losing balance.
Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman and Ole Miss edge rusher Jared Ivey were among the players who fell during the drill, but there were likely many more as spectators noticed the trend.
The reason for the slipping and sliding stems from the new turf at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Matrix Turf, the company responsible for the Lucas Oil Stadium turf, told Football Bettors they replaced the normal rubber infill with coconut husk and cork organic material, which requires periodic watering to maintain its normal properties.
Bears podcast host EJ Snyder posted a photo of the newer, brown-colored pellets aimed at mimicking real grass that replaced the previous rubber pellets.
The rubber is a bit firmer and better for athletes to run, change direction or put pressure on the ground with.
The Colts, who play at Lucas Oil Stadium turf for their home games, also had issues with slipping during the regular season.
This new turf could affect 40-yard dash times for the receivers and runnings backs come Saturday, when this year’s class will try to break Xavier Worthy’s record time set last year.
Worthy posted a time of 4.21 seconds and landed with the then-back-to-back champion Chiefs with the 28th pick in the first round.
