The 2018 NFL Scouting Combine is upon us.

While it may not feature any throwing from one of the consensus top quarterbacks (Sam Darnold) of this year's draft class, the annual winter event is always a good time to take stock of who's who among potential first-rounders and beyond. From the players' perspective, it's also, of course, the biggest pre-draft stage to climb up the charts in the eyes of fans and scouts.

Here, we've got everything you need to know about this year's combine:

How to watch the combine

Starting Friday, each day's coverage of the combine events will begin at 9 a.m. Eastern, with replays broadcast at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

  • TV: NFL Network
  • Streaming: NFL.com, NFL Mobile app, fuboTV (try for free)

You can also catch highlights and updates from the combine via CBS Sports HQ, our new sports news network that streams 24/7 for free anywhere, on any device -- CBSSports.com, the CBS Sports app, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku, the CBS Sports mobile app for iOS and Android, CBSN and through the CBS All Access subscription service.

What is the scouting combine again?

A good refresher for all of us: The combine is the NFL's annual "evaluation" event for top draft prospects held in late February and early March. In the league's own words, it is an "up-close look" at the NFL's "next generation of talent," and what that boils down to is about a week of on- and off-field tests, from the 40-yard dash and bench press to private interviews with pro personnel executives.

There isn't a whole lot of actual football happening at the combine, and that can partially be attributed to the fact that participants -- there are typically more than 300 college football standouts invited -- conduct most of their drills in shorts and cutoffs. (This is also why many refer to the combine as the "Underwear Olympics.") But for teams looking to get a look at a whole bunch of soon-to-be rookies' specific strengths and weaknesses, this is the event for them.

What's the schedule of combine events?

Officially, player measurements and interviews kick off on Thursday, and round-table interviews between the media and all 32 NFL head coaches and general managers come even before that, starting Wednesday afternoon.

But the real combine action began Friday and unfolds as follows:

Saturday: QB, WR, TE workouts
Sunday: DL, LB workouts
Monday: DB workouts