Howie Hanson is editor & publisher of 50-Yard Football, which covers arena/indoor football leagues.
NAPLES, Fla. — Arena Football One officials opened a pivotal week of player evaluation here Tuesday at the National Scouting Combine, an event that has become one of the nation’s most reliable pathways for overlooked and emerging professional football talent.
Founded by Jimmy Kibble, the NSC was built to address a long-standing gap in professional football: providing verified testing, structured practices and direct access to league decision-makers for players who fall outside the traditional NFL pipeline. Over time, the combine has grown into a trusted evaluation hub for multiple professional leagues, agents and personnel executives.
For AF1, the four-day event serves as both a talent identification platform and a critical extension of its roster-development model.
“A great first day here at the combine as we begin with players doing all of the on-field testing consisting of the short shuttle, three-cone drill, 40-yard dash, vertical and bench press,” said Gary Compton, AF1’s director of football operations, who is on site overseeing the league’s evaluation process.
A testing session focused on core performance metrics — speed, agility, explosiveness and strength — providing league evaluators with verified data collected under standardized conditions. Those numbers form the foundation for professional projections, particularly in a league where quickness, change of direction and functional strength are at a premium.
“Coaches were able to get a firsthand look at these players physically out on the field seeing what all they could do,” Compton said.
That in-person evaluation is central to the value of the combine, particularly for AF1, which relies on a blend of data, live observation and football instincts to shape its rosters. Unlike traditional tryouts, NSC places players in an NFL-style environment, with structured testing, coaching oversight and daily schedules that mirror professional expectations.
“We were able to zone in on some guys from the metrics that they produced and will be further evaluating them on the field tomorrow as they began to get in pads for practice,” Compton said.
The transition to padded practices is a defining phase of the event. While testing identifies raw athletic traits, live football sessions reveal competitiveness, coachability, football IQ and positional instincts — elements that often separate camp bodies from legitimate professional prospects.
That design was intentional when Kibble launched the combine. His model emphasized accountability and transparency: verified measurements, equal exposure and direct access to league evaluators, rather than reliance on highlight reels or unofficial pro-day numbers. Over the years, the event has helped hundreds of players earn contracts, training-camp invites and professional opportunities.
For AF1, the combine also functions as an extension of its in-season personnel strategy. With injuries, attrition and competitive balance shaping rosters throughout the year, maintaining a reliable evaluation pipeline is essential.
“Overall was a great day and a lot of fun for AF One staff to add some coaching,” Compton said.
That hands-on involvement is by design. AF1 coaches and personnel staff work directly with players during the week, allowing for real-time instruction, feedback and assessment. It also gives prospects an early introduction to the league’s expectations, terminology and professional standards.
The importance of the event extends beyond league needs. For players, the combine represents a rare opportunity to perform in front of multiple professional decision-makers in one setting — with verified data, structured practices and immediate feedback.
For many participants, this week is not simply an evaluation; it is a potential gateway to a professional career.
“We're looking for a lot more good things as we head into Wednesday” Compton said.
As the week continues, players will move deeper into football-specific work, while AF1 staff conducts nightly evaluation meetings and begins identifying candidates for training-camp invitations and future roster consideration.
A special treat for participants on Wednesday: AF1 Commissioner Jeff Fisher will offer his unique perspective on professional preparation and the pathway to sustained careers in football.
Fisher brings one of the most extensive resumes in professional football to the event. He spent 22 seasons as a head coach in the National Football League, leading the Tennessee Titans and St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams, and ranks among the league’s longest-tenured coaches. He guided the Titans to a Super Bowl appearance following the 1999 season and coached multiple division-winning teams during his career.
Before becoming a head coach, Fisher played five seasons in the NFL as a defensive back with the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers, earning a Super Bowl ring with the 1985 Bears. His combined experience as both an NFL player and head coach has made him a respected voice on player development, professionalism and the demands of the professional game.
Fisher’s address is expected to focus on preparation, accountability and what evaluators look for beyond physical traits, reinforcing AF1’s emphasis on character, work ethic and long-term development as key components of success at the professional level.
“Having Jeff address our athletes is a tremendous addition to this event,” said Kibble. “He brings instant credibility and real-world perspective from the highest levels of professional football. For these players, hearing directly from someone who understands what coaches are looking for — how decisions are made and how careers are built — reinforces why this combine matters and how important it is to approach the process the right way.”
The event brings together draft-eligible athletes, free agents and college all-stars for performance testing, position drills and exposure to professional scouts.
Here’s the schedule for Wednesday through Friday:
- Wednesday – Position drills, 1-on-1s, 7-on-7s and all-star showcase practice
- Thursday – Free agent combine and college all-star showcase
- Friday – Final drills, 1-on-1s and 7-on-7s
