2026 NFL Combine Recap: What You Need To Know

The 2026 NFL Combine shook up draft boards in a big way. Several prospects—including Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, Oklahoma defensive lineman Gracen Halton, and Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr.—used their testing numbers to boost their draft stock. Others confirmed their lofty status by matching the film with their workouts/measureables. 

Here's a complete recap of the top 2026 NFL Combine performances by position and what they mean for the 2026 NFL Draft.

2026 NFL COMBINE RECAP

QB

• Arkansas' Taylen Green showed off his elite athleticism at the 2026 NFL Combine. Green broke Anthony Richardson's QB Combine record for a vertical jump by three inches at 43.5. He also ran a blazing fast 4.36 40-yard dash. He's an incredibly intriguing prospect with some high-end traits, but he hasn't put it all together as a passer yet. Despite his showing, he's still a day-three quarterback. He was asked about the possibility of doing wide receiver drills and said he hasn't been asked to do them and has no interest in doing them.
• Penn State's Drew Allar was impressive during the field drills, as expected. His best qualities were on display in Indianapolis, as his throw power and tight spiral on the ball wowed onlookers. I don't think his draft stock changed too much, but you can see why there was a lot of love for him last year before he decided to return to school.
• We all expect Alabama's Ty Simpson to be the second quarterback off the board in April. He did nothing but solidify his place as QB2 in Indianapolis. He looked polished during the throwing session, limiting the mistakes and showcasing what got scouts so excited about him during the middle of the college football season.

RB

• The big winner of the last two months among running backs is Arkansas' Mike Washington Jr. He possesses the size-speed combo that pretty much every NFL team is looking for. We saw his physicality on display in Mobile at the Panini Senior Bowl, but his speed at the NFL Combine was a game-changer. Washington Jr. ran a 4.33 in the 40-yard dash. He may have run his way into being RB2, as well.
• Navy RB/WR Eli Heidenreich has a cult following on social media, and it's for good reason. He's a very intriguing player with the skill set to be utilized in several offensive roles. His 4.44 40-yard dash was excellent and helps his projection to NFL offenses. He can catch the ball, run solid routes, and has now shown quality speed. I can't wait to see where he lands.
• Alabama's Jam Miller surprised many with his speed. He ran a 4.42 40-yard dash and excelled in the on-field drills. Alabama struggled to find a consistent run game this season, so Miller is a bit under-hyped. Miller is still likely a day-three pick, but he sure helped his chances of going earlier on draft Saturday.

WR

• UConn's Skyler Bell is an under-the-radar receiver who really took advantage of his time at the Shrine Bowl and the NFL Combine. Bell ran a 4.40 40-yard dash with a 41-inch vertical and an 11-foot-1 broad jump. He's fighting through a solid wide receiver class, but he needs to be in the day-two conversation.
• Cincinnati's Jeff Caldwell was expected to have an elite Combine performance, and he did not disappoint. He showed out with an 11-foot-2 broad jump, a 42-inch vertical, and a surprisingly fast 4.31 40-yard dash. His explosion and athleticism are going to force NFL decision-makers back to the film.
• Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. has generated some first-round buzz lately and he only increased his draft stock by running a 4.42 40-yard dash. Keep an eye on him toward the end of the first round, or maybe even as the WR4 in the class.
• North Dakota State's Bryce Lance is one of the best-kept secrets in the draft. Lance brings size, YAC ability, and can win at the catch point in tight coverage. He also brings speed, as he showed with his 4.34 40-yard dash. He also finished top five among receivers in the vertical jump at 41.5 inches. Look for him to come off the board on day two.
• Mississippi State's Brenan Thompson ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the 2026 NFL Combine, with a blazing 4.26. He was my pick to be the fastest player in attendance, and he lived up to the billing. Look for him to come off the board on day three.
• Given all the hype around fellow USC wide receiver Makai Lemon, Ja'Kobi Lane has been lost in the shuffle. But he has the size-speed combo NFL teams covet. Lane ran a 4.47 40-yard dash and had an excellent performance in the field drills. Don't forget about him on day two.

TE

• Yeah, Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq is indeed a freak. He put up elite jumps (43.5-inch vertical, 11-foot-2 broad) and a crazy fast 40-yard dash (4.39). He's a major weapon in the passing game and as a blocker in the run game. He was the clear TE1 coming into the week and only helped ensure he'll be a top-25 pick in April.
• Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers was supposed to test well, but then he set NFL Combine records for a tight end in the vertical jump (45.5 inches) and broad jump (11-foot-3), along with a 4.51 40-yard dash. Stowers might be the new favorite to be TE2 behind Sadiq.
• Stanford's Sam Roush elevated his draft stock the most of the group with his testing. He posted great-to-elite marks in nearly every category (height, weight, 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump, 3-cone, bench press). He's not going to challenge the top tier of tight ends for top-75 status, but he wowed some NFL teams.

OL

• Georgia's Monroe Freeling won the weigh-in. He came in at 6-foot-7 3/8 with massive 34.75-inch arms and an 84.5-inch wingspan. That's a huge, huge plus for an ascending prospect that now appears to be a first-round lock. He also had a sub-5.00 40-yard dash with a 1.72 10-yard split. If there's going to be a surprise top-10 pick in this class, it may be Freeling.
• I'm not panicking about Spencer Fano's arm length. Yes, 32 1/8-inch arms are small, but he's extremely polished, technically-sound, and has great footwork. I think he can overcome those length issues to be a starting right tackle. Some teams will choose to view him as only a guard—he was also asked to work out as a center at the Combine—but some teams will still have him graded as a tackle.
• Arizona State's Max Iheanachor has been a fast riser since the Panini Senior Bowl and that hype continued in Indianapolis. He looks to be a top-50 lock with a projected range between picks 25-45.

DL

• Florida's Caleb Banks is the athletic freak we all saw prior to his injury last season. He measured in with the longest wingspan for a defensive tackle at the Combine since 1999 (85.75 inches), and ranks between the 94th and 98th percentile in height, hand size, and arm length at his position. His 1.76 10-yard split, 32-inch vertical, and 9-foot-6 broad jump were nothing to sneeze at, either. He appears to have solidified his place in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
• Florida State's Darrell Jackson Jr. won the weigh-ins on the defensive side. He came in at 315 pounds at 6-foot-5.5 with 34 3/4-inch arms and 11-inch hands. He sure looks the part coming off a strong Panini Senior Bowl performance.
• No defensive lineman had a better Combine than Oklahoma's Gracen Halton. His 36.5-inch vertical and 9-foot-6 broad jump are elite numbers for the position, as was his 4.82 40-yard dash. Halton hasn't gotten a lot of attention so far, but he's in the conversation to be a day-two pick now.

EDGE

• Arm length was a major talking point for this class, with projected first-rounders Rueben Bain Jr. (30 7/8 inches) and Cashius Howell (30 1/4 inches) having historically short arms for the position. Neither measurement was really a surprise and has already been factored into their draft grades. I don't see either player sliding from their expected draft range.
• Texas Tech's David Bailey had a Combine fitting of his polarizing profile. His straight-line speed is elite for the position, and he showed great lower-body explosion with his 35-inch vertical and 10-foot-9 broad jump. He also didn't look fluid moving laterally in field drills. Bailey is going to be a first-round pick, but his range could swing wildly, from as high as No. 2 overall to somewhere in the teens.
• Tennessee's Joshua Josephs garnered some attention for his length, measuring with 34.25-inch arms at 6-foot-3 and 242 pounds. Josephs has been a player hanging around the day-two conversation, but his length and speed combination make him an exciting second-round pick for teams in need on the edge.
• Penn State produces plenty of athletic freaks and we're going to add Dani Dennis-Sutton to that group. Dennis-Sutton ran a 4.63 40-yard dash with a 39.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot-11 broad jump. He also had a very strong 6.90s 3 cone drill. Some team is going to fall in love with the traits on day two.

LB

• Ohio State's Sonny Styles was the big winner, as he stole the show when he hit the field in Indianapolis. He had a 4.46 40-yard dash, a 43.5-inch vertical, and looked impressive and fluid in on-field drills. How high could he go? It seems like his range is anywhere between picks No. 5 and 12. The Giants, Commanders, Bengals, and Cowboys feel like great matches.
• Staying with Ohio State, Arvell Reese had a good showing as well with a 4.47 40-yard dash. He also confirmed what many had assumed before the Combine, that he wants to be an EDGE/OLB at the NFL level. He met with the Jets and said it would be "amazing" to join them. He's the current favorite to be the No. 2 overall pick.
• Pitt's Kyle Louis was a Combine sleeper going into the event, and he showed out. He finished top five at his position in the 40-yard dash (4.53), vertical jump (39.5 inches), and broad jump (10-foot-9). There was some talk here about Louis potentially moving to an in-the-box safety role. No matter where he plays, he now has a legit chance to be a top-100 pick.
• Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez performed extremely well in the agility drills, leading all linebackers in the 3 cone (6.90s) and short shuttle (4.19s). He's undersized, and that's why there remains a big discrepancy in his industry-wide ranking, but he raised some eyebrows (in a positive way) regarding his athletic profile in Indianapolis.

CB

• San Diego State's Chris Johnson answered any and all questions about his speed with his 4.40 40-yard dash. Johnson is teetering between the end of the first round and the start of the second round in most mock drafts, mostly because of his previous speed concerns. Given how well-rounded his game is, don't be shocked if he makes his way into the opening 32 picks in April.
• Missouri's Toriano Pride Jr. talked extensively about how seriously he was taking the 2026 NFL Combine. He felt he was being ignored and knew this week would be the key to getting NFL teams to go back to the film and study him. Well, he made a name for himself with a blazing 4.32 40-yard dash. His 37.5-inch vertical and 10-foot-8 broad jump were also very good numbers for him. If Pride Jr. gets drafted, it's likely because of his Combine performance.
• Texas A&M's Will Lee III stole the show on his jumps, putting up a 42-inch vertical and an 11-foot-0 broad jump. He's got some size too, measuring in above 6-foot-1.5. After the top corners are off the board in the top 50, Lee III becomes a potential option for corner-needy teams.
• Georgia CB Daylen Everett confirmed that he is a high-end athlete at the position at 6-foot-1 and 196 pounds. His 4.38 40-yard dash got the headlines because long speed was a concern about him, particularly in man coverage. Scouts will go back to the tape with this speed number in mind.

SAF

• Oregon's Dillon Thieneman will probably be a first-rounder now. He was an intriguing prospect all along because of his tenacity and game-changing plays. But then we saw his 4.35 speed and high-end jumps (41-inch vert, 10-foot-5 broad). Keep an eye on the Vikings at No. 18 overall. He'd be an awesome fit in Minnesota with Brian Flores.
• Some were worried about Ohio State's Caleb Downs' size, but he measured just fine. At 5-foot-11.75 and 206 pounds, Downs has more than adequate size to play his position and maintains his spot as the clear SAF1 and a top-five overall player in the 2026 class.
• Lorenzo Styles Jr. won DB day with a 4.27 40-yard dash that drew a roar from the crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium. He also had a 39-inch vertical. As someone teetering on the late-round/UDFA range heading into the Combine, showing that kind of speed got some attention.
• Arizona's Genesis Smith didn't run at the 2026 NFL Combine, but he put up elite jumping numbers (42.5-inch vertical, 10-foot-8 broad) and a very good short shuttle (4.18s). He's a solid free safety prospect in what is becoming a deep group of defensive backs.