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- Daily headlines: big moments from each day in Indy
- Records, prototype shifts and notable measurables
- Position-by-position highlights and top performers
- Quarterbacks — throwing accuracy and athletic testing
- Wide receivers — speed, jumps and bench work
- Running backs — speed and explosiveness across the board
- Tight ends — rare athletic upside
- Defensive backs — speed, length and explosive testing
- Defensive line — interior and edge speed surprised many
- Linebackers — blend of explosion and coverage traits
- Offensive line — surprising quickness and finishers
- Schedule recap and viewing details for the 2026 Combine
- How to watch and follow live coverage
- Noteworthy medical and participation updates
- What to watch next: pro days and draft implications
The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis delivered a week of eye-catching workouts, surprising measurables and a few record-setting moments. Scouts, coaches and fans watched prospects sprint, jump and throw as the league’s next crop of draft hopefuls tried to separate themselves ahead of pro days and the April draft.
Daily headlines: big moments from each day in Indy
Thursday — defensive line and linebackers stole the show
Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. earns rare Kyrie Irving comp from Bill Simmons
Sean Penn awarded Oscar forged from war-damaged Ukrainian train: he skipped the ceremony
- Zane Durant turned heads with an exceptional 40-yard dash for a defensive tackle, clocking a blistering 4.76 unofficial time.
- Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles posted jaw-dropping jump numbers: a 43.5-inch vertical and an 11’2″ broad jump. Those ranks among the best ever for his position.
- Edge and defensive-end prospects posted a range of fast times, led early by David Bailey and others in the low 4.5s.
Friday — defensive backs and tight ends brought speed and explosion
- Cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. surged into the conversation with a fast 40 in the mid-4.3s.
- Safety Robert Spears-Jennings registered a sub-4.33 time, blurring lines between position prototypes.
- Tight end Eli Stowers set new marks for explosiveness with a 45.5-inch vertical and an 11’3″ broad jump, the best TE broad since the Combine tracks those figures.
- Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq posted an elite 40 near the 4.39–4.40 range, matching the top speed among TEs this week.
Saturday — quarterbacks, running backs and receivers lit up Lucas Oil
- Quarterback Taylen Green rewrote the QB testing ledger with a massive 43.5″ vertical and an 11’2″ broad jump.
- Running backs were historically fast as a group. Mike Washington Jr. produced the top RB 40 time of the event at 4.33 and showed emotion after his run.
- Wideouts flew down the track. Brenen Thompson (4.26) and Zavion Thomas (4.28) posted among the fastest WR 40s. Several receivers dipped into the low 4.3s.
- Quarterbacks like Ty Simpson and Diego Pavia impressed during throwing sessions with accurate deep balls.
Sunday and Monday — offensive line finishes and final testing
- Offensive linemen completed on-field drills Sunday and wrapped bench press on Monday.
- Logan Jones and others posted sub-5.00 40 times, with Jones upgraded to a 4.90 hand time, giving him the fastest OL mark of the event.
- Bench press sessions closed the Combine and gave interior linemen a final chance to showcase strength.
Records, prototype shifts and notable measurables
- QB explosiveness: Taylen Green set Combine-best marks for a quarterback in both vertical and broad jumps, numbers that will be cited in many scouting reports.
- TE athleticism: Eli Stowers recorded the best vertical for a tight end in years and set a new TE broad-jump standard, pushing the athletic ceiling for the position.
- DL speed: Zane Durant’s 4.76 for a defensive tackle challenged conventional size-speed expectations for interior defenders.
- WR fast group: Multiple receivers ran under 4.35, reinforcing the depth of speed in this draft class.
- Unique measurables: Players such as Florida DT Caleb Banks posted oversized wingspans and arm lengths that will draw schematic interest.
Position-by-position highlights and top performers
Quarterbacks — throwing accuracy and athletic testing
- Taylen Green (Arkansas): 4.36 40, 43.5″ vertical, 11’2″ broad. Record-level jumps for a QB.
- Joe Fagnano (UConn): 4.83 40, 35″ vertical and a 9’10” broad. Strong shuttle (4.35) showed change-of-direction ability.
- Luke Altmyer (Illinois): clocked a 4.72 40 and posted clean jump numbers.
- Several top QBs either limited drills or measured in without full testing. Many teams will follow up at pro days.
Wide receivers — speed, jumps and bench work
- Fastest sprinters: Jeff Caldwell (4.31), Deion Burks (4.30), Brenen Thompson (4.26) and Zavion Thomas (4.28) led the 40-yard dash results.
- Big jumpers: Jeff Caldwell and Deion Burks posted 42″+ verticals and long broad jumps in the 11-foot range.
- Strength standouts: Jordyn Tyson and Deion Burks put up 26 reps of 225, drawing attention to their upper-body power.
- Several receivers only ran select drills; teams will evaluate route footage and pro-day results.
Running backs — speed and explosiveness across the board
- Mike Washington Jr. produced the day’s quickest RB 40 at 4.33 and showed emotion after his run.
- Jeremiyah Love flashed a 4.36 40 and many backs posted sub-4.50 times, making this the fastest RB group in recent Combine history.
- Vertical jump marks for backs included a 42.5″ by Seth McGowan, one of the best RB verticals recorded.
Tight ends — rare athletic upside
- Eli Stowers (Vanderbilt): 45.5″ vertical and an 11’3″ broad jump. Those numbers put him in elite company for tight ends.
- Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon): posted an elite sub-4.40 40, matching the fastest TE times of the event.
- Several TEs also ran well and stood out with rare speed-to-size mixes, which will affect slotting on draft boards.
Defensive backs — speed, length and explosive testing
- Toriano Pride Jr. (CB, Missouri): one of the fastest CB times at about 4.32.
- D’Angelo Ponds (Indiana): measured short in height but showed huge explosiveness with a 43.5″ vertical.
- Safeties and corners across the board recorded multiple sub-4.40s, changing how teams view coverage matchups.
Defensive line — interior and edge speed surprised many
- Zane Durant (Penn State) sprinted to a 4.76 40, rare speed for a DT of his size.
- Several defensive ends posted 40s in the 4.6–4.8 range, including names like David Bailey and Mali Lawrence.
- Big verticals for some DTs, like Gracen Halton, also showed a different athletic profile than expected from interior linemen.
Linebackers — blend of explosion and coverage traits
- Sonny Styles’ testing created buzz: 43.5″ vertical and an 11’2″ broad jump, plus a 4.46 40.
- Multiple LBs ran under 4.55, suggesting faster coverage tools at the position than in past years.
- Teams will study three-cone and shuttle numbers to evaluate space-change ability.
Offensive line — surprising quickness and finishers
- Logan Jones was upgraded to a 4.90 40, the quickest for an offensive lineman at the event.
- A few tackles and interior blockers posted sub-5.10s and jump numbers that hint at athletic versatility.
- Bench press results varied; some linemen elected to skip max reps and will lift at pro days.
Schedule recap and viewing details for the 2026 Combine
- Dates: Feb. 22–March 2, 2026
- On-field drills: Feb. 26–March 1 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
- Thursday, Feb. 26 — 3 p.m. ET: Defensive linemen, place kickers, linebackers (NFL Network, Fubo)
- Friday, Feb. 27 — 3 p.m. ET: Defensive backs, tight ends (NFL Network, Fubo)
- Saturday, Feb. 28 — 1 p.m. ET: Quarterbacks, receivers, running backs (NFL Network, Fubo)
- Sunday, March 1 — 1 p.m. ET: Offensive linemen (NFL Network, Fubo)
How to watch and follow live coverage
- TV: NFL Network carried live broadcasts throughout the on-field window.
- Streaming: Fubo and NFL+ provided live streams for viewers who wanted digital access.
- Social and beat writers: Real-time updates, official times and measurables were shared by reporters and league platforms during testing windows.
Noteworthy medical and participation updates
- Georgia tight end Oscar Delp did not test at the Combine after X-rays revealed a hairline foot fracture. He is expected to perform at his Pro Day.
- Some prospects limited their workouts by design. Examples include receivers who only ran specific drills and quarterbacks who focused on throwing accuracy.
- Teams used interviews and private meetings in Indy; several QBs reported meeting with multiple franchises during the week.
What to watch next: pro days and draft implications
- Pro days will provide follow-up measurements and a chance for prospects to improve unfinished testing results.
- Scouts will synthesize Combine data with game film and interviews to refine board rankings.
- Expect some players to see stock movements up or down before the 2026 NFL Draft in April.
