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FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is officially in the books, and many prospects put together impressive workouts in front of the league's decision makers.
On-field workouts at the combine are only a piece of the puzzle for teams as they build their respective draft boards, but they are a showcase of a prospect's raw athleticism and provide extra context for what scouts and coaches see on tape. As is the case every year, some prospects left Indianapolis hearing their name listed among the combine "winners" by national media members and draft pundits.
I've compiled a list of 13 players whose workouts stood out and whose stock may be on the rise with the draft nearly two months away. If you're thinking 13 sounds like a completely arbitrary number, I'd say you might be right about that and to not think too hard about this exercise.
It's merely a chance to spotlight several prospects, as we will continue to do in the coming weeks. Alright, here are the players who impressed me with their combine workouts, starting with the offensive guys.
OFFENSE
WR Deion Burks, Oklahoma
The Sooners have long been known for having speed on offense, and Burks did nothing to diminish that reputation. His 40-yard dash time of 4.3 seconds ranked third among all receivers, and his 10-second split of 1.49 seconds, which was second-best at the position, is a testament to his acceleration off the line. He also led all wideouts in both the vertical jump (42.5 inches) and bench press (26 reps).
WR Jeff Caldwell, Cincinnati
While Burks had the second-fastest 10-second split, Caldwell beat him by 100th of a second to earn top marks with a time of 1.48 seconds. His 40 time of 4.31 seconds ranked fourth at the position, and he ranked second in both the vertical (42 inches) and broad jumps (11 feet, 2 inches). He also has standout size at the position, measuring in at 6 feet, 5 inches and weighing 216 pounds. Combined, those traits earned him an unofficial relative athletic score of 10, which ranks second among all wide receivers since 1987.
OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
The massive Georgia offensive tackle measured in at 6 feet, 7 inches and 315 pounds at the combine, and his arm length of 34.5 inches was third best among offensive linemen. At that size, Freeling tied for the fourth-fastest time among all linemen in the 40-yard dash (4.93 seconds); he also had the third-best broad jump (9 feet, 7 inches) and the fifth-best vertical jump (33.5 inches).
QB Taylen Green, Arkansas
Green is viewed as a mid-round player in this draft, but his record-setting performance at the combine should raise some eyebrows. Athleticism at the quarterback position is valuable, and Green might have more of it than anyone. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds and had vertical and broad jumps of 43.5 inches and 11 feet, 2 inches, respectively. All three marks were the best by a quarterback prospect since 2003, according to ESPN Research.
WR Bryce Lance, North Dakota State
North Dakota State has put a lot of good players in the NFL, and Lance showed his speed can hold up against more than FCS competition. The 6-foot-3, 204-pound receiver had a 4.34-second time in the 40, which ranked fifth at his position, and his 10-second split of 1.49 seconds tied for second. He also ranked second in the 20-yard shuttle with a time of 4.15 seconds, and he ranked third in the broad jump (11 feet, 1 inch) and fourth in the vertical jump (41.5 inches).
TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Largely viewed as a first-round talent by the draft media, Sadiq backed up that hype with a combine performance that got a lot of people talking. At 241 pounds, Sadiq ran the fastest 40-yard dash ever by a tight end at the combine with a time of 4.39 seconds. He also finished second among his position group with 26 reps on the bench press, a vertical jump of 43.5 inches and a broad jump of 11 feet, 1 inch. That kind of well-rounded performance likely solidified his standing in this draft.
RB Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas
Between Green and Washington, the Razorbacks' backfield had some serious speed last season. Washington ran the fastest 40 among all running backs at the combine, covering the distance in 4.33 seconds with a 10-yard split of 1.51 seconds. He also posted the second-best marks in both the vertical (39 inches) and broad jump (10 feet, 8 inches). At 6 feet, 1 inch and 223 pounds, Washington has excellent size for the NFL, and his testing earned him a perfect 10 Relative Athletic Score.
DEFENSE
EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech
Bailey showed why he's considered one of the top overall prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. His 40 time of 4.5 seconds ranked second among edge and defensive end prospects, and his broad jump of 10 feet, 9 inches — a great way to measure a player's explosiveness — ranked third.
EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
The workout Dennis-Sutton put together might have scouts going back to the tape for a second look. The 6-foot-6 edge defender weighed in at 256 pounds and had the best broad jump of any player in his group at 10 feet, 11 inches. His 3-cone time of 6.9 seconds also ranked first at his position, and he was sixth in the 40-yard dash (4.63 seconds) and fourth in the vertical jump (39.5 inches). Projecting as a base end at the next level, that's an encouragingly balanced performance.
DE Malachi Lawrence, UCF
Lawrence's combine workout should continue the upward trajectory he's been on since embarking on his final season at UCF. The 6-foot-4, 253-pound end had the third-fastest time at his position in the 40-yard dash (4.52 seconds); his 10-second split of 1.59 seconds also ranked third. He had the second-best vertical and broad jumps, posting leaps of 40 inches and 10 feet, 10 inches, respectively. There's a lot of burst and explosiveness with Lawrence, which should entice defensive coordinators.
LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
While his numbers won't stand out among the most elite testers, Rodriguez earns a mention on this list because he showed enough athleticism to complement his excellent tape. His time of 4.57 seconds in the 40 tied for seventh among linebackers, as did his 10-yard split of 1.6 seconds. However, Rodriguez led all linebackers in the 3-cone drill with a time of 6.9 seconds, and he tied for first with a time of 4.19 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle. That short-area agility is important for an inside linebacker, and Rodriguez has the instincts to maximize his speed on the field.
LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
It was a big week for former Buckeyes in Indianapolis, and Styles might just be the headliner. He led all linebackers in the 40-yard dash (4.46 seconds), vertical jump (43.5 inches) and broad jump (11 feet, 2 inches). Styles' vertical jump was the best by an off-ball linebacker at the combine since 2003, according to ESPN, and he earned a 9.99 unofficial Relative Athletic Score for his performance.
S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
Viewed as a well-rounded player after his career at Oregon, Thieneman fittingly matched that reputation with a strong all-around testing day at the combine. He ranked fourth among safeties with a time of 4.35 seconds in the 40-yard dash, second in the vertical jump with a height of 41 inches and tied for seventh with a broad jump of 10 feet, 5 inches. Thieneman also showed his strength, posting a position-best 18 reps in the bench press.
