Over 300 players took part in the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this past week. The medical checks are in, the measurements are recorded and the interviews are in the books. NFL talent evaluators now have another piece of the puzzle in their overall evaluation leading up to the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh next month.
The game film is still the ultimate evaluator of these prospects, but some players really helped themselves down in Indy, while others forced teams to go back to the tape to see why the measurables maybe didn’t add up.
Here’s a look at 10 players who really impressed at the Combine:
1. LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Already considered a first-round pick, Styles might have propelled himself into the Top 10 conversation with his performance in Indy. The former safety turned linebacker could be a chess piece for a defense after blazing 4.46 seconds in the 40-yard dash (1.56 second 10-yard split) with a 43.5-inch vertical and 11-foot-2 broad jump. The physical tools match the 182 tackles, 17.0 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks he had for the Buckeyes the last two seasons.
2. TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
The tight end group overall was impressive in Indy. Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq set the TE record in the 40 (4.39 seconds) and Stowers broke the vertical record at 45.5 inches. Stowers also ran the 40 in a solid 4.51 seconds with an 11-foot-3 broad jump at 6-foot-4, 239 pounds. Those traits match the combined production at Vanderbilt the last two seasons (111 rec., 1,407 yds, 9 TDs).
