Which NFL Draft 2026 prospects will show off at the combine? Revisiting Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List

The NFL Scouting Combine kicks off this week, and many of the players I expect to turn heads are the same players who featured in my annual Freaks List of college football phenoms. Others have wowed trainers and fellow players in their combine training.

Based on a lot of the intel I’ve gathered during the past year, including plenty I’ve heard in the past month, here are the 40 players The Athletic is most intrigued to see perform in Indianapolis.

1. Kenyon Sadiq, tight end, Oregon: The junior from Idaho, who arrived in Eugene at 220 pounds, ranked No. 11 last summer on the Freaks List and should dazzle scouts with his explosiveness. Last summer, he vertical jumped 41 1/2 inches, bench pressed 435 pounds and power cleaned 365 while weighing 255. Expect him to be lighter at the combine; he should soar higher in the vertical and post eye-popping speed and agility numbers.

2. Sonny Styles, linebacker, Ohio State: The Buckeyes have two freaky linebackers in this draft. Styles probably won’t go quite as high in the first round as teammate Arvell Reese but he’ll probably go higher in the vertical and further in the broad jump. At 6-4, 243 pounds, he broad jumped 11-0 and verticaled 40 inches. He’d also topped 23 MPH on the GPS, going 23.2.

3. Kendrick Law, wide receiver, Kentucky: The 6-0, 203-pounder was No. 14 on the Freaks List in 2024. He began his college career at Alabama, where he had 33 catches and one TD in three seasons before transferring to UK, where he had 53 catches for 530 yards and three TDs last season along with eight carries for 53 yards. Law is built more like a running back and is ridiculously strong for a wideout. He bench pressed 465 pounds while at Bama and squatted 655. He also hit 23.2 mph and has elite explosiveness. Don’t be surprised if he runs the 40 in the high 4.2s.

4. Jack Kelly, LB, BYU: Kelly had one of the more interesting paths to the combine. The 6-2, 242-pound linebacker is a former BMX dirt bike champion who had 13.5 TFLs, 10 sacks and two forced fumbles in 2025. Kelly is expected to run the 40 in the low 4.5s but should really excel in the shuttles, displaying elite short-area quickness. He should be around 4.00 in the short shuttle. No linebacker has clocked under 4.23 in five years in Indianapolis.

5. Zane Durant, defensive tackle, Penn State: The Nittany Lions are always well-represented on the Freaks List, and this twitchy D-lineman from Florida was No. 8 in 2025. At 6-1, 290 pounds, he ran a 4.66 60 with a 4.43 shuttle. He also benched 425 pounds and squatted 660. He’s expected to weigh around 295 pounds and recently ran a blazing 1.62-second 10-yard split.

6. David Bailey, edge, Texas Tech: The Stanford transfer was unblockable almost all season (14.5 sacks, 19.5 TFLs, three forced fumbles) for the much-improved Red Raiders defense. At 6-3, 250 pounds, he has elite burst and just a ton of juice coming off the edge. He hit 22.16 mph last year and also bench pressed 405 pounds. His film is also just as impressive as his testing numbers will be.

David Bailey should perform well at the combine after a standout college career at several schools. (Christian Petersen / Getty Images)

7. Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt: Diego Pavia wasn’t the only stud the Commodores got from New Mexico State. Stowers, a former four-star QB recruit, blossomed as a receiver after switching positions. He looks more like a big wideout than an in-line tight end, but at 6-4, 235 pounds, the former Texas 6A state high-jump champion is a rare athlete. He was No. 15 on the Freaks List in 2025 after broad jumping 11-3 and vertical jumping 39 inches. He also had power cleaned 360 pounds. I’ve heard he might vertical north of 40 inches in Indianapolis.

8. Kadyn Proctor, offensive lineman, Alabama: Last summer, he was the biggest Freak on my list at 6-7, 366 pounds. He ranked No. 2 with remarkable jump numbers at that size (he vertical jumped 32 inches and broad jumped 9-3). His vert was as much or more than five of the wideouts who were at last year’s combine and matched Colorado’s LaJohntay Wester, who weighed 203 pounds less than Proctor. The Alabama giant also had big-time strength numbers, squatting 815 pounds, benching 535 and power cleaning 405. Consistency on the field certainly is a question mark. It’ll be interesting to see how Proctor performs in the draft process.

9. Arvell Reese, edge, Ohio State: Folks inside the program were giddy about Reese before the season. They were spot on as he proved to be a revelation. Some coaches in the Big Ten felt like Reese was the biggest problem for them, not star safety Caleb Downs. The 6-4, 243-pound Reese (69 tackles, 6.5 sacks in 2025) was a menace. He probably won’t put up quite as eye-popping testing numbers as Styles, but he should broad jump close to 11 feet and vertical around 40 inches, and figures to run in the 4.4s. He won’t turn 21 until the end of August.

10. Peter Woods, DL, Clemson: The 6-3, 310-pounder was top-five on the Freaks List last year, after running a 4.86 40 with a vertical of 33 inches to go with a 490-pound bench press and 34 reps at 225. He also power cleaned 385 and squatted 700. It was a very disappointing year for the Tigers, but we expect Woods, who went from 8.5 TFLs last year to just 3.5, to do very well in the draft run-up.

11. Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State: The No. 83 guy on last year’s Freaks List had an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl. The 6-3, 198-pounder, who spent two seasons at Valdosta State, had 71 catches for 1004 yards and six TDs last year, tearing up the Sun Belt. Hurst ran a laser-timed 4.51 40 last offseason and broad jumped 10-8 with a three-cone time of 6.93. We would not be surprised if he topped some of those already lofty numbers at the combine.

12. Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma: The former Purdue wideout was a two-time Freaks List guy. At 5-9, 190, Burks (57 catches for 620 yards and four TDs in 2025) is exceptionally strong for a wideout, having benched 400 pounds. He’s also very explosive and is expected to run in the 4.3s and soar in the jump tests.

13. Logan Jones, center, Iowa: The Hawkeyes have had way more than their share of Freak O-linemen over the years, and Jones, a former high school basketball standout (No. 7 on the list last year) is the latest. At 6-1, 303 pounds, Jones set the program record last offseason with a 705-pound squat. He also holds the position record with a 36.6-inch vertical, a 1.53 10-yard split and a 4.09 shuttle. His 470-pound hang clean is also a position record.

14. Brenen Thompson, WR, Mississippi State: The tiny speedster at 5-9, 170 pounds was No. 91 on last year’s Freaks List, but he’s my No. 1 choice to run the fastest 40 at the combine. A former high school QB who won a Texas 3A 200-meter title running 21.27, Thompson clocked a blazing 23.7 mph last offseason. The transfer from Oklahoma had a breakout season for MSU in 2025, catching 57 passes for 1,054 yards and six TDs.

15. Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati:  The No. 48 Freak in 2025 began his college career at Central Arkansas. Golday at 6-4 1/2, 240 pounds, ran a 4.24 shuttle time, which would’ve been faster than any linebacker at last year’s combine. He broad jumped 10-7, which would’ve been second-best there. His 36-inch vertical and 1.54-second 10-yard split also stand out as did his 24 reps on the bench with 225 pounds.

16. Jeff Caldwell, WR, Cincinnati: A transfer from Division II Lindenwood in Missouri, Caldwell blew the Bearcat staff away when he broad jumped 11-9 last year at 6-4, 208 pounds. That was seven inches longer than any other wideout jump at the combine in 2025. He’s still a pretty raw receiver, but he made an impact for the improved Bearcats, catching 32 passes for 478 yards and six touchdowns. He vertical jumped 36.5 inches last year at UC. We’ve heard he probably won’t broad jump quite as far but still is expected to be over 11-feet and also might jump a bit higher in the vertical.

17. Justin Jefferson, Alabama, LB: The speedy linebacker was second on the Tide with 85 tackles to go with 6.5 TFLs and three sacks in 2025. The 6-1, 218-pounder is expected to be the fastest linebacker in Indianapolis and one of the fastest players at the combine. Don’t be shocked if he runs the 40 in the high 4.3s.

18. Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State: Trey Lance’s kid brother had a terrific career with the Bison. In 2024, the younger Lance set an NDSU record with 17 touchdown receptions, which led the FCS. Last season, Lance averaged 21.2 yards per catch, having 51 receptions for 1,079 yards and eight TDs. The 6-3, 207-pound wideout vertical jumped 40 inches last offseason and broad jumped 10-10, ranking No. 34 on the Freaks List in 2025.

19. Domonique Orange, DT, Iowa State: The 6-4, 325-pound Orange, who was No. 25 on the Freaks List after bench pressing 450 pounds and vertical jumping 34 inches in the offseason, had one of the most impressive performances in his career last fall against rival Iowa.

20. Mike Washington, running back, Arkansas: Jeremiyah Love isn’t the only top back who can fly. Washington’s a bigger back at 6-1, 227. I hear he should run the 40 in the 4.4s. Someone described Washington, who went from Buffalo to New Mexico State to the Razorbacks, this month as “super explosive” and will be in the running for pound-for-pound tester among the running backs.

21. Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame: He ranked No. 66 on the Freaks List in 2024 while at Virginia. At 6-4, 218 pounds, Fields is super strong, having close-grip bench pressed 365 pounds and 21 reps of 225 while at Virginia. He also vertical jumped 38 inches and did a 10-7 1/2 broad jump. His shuttle times were impressive, too, going 4.18 in the pro agility and 6.81 in the 3-cone drill. The athleticism showed up for the Irish in 2025; he caught 36 passes for 630 yards and five TDs.

22. Jaren Kanak, TE-H-back, Oklahoma: The converted linebacker had 44 receptions for 533 yards in 2025. He’ll be one of the fastest guys in Indianapolis. Kanak, at 6-1, 233 pounds, once ran a blistering 10.37 100 meters in high school. He is expected to jump around 40 inches in the vertical.

23. George Gumbs, edge, Florida: He spent three seasons at NIU before playing the last two years at UF, where he had 14.5 TFLs and 7.5 sacks. The 6-4, 245-pound Chicago native has long arms and is really lean, with his body fat south of 5 percent. His short shuttle times are expected to be elite, as is his vertical jump. His broad jump should be around 10-4.

Mauigoa was everything as advertised for the resurgent Hurricanes. (Bryan Bennett / Getty Images)

24. Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami: A huge recruit for Mario Cristobal, the former five-star lived up to all the recruiting hype as he proved to be a building block for the Canes resurgence. The 6-6, 335-pounder, ranked No. 16 on the Freaks List in 2025, clocked a 1.57 flying 10-yard split. His power output registered almost 10,000 watts, by far the most on the team at almost 1,000 watts more than the next player. His vertical jump was an impressive 30 1/2 inches.

25. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame: The best running back in college football wasn’t on the Freaks List last year because he was in a recovery phase of his training when the Irish were offseason testing. The 6-0, 214-pound former Missouri state 100-meter champion, who ran a 10.76 in high school, has tremendous explosiveness and athleticism and should test very well.

26. John Michael Gyllenborg, TE, Wyoming: He was No. 54 on the Freaks List after the 6-5, 250-pound former high school basketball star vertical jumped 37 inches and broad jumped 10-8. He hit 21.6 mph on the GPS. He only played one season of football before coming to college and had some impressive moments for the Cowboys, but he is still pretty raw. In 2025, he had 24 catches for 217 yards and one TD.

27. Chris Hilton Jr., WR, LSU: The former high school track star has tantalizing athleticism, but the No. 32 guy on the 2025 Freaks List, struggled to stay healthy in Baton Rouge. But he’s a rare athlete. The 6-0, 190-pounder, a former three-time Louisiana state high jump champion, has hit 23.7 mph on the GPS, an all-time LSU record. He also clocked a 1.37 10-yard split off of a 1-yard lead-in, another program record, and was timed in the high 4.2s in the 40.

28. Darrell Jackson, DT, Florida State: This is a big, intriguing talent who had a very up-and-down college career. He was No. 5 on the Freaks List in 2024 before the Seminoles unraveled. He finished his career on a high note, making a career-best 45 tackles with three TFLs. At 6-5, 330 pounds, Jackson is a giant of a man who has stunning athleticism for his size. His arm length is 36 inches, and he has 11-inch hands. He’s been clocked at 20.6 mph in pads. His strength coach said some of his agility test results would be good for tight ends and linebackers.

29. Parker Brailsford, C, Alabama: The 6-2, 290-pound Washington transfer, No. 20 on the Freaks List in 2025, is a powerhouse in the weight room. Last offseason, he benched 505 pounds, power-cleaned 385 and squatted 675. He also vertical jumped 33, broad jumped 9-5 and hit 19.47 mph on the GPS.

30. Zachariah Branch, WR-KR, Georgia: A big recruit for USC, Branch was No. 49 on the Freaks List in 2024. The 5-10, 180-pounder has some impressive moments at UGA, catching 81 passes for 811 yards and six TDs in 2025, and he should test very well. In college, he was clocked at well over 23 mph and had a 10-yard split of 1.44 seconds.

31. Marlin Klein, TE, Michigan: Another freaky tight end prospect, Klein, at 6-6, 250, came in at No. 35 last summer, up from No. 90 in 2024. He hit 21.75 MPH and broad jumped 9-7. More impressively, last offseason he ran 6.89 in the 3-cone drill, which would’ve been faster than any tight end in Indy in 2025. Klein’s shuttle time of 4.25 last offseason would’ve also been the fastest by any tight end at the combine. He had 24 catches for 248 yards and one TD last season.

32. Dillon Thieneman, defensive back, Oregon: There have been so many good players who started at Purdue and then bailed for a bigger place, and this do-everything DB is the latest. He made 44 tackles with two INTs for the Ducks. He ranked No. 96 in 2024 on the Freaks List as a 207-pound 19-year-old who hit 22.37 mph and clocked a 4.03 pro agility time. He also did a Turkish get-up with 135 pounds and a Romanian deadlift of 315 pounds for five reps. He’s expected to hit around 40 inches in the vertical jump and should have excellent shuttle numbers.

33. Jalen Walthall, WR, Incarnate Word: He caught 155 passes for 22 TDs in the past two seasons combined. At No. 94 on the Freaks List last year, the 6-1 1/2, 198-pounder, who won a Texas state title in the triple jump with a leap of 50 feet, 4 inches in high school, began his college career at Hawaii. He vertical jumped 40 inches last summer and broad jumped 10-7.

34. Grayson Halton, DL, Oklahoma: The Sooners had a very salty defense last season, and this team captain played a major role. Hilton had seven TFLs, 3.5 sacks and a team-high seven QB hurries. At 6-2, 293 pounds, I’ve heard he might run the 40 in the 4.8s.

35. Gabe Jacas, edge, Illinois: A former state champion wrestler from Florida, Jacas was No. 59 on the Freaks List last year, after he dropped 7 percent of his body fat from a year earlier, down from 12 percent on his 6-3, 270-pound frame. Jacas, who led the Big Ten in 2025 with 11 sacks and also had three forced fumbles, bench pressed 225 pounds for over 30 reps and hit 20 mph on the GPS.

36. Kyle Louis, LB, Pitt: He was a terrific player for the Panthers and looked very good at the Senior Bowl. The undersized linebacker (6-0, 225) was No. 65 on the Freaks List last year after clocking 21.34 mph in-game on a 59-yard pick six against Syracuse in 2024. Louis also broad jumped 10-3 last offseason.

37. Eli Raridon, TE, Notre Dame: The Irish keep cranking out tight ends and Raridon is coming off a solid season where he caught 32 passes for 482 yards. The 6-6, 255-pound Raridon, No. 85 on the 2025 Freaks List, displayed impressive explosiveness last offseason, vertical jumping 34 inches and broad jumping 9-10.

38. Emmanuel Pregnon, OL, Oregon: Pregnon will be one of the strongest men at the combine. He was No. 84 on the Freaks List in 2024 after he bench pressed 10 reps of 315 pounds while at USC. He ran a 1.68 10-yard split, which was especially impressive for a 6-5, 320-pound player.

39. Cole Payton, quarterback, North Dakota State: A big running threat for the Bison at 6-3, 235 pounds, Payton ranked No. 95 on the Freaks List in 2024 after vertical jumping 38 inches and broad jumping 10-0, drawing comparisons to Taysom Hill. Payton took a big step in his development last year, connecting on 72 percent of his passes with 16 touchdown passes and just four INTs. He also ran for 777 yards and 13 more TDs.

40. David Gusta, DL, Kentucky: The former Washington State Cougar had three TFLs while starting 12 games for UK last season. The 6-3, 313-pounder should be one of the strongest at the combine and rep in the high 30s at 225 on the bench. He also has a decent shot at running the 40s in the high 4.9s and vertical jumping around 32 inches.