play0:53Mel Kiper Jr. makes case for Steelers drafting Ty SimpsonMel Kiper Jr. joins “Get Up” and breaks down why Ty Simpson would be a good option for the Steelers in the 2026 NFL draft.
play1:36Why Louis Riddick considers Jeremiyah Love a massive difference-makerLouis Riddick breaks down why Jeremiyah Love is the biggest offensive difference-maker in the 2026 NFL draft.
Is Fernando Mendoza not throwing at combine a big deal? (2:00)Mike Tannenbaum and Dan Graziano examine Fernando Mendoza’s potential combine week after his decision not to throw there. (2:00)
Mel Kiper Jr. makes case for Steelers drafting Ty SimpsonMel Kiper Jr. joins “Get Up” and breaks down why Ty Simpson would be a good option for the Steelers in the 2026 NFL draft.
Mel Kiper Jr. joins “Get Up” and breaks down why Ty Simpson would be a good option for the Steelers in the 2026 NFL draft.
Why Louis Riddick considers Jeremiyah Love a massive difference-makerLouis Riddick breaks down why Jeremiyah Love is the biggest offensive difference-maker in the 2026 NFL draft.
Louis Riddick breaks down why Jeremiyah Love is the biggest offensive difference-maker in the 2026 NFL draft.
Which prospect is going to dominate his combine workout?
What do scouts want to see from this quarterback group?
Which quarterback has the chance to rise the most Saturday?
Pick a four-man relay team of prospects who will light up the 40-yard dash
Which prospect is going to turn heads with his broad/vertical jumps?
Which prospects’ measurements will scouts really be focused on?
Whose medical reports will teams be paying close attention to this week?
What’s the best piece of buzz you’ve heard heading into the combine workouts?
What is one way the combine workouts have changed this year?
The NFL combine is rolling through Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis this week — a key event in the lead-up to the 2026 NFL draft. More than 300 prospects will converge on Indy, where they will receive official measurements, undergo medical evaluations, interview with teams and work out in front of NFL scouts, coaches and front office executives.
The on-field drills begin Thursday, and draft experts Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Field Yates are here to break down what they’re looking for out of the best players in the class. Which prospects are going to make an impression? Who has the most to prove or gain? Which quarterbacks could turn heads, and of course, who will run the fastest 40-yard dash? NFL reporter Kalyn Kahler also shared one new tweak to the combine workouts that could matter.
Defensive linemen, linebackers and special teams are up first Thursday at 3 p.m. ET. Defensive backs and tight ends perform their workouts at 3 p.m. ET Friday, followed by the quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs at 1 p.m. ET Saturday. The offensive linemen finish things with their workouts at 1 p.m. ET Sunday.
Reid: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State. At 6-foot-4, 243 pounds, Styles has the potential to be the talk of the combine after his workout. Speaking to scouts, the expectation is for Styles to run in the mid-to-high 4.5 range in the 40-yard dash and exceed 40 inches in the vertical jump. Don’t be surprised if he touches 11 feet on the broad jump, too. He is already viewed as a potential top-10 pick, but Styles is likely to put on a show not only during the testing portion but also in on-field drills.
Mel Kiper Jr. makes case for Steelers drafting Ty Simpson
Reid: The QB class is wide open after Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. And with Mendoza opting to wait until his pro day on April 1 to throw, there’s a prime opportunity for another quarterback to claim the spotlight Saturday. Who will make a statement?
Simpson (Alabama) and Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) are viewed as the potential QB2 and QB3 of this class. After their highly inconsistent seasons, scouts are interested to see how both throw the ball during the throwing session. Simpson is still receiving a mixture of late Round 1 and early Day 2 grades, while Nussmeier’s grades are sporadic. Some scouts see him as a Round 3 prospect, while others feel he’s a Day 3 dart throw.
Cole Payton (North Dakota State) is also gaining steam, and his development is well ahead of the curve despite being a one-year starter. Early Day 3 is still seen as Payton’s target area, but Round 3 isn’t out of the question if he performs well during the predraft process. Saturday will be key.
For the last two, I polled scouts and heard that Iowa wideout Kaden Wetjen (high 4.3s) and Wake Forest running back Demond Claiborne (low 4.4s) are two must-sees when it comes to the best 40 times in this class. If I had to call out a player on defense, I’d keep an eye on Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell. He can fly.
Why Louis Riddick considers Jeremiyah Love a massive difference-maker
Yates: Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina. He is one of the most explosive players in the draft, which is apparent when watching his tape. A vertical jump north of 40 inches would come as no surprise (expect an impressive broad jump, too), and he’ll blaze the 40 as well. Cisse was a movable chess piece during his college career. A strong week in Indy will strengthen his case to be a first-round selection.
Miller: Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami. The arm length concerns have been loudly rumored when discussing Bain, and we’ll get a firm number on just how long his arms are this week. Does it matter? Some teams will knock a player with sub-32-inch arms along the defensive line — even if that player had 71 pressures and 9.5 sacks like Bain did last season. His weight will also be of interest.
Reid: If we’re strictly ranking this class of receivers by talent, a strong argument could be made that Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson is the best of the bunch. But he has struggled to stay healthy. He never completed a full college season, missing three games in 2025. He’s always battling nagging injuries, so there will be teams hesitant in taking Tyson in Round 1.
Finally, Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, who broke his left ankle in an October loss to Northwestern, will be one to watch. He’s my QB5 right now.
Kiper: Missouri’s Zion Young could be the first defensive end off the board — ahead of Bain, Akheem Mesidor, etc. (but not quite in the same class as top outside linebackers Arvell Reese and David Bailey). The 6-foot-5, 262-pound edge rusher plays with strong hands, plenty of quickness and the ability to seal off the run. He’s No. 22 on my board, but he has a lot of fans around the league and could push higher — especially if he has a good week at the combine.
Miller: Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane could be a top-15 pick and a future All-Pro. The 6-foot-4 330-pounder is a favorite of many evaluators I’ve talked to since the Senior Bowl. “He’s a mauler with ballerina feet,” one NFC South area scout said. Guards aren’t usually seen as smart investments in Round 1 due to positional value, and the rookie wage scale dictating a high salary for first-rounders, but Ioane is seen as one of the safest picks in this class.
Reid: If you’re looking for two names that scouts are high on despite not getting much Round 1 buzz, consider Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas and San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson. Jacas (6-foot-3, 275 pounds) has created plenty of momentum after recording 11 sacks last season and followed that up with a strong performance at the Senior Bowl. Don’t be surprised if Jacas, my No. 46 overall player, sneaks into the back end of the first round.
Johnson (6-foot, 185 pounds) has been repeatedly brought up by scouts in this deep cornerback class. After a dominant 2025 season that resulted in him earning Mountain West Co-Defensive Player of the Year, the big question mark that scouts want answered is Johnson’s straight-line speed. His 40-yard dash time is one to watch very closely. I have him in Round 2 at the moment.
Yates: Michigan edge rusher Jaishawn Barham is picking up steam in the scouting community, which I don’t expect to slow down anytime soon. He began his college career at Maryland and was a stand-up linebacker for much of his college career, but at 6-foot-3 and 243 pounds, he played a hefty dose of edge snaps in 2025 and showed unique explosiveness. He’s a Day 2 prospect now who will only create further intrigue with a big week.
Kahler: The combine has added a new bench press drill — an isometric hold to measure a prospect’s force — multiple club sources at the combine told ESPN. Prospects will start with elbows bent at 90 degrees and push the barbell as hard as possible for 3-5 seconds. Prospects will do at least two reps, with 60 seconds rest.
In 2020, president of National Football Scouting Inc. Jeff Foster told Sports Illustrated that he had discussed options to replace the bench press that year with a committee of five general managers.
Miller: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon. The buzz surrounding Sadiq’s skills has been growing since the junior tight end first took the field as Terrance Ferguson’s backup in 2024. Now, the 6-foot-3 245-pounder has his shot to impress scouts and GMs. Evaluators I’ve spoken to are predicting Sadiq will leap north of 41 inches in the vertical jump and could run the 40-yard dash in the low 4.5-second range. The top tight end in the class, Sadiq has varying grades from teams, with some placing him in the top 20 while others see him in the back end of Round 1. A big week of testing could push him to the top of that range.
Kiper: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama. Man, Jordan took mine. Styles is going to light up the vertical and 40. But I’ll go with Proctor, who is extremely explosive for his 6-foot-7, 366-pound size. We saw his athleticism on display during the season, as he took a screen pass 11 yards against Georgia and plowed his way to a first down against Missouri. And he has a ton of raw upper-body strength. I think he could post some really good numbers in the combine testing and help make the case that he should stay at left tackle in the NFL — and go in Round 1.
Kiper: Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami. There is no arguing Bain’s production (including 9.5 sacks and 71 pressures last season), technique and overall upside. His game is built on sheer power, nonstop hustle and a deep arsenal of pass-rush moves to beat offensive tackles. But his arm length at 6-foot-3, 275 pounds is a question for scouts, and his 40-yard dash time will be key in seeing his true speed. Bain needs a good workout and some solid testing numbers to prove he can be just as dominant in the NFL as he was in college. I have him ranked ninth overall right now, but he could end up going top-five if he puts a stamp on his evaluation in Indianapolis.
