play0:21Buckeyes’ Sonny Styles reaches 43-5 on vertical at the combineOhio State LB Sonny Styles jumps an impressive 43-5 on the vertical at the NFL combine.
Matt MillerCloseMatt MillerNFL draft analystMatt Miller is an NFL draft analyst for ESPN, providing in-depth scouting on the nation’s top pro prospects. A Missouri native, Matt joined ESPN in 2021 and also contributes to SportsCenter, NFL Live and ESPN Radio. Prior to joining ESPN, Matt spent 11 years as a senior draft analyst at Bleacher Report.Follow on X, Jordan ReidCloseJordan ReidNFL draft analystJordan Reid is an NFL draft analyst for ESPN, providing in-depth scouting on the nation’s top pro prospects. Jordan joined ESPN in 2021 and also contributes to SportsCenter and ESPN Radio. He played quarterback at North Carolina Central University and then went on to coach there from 2014-18.Follow on X, Field YatesCloseField YatesESPN NFL InsiderField Yates is a fantasy football expert and NFL draft analyst for ESPN. You can find him on Fantasy Football Now on Sunday mornings and regularly on NFL Live throughout the week, as well as the Fantasy Focus and First Draft podcasts. A graduate of Wesleyan University (CT) and native of Weston, Mass., Yates has previous experience interning with the New England Patriots on both their coaching and scouting staffs.Follow on XMultiple AuthorsFeb 27, 2026, 08:55 PM ET
Buckeyes’ Sonny Styles reaches 43-5 on vertical at the combineOhio State LB Sonny Styles jumps an impressive 43-5 on the vertical at the NFL combine.
What are the biggest takeaways from Friday’s workouts?
More notes, thoughts and things we heard and saw on Day 2
What are the biggest takeaways from Thursday’s workouts?
More notes, thoughts and things we heard and saw on Day 1
INDIANAPOLIS — Individual drills for prospects in the 2026 NFL draft continued Friday, with defensive backs and tight ends taking the Lucas Oil Stadium field. They will be followed by quarterback, running back and wide receiver prospects Saturday. Offensive linemen will finish the combine with on-field workouts Sunday. Defensive linemen and linebackers started things off Thursday.
Who ran well in the 40-yard dash? Who dominated the rest of the on-field work? Draft experts Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Field Yates are recapping all four days of the combine workouts, evaluating the top performances from every position, picking prospects who are rising (or potentially falling) and addressing notable under-the-radar showings.
Jump to a section: DB/TE: Takeaways | Risers | Top names | Notes DL/LB: Takeaways | Risers | Top names | Notes
Notables who did not work out: Mansoor Delane (LSU), Caleb Downs (Ohio State), Jermod McCoy (Tennessee)
Miller: The 2026 cornerback class is fast. Just how fast? Of the players who ran Friday, 15 corners clocked under 4.5 seconds in their official timing. Only one player was recorded above 4.54 seconds (TJ Hall, Iowa). Compare that with last year, when seven cornerbacks ran below 4.5, and it’s easy to see the pure speed of this year’s class. It’s notable that the group ran this well without participation from top prospects such as McCoy, Delane, Avieon Terrell or Brandon Cisse in the 40-yard dash.
Davis is one of the most uniquely built players in this class, standing at 6-foot-4 and 194 pounds. He ran a 4.41 40, an excellent time for a player of his stature and an important data point for teams that prioritize his traits — length, ball-disruption skills and ability to play press coverage (he has logged 267 snaps of press over the past three seasons). Though Davis won’t fit every scheme, there will be a subset of teams that I believe will value him as soon as the third round. — Yates
Teams looking for a strong safety in this class should have Haulcy on their radar. The former Houston safety finished his college career at LSU and has a no-nonsense edge that really shows up against the run. He measures in at 6-foot and 215 pounds, and he ran an impressive 4.54 40 — notable for a player with his body type. He is an opportunistic playmaker when the ball is in his vicinity, with eight interceptions over the past two seasons. Haulcy will hear his name called on Day 2. — Yates
Johnson is creating buzz in league circles and should be included in the first tier of this year’s CB class. At 6 feet, 194 pounds, the biggest question Johnson needed to answer was his long speed. By running a 4.4 40-yard dash, his answer was emphatic, and he continued his ascension up draft boards. Johnson was firmly in the second-round picture entering the combine, but it shouldn’t be surprising if he sneaks into the back end of Round 1. — Reid
One great aspect of the combine is checking a box to clear questions on a player. Muhammad (6 feet, 182 pounds) was a player whose film showed questionable long speed, but his 40 time of 4.42 seconds should quiet those concerns. He also showed smooth transitions and good overall body control during position drills. Muhammad had only three interceptions in his college career, but his technique and length are those of a late Day 2 pick. — Miller
Stowers set two modern combine records (dating to 2003) with a 45½-inch vertical jump and an 11-foot-3 broad jump. The 6-foot-4, 239-pound former quarterback is still developing as an in-line blocker, but made a statement to start his combine. Stowers is the No. 2 tight end on my board, but this is the type of performance that makes GMs bet on upside and potential. He could work his way into the top 40. — Miller
Hamstring tightness while warming up for the 40-yard dash ended Cisse’s day before he could run or showcase his talents in positional drills, but he impressed in his jumps before shutting it down. Cisse (6 feet, 189 pounds) hit 41 inches on his vertical leap and 10-foot-11 on the broad jump — both excellent numbers for the likely first-rounder. He’ll run the 40-yard dash and do positional drills at South Carolina’s pro day March 17. — Miller
Hood entered the combine building off a strong Senior Bowl week. He has first-round measurables and added first-round numbers in the 40 (4.44 seconds), vertical jump (40½ inches) and broad jump (10-foot-5). Hood is a press-man coverage cornerback at 6 feet and 193 pounds with the broad shoulders to stack up receivers at the line of scrimmage. He is in the mix to be the third cornerback off the board and could land as a top-20 selection. — Miller
Labeled as the consensus TE1 of the class, Sadiq entered the combine with heightened expectations. The 6-foot-3, 241-pounder lived up to the hype, running a 4.4 40. But the most impressive part of his testing came during the jumps, as he finished with a 43½-inch vertical and leaped 11-foot-1 in the broad jump. Sadiq is a likely top-20 pick who will unquestionably be the first tight end off the board. — Reid
Notables who did not work out: CJ Allen (Georgia), Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami), Gabe Jacas (Illinois), Akheem Mesidor (Miami), Peter Woods (Clemson)
Miller: Arm length was the topic of the day, as Bain (30 7/8 inches) and Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell (30 1/4) measured under 31 inches. According to ESPN Research, those lengths would be the shortest for any defensive lineman drafted in the first round since ESPN started tracking combine data in 2003.
Will NFL general managers bet that they’re outliers? I’ve talked to a few teams that had slightly different measurements, ranging up to 32 inches for Bain, but the point stands that no edge rusher with sub-31-inch arms has had 10-plus sacks in a season since 1999. So which team will bet against those numbers? The likely result is that each falls from their current rankings based on film — Bain is my No. 10 prospect and Howell my No. 23 — but it’s unlikely that either falls out of Round 1.
Yates: We’ve reached a different era of the combine, as player participation has been a hot topic in Indy this week. Though there are players whose participation could positively impact their draft stock (i.e., Caleb Banks), more players are cognizant of the minimal upside of working out.
At first, I figured sources around the NFL would find this trend disappointing, but the most popular sentiment that I’ve gathered is one of understanding. The players must make a decision that is best for their own outlook, and in some cases, their college film is more than enough to rubber stamp where they belong in the draft.
Banks didn’t need to finish the on-field workouts to rank as one of Thursday’s winners. The 6-foot-6, 327-pound defensive tackle wowed with a 32-inch vertical jump and a 5.05-second 40. Banks missed most of last season because of a foot injury, but his upside is through the roof. He could have moved into the first round with his times Thursday. — Miller
With an eye-popping 4.76 40-yard dash, it didn’t take the 6-foot-1, 290-pound Durant long to be among one of the biggest standouts of the defensive line group. He followed that with a 33 ½-inch vertical leap and a 9-foot-4 broad jump. Known for his first-step explosion, Durant showed his quickness and burst throughout the workout. Viewed as an early Day 3 prospect, he has positioned himself to be a potential top-100 pick. — Reid
After a standout Senior Bowl week, the 6-foot, 200-pound Louis continued his strong predraft process with impressive numbers in the vertical (39½ inches) and broad (10-foot-9) jumps and a 4.57 40. The hybrid linebacker/safety prospect is a top 100 selection on my board, and teams I’ve spoken with mention his immediate impact as a weakside linebacker. He’d be ideal for a team like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. — Miller
Proctor continues to build momentum in the pre-draft process. After a standout week at the Shrine Bowl, his stock continued to rise Thursday, as he ran a 4.8 40 and leaped 33 inches in the vertical. Proctor is undersized at 6-foot-2, 291 pounds but has the potential to be an option in the middle rounds for teams searching for an explosive 3-technique. Scouts frequently point to his two-sack performance last season against LSU when discussing him. — Reid