Who helped themselves most? Grading my top 25 NFL Draft prospects at the combine
Let's hand out some grades for the top prospects at the combine
The NFL Scouting Combine is in the books. Let the jockeying for first-round positioning commence.
Unfortunately, with so many players opting out of certain drills -- or testing altogether -- it's not nearly the useful tool it once was. With the NFL's continued trend toward prioritizing athletes, pre-draft testing can serve as a tie-breaker at a lot of positions.
That being said, the players who did compete in Indianapolis get an automatic bump in my book for being willing to put themselves out there. Here's how I'd grade the performances of the top 25 prospects on my board.
- Measurables: 6-feet-4¾, 236 pounds, 9½-inch hands, 31⅞-inch arm length, 76¾-inch wingspan
- Testing: Did not participate in on-field drills or athletic testing.
Grade: Incomplete
- Measurables: 6-feet-2¼, 263 pounds, 9⅛-inch hands, 30⅞-inch arms, 77⅜-inch wingspan
- Testing: Did not participate in on-field drills or athletic testing.
Grade: Incomplete
- Measurables: 6-feet-4⅛, 241 pounds, 9½-inch hands, 32½-inch arms, 79½-inch wingspan
Testing: 4.46-second 40-yard dash, 1.58-second 10-yard split
Grade: A -- If you're going to be rumored as a linebacker-to-edge conversion, you better have the goods athletically. That's exactly what Reese showed. His 4.46 40 puts him in the top 10 historically among edge rushers. He also made everything look easy in the on-field workout. That's a top-five pick.
Arvell Reese people. Turning the corner pic.twitter.com/01Yj8RiuVS
— StaceyDales (@StaceyDales) February 27, 2026
- Measurables: 6-feet-6⅝, 352 pounds, 9¾-inch hands, 33⅜-inch arm length, 81⅝-inch wingspan
- Testing: 5.21-second 40-yard dash, 1.84-second 10-yard split, 32.5-inch vertical, 9-foot-1 broad
Grade: B -- Proctor's 5.21 40, 32.5-inch vertical and 9-1 broad jump all need to be couched in the fact that he's at least 30 pounds heavier than the other potential first-round offensive linemen who tested. He has the highest vertical, second-fastest 40 and third-best broad jump ever for a 350-plus-pound lineman.
The only reason he lands at a B is that despite being nearly 6-feet-7, his 81⅝-inch wingspan is relatively modest by tackle standards.
Alabama's Kadyn Proctor knocked the coach's hat off 😅
— NFL (@NFL) March 1, 2026
2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/SteMbrIzK9
- Measurables: 6-feet-5½, 311 pounds, 9-inch hands, 32⅛-inch arm length, 80¼-inch wingspan
- Testing: 4.91-second 40-yard dash, 1.72-second 10-yard split, 32-inch vertical jump, 9-foot-3 broad jump, 7.34-second 3-cone, 4.67-second shuttle
Grade: A -- Fano looked like the best mover in the offensive line class on tape and proved it again in Indianapolis. His 4.91 40 and 7.34 3-cone capture how easily he plays in space. That was even more evident during on-field drills.
His 32⅛-inch arms might scare some teams at tackle, but his 80¼-inch wingspan still gives him a chance to stick outside.
Spencer Fano’s 32” arms will be a prevailing concern, but on-field workouts separated him alone as the best mover in Indy.
— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) March 1, 2026
His hip flexibility aids in change-of-direction & uncorked hand power off redirections, & his lateral mobility is *elite* elite.
pic.twitter.com/sCiGCfTBi6
- Measurables: 6-feet-2⅛, 203 pounds, 9⅛-inch hands, 30¼-inch arm length, 75¼-inch wingspan
- Testing: Did not participate in on-field drills or athletic testing.
Grade: Incomplete
- Measurables: 5-feet-11⅝, 206 pounds, 9½-inch hands, 30¼-inch arm length, 73¼-inch wingspan
- Testing: Did not participate in on-field drills or athletic testing.
Grade: Incomplete
- Measurables: 6-feet-2¼, 192 pounds, 10¼-inch hands, 31¾-inch arm length, 78-inch wingspan
- Testing: 4.53-second 40-yard dash, 1.61-second 10-yard split
Grade: C+ -- Tate came in shorter (6-2¼) and lighter (192) than listed, and he ran slower than you'd hope for a potential top-10 pick (4.53). I wasn't expecting a blazing 40 -- he wins with smooth acceleration and deception rather than pure juice -- but top-10 teams often want elite athletes.
Chances are he gets into the 4.4s at his pro day and this becomes much ado about nothing.
- Measurables: 6-feet-0¾, 188 pounds, 9-inch hands, 31¼-inch arm length, 77-inch wingspan
- Testing: Did not participate in on-field drills or athletic testing.
Grade: Incomplete
- Measurables: 6-feet-5, 244 pounds, 10-inch hands, 32⅞-inch arms, 80⅞-inch wingspan
- Testing: 4.46-second 40-yard dash, 1.56-second 10-yard split, 43.5-inch vertical, 11-foot-2 broad, 7.09-second 3-cone, 4.26-second short shuttle
Grade: A+ -- Styles looked like the best linebacker athlete I've ever scouted on tape and backed it up at the combine. Don't be surprised if he ends up a top-five pick.
Sonny Styles scored an unofficial 10.00 relative athletic score, via @MathBomb.
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) February 27, 2026
That'd rank 1st out of 3,215 LBs all-time pending agility drills. pic.twitter.com/yDAfosAMUp
- Measurables: 5-feet-10¾, 186 pounds, 8⅝-inch hands, 31-inch arm length, 75½-inch wingspan
- Testing: 34-inch vertical, 10-foot-3 broad
Grade: A- -- Terrell was tough to grade. His jumps were unimpressive -- a 34-inch vertical and 10-3 broad are both below average for the position. On the flip side, he came in six pounds heavier than listed and measured with very long arms (31 inches) for a sub-5-foot-11 corner.
Then in the on-field drills, no one could hold a candle to him. I'll take that over raw testing numbers every day.
Avieon Terrell back pedal and transition pic.twitter.com/vl3wgaJJEp
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) February 27, 2026
- Measurables: 5-feet-11¾, 187 pounds, 8⅞-inch hands, 30-inch arm length, 74½-inch wingspan
- Testing: Did not participate in on-field drills or athletic testing.
Grade: Incomplete
- Measurables: 6-feet-2½, 298 pounds, 9⅛-inch hands, 31¼-inch arms, 76⅝-inch wingspan
- Testing: Did not participate in on-field drills or athletic testing.
Grade: Incomplete
- Measurables: 6-feet-6¼, 313 pounds, 9½-inch hands, 33⅜-inch arm length, 82¾-inch wingspan
- Testing: 4.99-second 40-yard dash, 1.74-second 10-yard split, 32.5-inch vertical, 9-foot-5 broad
Grade: A -- Lomu ticked every box you'd want to see at the combine. I'm not sure there's an elite trait in his profile, but there's also nothing from Indianapolis that raises concern. He's improved play strength away from being a quality NFL tackle.
Caleb Lomu is a OT prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.88 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 19 out of 1520 OT from 1987 to 2026.
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) March 1, 2026
Pending agilities and bench, times unofficial.https://t.co/ZPneDYlLEH pic.twitter.com/QuYIcdWcjo
- Measurables: 6-feet-4¼, 320 pounds, 10½-inch hands, 32¾-inch arm length, 80⅝-inch wingspan
- Testing: 31.5-inch vertical, 8-foot-8 broad
Grade: B+ -- Solid numbers and solid on-field work. Ioane checked the box as the draft's best true guard prospect. What stood out most during his on-field workout was his ability to maintain his base on the move. He's going to be difficult to overpower at the next level.
Penn State OL Olaivavega Ioane getting some work in the kick slide drill
— NFL (@NFL) March 1, 2026
2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/s4AdBJj3BV
- Measurables: 6-feet, 212 pounds, 9⅛-inch hands, 32-inch arm length, 78⅝-inch wingspan
- Testing: 4.36-second 40-yard dash, 1.55-second 10-yard split
Grade: A+ -- Beyond Love's ridiculous 4.36 speed and long 32-inch arms, the fact that a near-lock top-10 pick decided to go through workouts in Indy is worth applauding. He could have skipped the entire pre-draft process and still gone high. Instead, he wanted to compete. Someone's getting a special back.
This is the kind of drill work that makes @JeremiyahLove one of the top prospects in this Draft class.
— NFL (@NFL) February 28, 2026
2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/OdN2ydFY0u
- Measurables: 6-feet-0⅛, 196 pounds, 9⅝-inch hands, 30¼-inch arm length, 75¼-inch wingspan
- Testing: 4.42-second 40-yard dash, 1.55-second 10-yard split, 37-inch vertical
Grade: A -- With questions about his long speed given his slot usage last fall, Cooper answered them resoundingly with a 4.42 40. That was all we saw, but for many evaluators, that was all we needed to confirm his awesome tape for the Hoosiers.
Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr. is a guy I'm likely going to be higher on than most. Hard to find too many holes in his game. Speed, suddenness, hands, toughness, and RAC. Total package.
— Mike Renner (@mikerenner_) February 9, 2026
Top-20 prospect for me pic.twitter.com/hY1MlbAeHQ
- Measurables: 5-feet-11⅛, 192 pounds, 8¾-inch hands, 30½-inch arm length, 73¼-inch wingspan
- Testing: Did not participate in athletic testing.
Grade: Incomplete
- Measurables: 6-feet-3½, 251 pounds, 10¼-inch hands, 33⅝-inch arms, 79⅝-inch wingspan
- Testing: 4.50 40-yard dash, 1.62-second 10-yard split, 35-inch vertical, 10-foot-9 broad
Grade: B+ -- This is a tough one because Bailey checked the athletic boxes with a 4.50 40 and 10-9 broad at 251 pounds. That juice is how he wins, and those numbers suggest he'll continue to do so in the NFL.
In the on-field drills, though, he wasn't as fluid as you'd like from a potential top-10 pick.
David Bailey
— William Birach (@CoachBirach) February 26, 2026
- Plus side: Runs a 4.51 in a straight line
- Down side: Plays a position where change of direction is needed pic.twitter.com/8EoVLNr6Cg
- Measurables: 6-feet-5½, 329 pounds, 10⅝-inch hands, 33¼-inch arm length, 80¾-inch wingspan
- Testing: Did not participate in on-field drills or athletic testing.
Grade: Incomplete
- Measurables: 6-feet-3½, 318 pounds, 9¼-inch hands, 33¼-inch arms, 80⅝-inch wingspan
- Testing: 5.18-second 40-yard dash, 1.79-second 10-yard split, 21.5-inch vertical, 8-foot-4 broad
Grade: C -- Hunter looked good in on-field work but posted ugly jumps. His 21.5-inch vertical ranks in the first percentile historically for defensive tackles, and his 8-4 broad jump lands in the 18th percentile. That would be more excusable if he were a massive nose tackle, but at 318 pounds, that's not the case.
- Measurables: 6-feet-6¾, 317 pounds, 9¾-inch hands, 34¼-inch arm length, 83⅞-inch wingspan
- Testing: 5.04-second 40-yard dash, 1.75-second 10-yard split, 32-inch vertical, 9-foot-5 broad
Grade: A -- Want a prototypical frame (6-7, 317 pounds, 34¼-inch arms) and high-end athleticism (5.04 40, 32-inch vertical, 9-5 broad)? That's what Miller brings to the table. The four-year starter improved each season in college and solidified himself as a first-rounder in Indy.
Blake Miller wave drill pic.twitter.com/yiFYEwHQiL
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) March 1, 2026
- Measurables: 6-feet-5⅞, 321 pounds, 9-inch hands, 33⅞-inch arm length, 83¼-inch wingspan
- Testing: 4.91-second 40-yard dash, 1.73-second 10-yard split, 30.5-inch vertical, 9-foot-7 broad
Grade: A+ -- Iheanachor, the wildcard of the tackle class, showed exactly why he's so exciting. Elite athlete, perfect tackle frame and exceptional body control. Nitpick the tape all you want, but he's only played football for five years. With NFL coaching, it's going to look better and look better quickly. No chance he makes it out of the first round now.
Max Iheanachor is a OT prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.91 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 14 out of 1512 OT from 1987 to 2026.
— RAS.football (@MathBomb) March 1, 2026
Pending agilities and bench, times unofficial.https://t.co/6L6fxb0XGv pic.twitter.com/P30azDDG9g
- Measurables: 6-feet-2½, 253 pounds, 9¼-inch hands, 30¼-inch arms, 74¼-inch wingspan
- Testing: 4.59-second 40-yard dash, 1.58-second 10-yard split, 32.5-inch vertical, 9-foot-7 broad
Grade: C- -- I hate giving Howell the lowest grade here because it centers on an immutable trait he has no control over. But 30¼-inch arms aren't just short -- they'd be the shortest of any drafted edge rusher in over 20 years. Add below-average jumps for an undersized rusher, and it's hard to see him going in the first round.
- Measurables: 6-feet-2⅛, 326 pounds, 9⅝-inch hands, 32¼-inch arms, 78⅛-inch wingspan
- Testing: Kayden McDonald did not participate in athletic testing
Grade: Incomplete
