With the college football season complete, the 2026 NFL scouting combine is one of the last major chances draft prospects have to make an impact on NFL teams.
Throughout the week, prospects will take part in interviews and on-field drills, all with the goal of convincing an NFL team they are worth a draft pick. While some players head into the event knowing they’ll get drafted no matter how they perform, a few players will see their status rise dramatically after delivering standout physical displays.
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Thursday’s workouts featured a series of head-turning performances, led by Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and edge rusher Arvell Reese. The two former college teammates tied for the fastest 40-yard dash times of the day at 4.46 seconds, and Styles also finished near the top of the field in vertical jump and broad jump.
Other standout performances on the day included Florida DT Caleb Banks, Texas Tech Edge David Bailey, UCF Edge Malachi Lawrence and Oklahoma DT Gracen Halton.
Workouts continue Friday with tight ends and defensive backs, quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs on Saturday and offensive linemen on Sunday.
Follow along as Yahoo Sports provides updates of the 2026 NFL scouting combine, including the latest rumors, news and standout performances during the event. We’ll also follow news across the league.
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How to watch the 2026 NFL scouting combine
Dates: Feb. 23 through March 2 (on-field workouts from Feb. 26 through March 1)
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium | Indianapolis
TV channel: NFL Network
Follow along with the latest news coming out of the 2026 NFL scouting combine.
Live91 updatesFri, February 27, 2026 at 2:12 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Arizona’s Genesis Smith leads safeties with a vertical leap of 42.5 inches, while South Carolina’s Jalon Kilgore, Nebraska’s DeShon Singleton and Arizona’s Treydan Stukes tied for the position’s best broad jump at 10 feet, 10 inches.
Fri, February 27, 2026 at 1:22 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Missouri’s Toriano Pride officially locked in at a combine-best 4.32 seconds.
Here’s the rest of the top-10 times among cornerbacks:
Fri, February 27, 2026 at 1:07 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
Missouri’s Toriano Pride Jr. just ripped off a 4.32 in the 40-yard dash, the best time in this year’s NFL combine.
“I told you, I needed it,” the cornerback said afterward.
Pride showed off his speed this past season, notably with a pick 6 and a 62-yard fumble return.
Fri, February 27, 2026 at 12:27 PM PST
Yahoo Sports
Fri, February 27, 2026 at 12:24 PM PST
Yahoo Sports
Remember the 43.5-inch vertical former Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles recorded on Thursday? It had everyone marveling.
Well, former Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds just matched that mark. And he’s only 5-foot-8.
In other words, he’s nine inches shorter than Styles.
Ponds’ vertical is the fourth best recorded by a cornerback in NFL combine history.
Fri, February 27, 2026 at 10:41 AM PST
Andy Backstrom
The salary cap for the 2026 league year has been set, and the official franchise and tender numbers are out, as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter:
Fri, February 27, 2026 at 10:34 AM PST
Tarohn Finley
Vanderbilt quarterback prospect Diego Pavia said that he has received good advice from Johnny Manziel.
Manziel was seen on the sideline with a Pavia jersey in a Vanderbilt game last season.
Fri, February 27, 2026 at 8:10 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
USC wide receiver prospect (and projected first-rounder) Makai Lemon said it’d be “pretty cool” to catch a touchdown pass from future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers at the combine podium on Friday.
Coincidentally, Lemon was mocked to the Steelers in Yahoo Sports’ latest first-round NFL mock draft. On the fit, Nate Tice writes:
The Steelers might not traditionally take wide receivers in the first round, but after their 2025 passing attack faltered time and again outside of deep forays to DK Metcalf and a bevy of tight end targets, I think it’ll be OK for them to break tradition and add some juice to their pass-catching group. Lemon’s play style (he was primarily a slot player at USC) pairs nicely with Metcalf as well as Mike McCarthy’s quick-hitting scheme (regardless if Aaron Rodgers returns or not), and gives this offense an underneath weapon who can actually create something.
Fri, February 27, 2026 at 8:06 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Fri, February 27, 2026 at 7:20 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson doesn’t have much experience as a starter, but he doesn’t view that as a problem heading into the draft. Simpson believes he’s ready to be a “franchise quarterback,” he said at the NFL combine on Friday.
Simpson, by most evaluators, is considered the second-best quarterback in the draft behind Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.
While some consider Simpson a late first-round pick, he could get pushed up draft boards due to a lack of standout quarterbacks in the draft.
Fri, February 27, 2026 at 7:00 AM PST
Chris Cwik
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza had a lot of encouraging things to say about the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday. Mendoza, who took part in media interviews at the NFL Combine, said he had a “fantastic interview” with the team and spoke highly of team executive Tom Brady.
That shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone following the 2026 NFL Draft. Mendoza is expected to be the top overall pick at the event, where he’ll be tasked with helping turn around a Raiders franchise that hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2021.
Mendoza did talk up the possibility of working with Brady, who is a minority owner of the team.
“Who hasn’t admired Tom Brady, guys?” Mendoza said.
Mendoza said he got a chance to talk to Brady already.
“I was able to say a brief hi on the phone to Brady. That was very special to me,” Mendoza said, via WISH-TV. “Look forward to meeting him in person, hopefully, one day, and learning from him.”
Mendoza, 22, is coming off a season in which he led the nation with 41 touchdowns passes, won the Heisman award and led Indiana to a national championship. He’s considered the sure-fire top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Fri, February 27, 2026 at 6:53 AM PST
Chris Cwik
Tight ends and defensive backs are set to take the field for NFL Combine drills Friday. Live coverage of position drills is expected to begin at 3 p.m. ET on NFL Network.
Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs are expected to draw the most eyes Friday. Downs is considered by some to be the best player in the draft. Sadiq is thought to be the top tight end available, and has the physical skills to put up some eye-popping numbers Friday.
In addition to those two positions groups, the quarterbacks, running backs and wideouts will engage in media interviews during the day ahead of their workouts Saturday. Offensive lineman will do pre-workout interviews, as they are the last position group to take part in the combine. Offensive linemen won’t participate in on-field drills until Sunday.
Fri, February 27, 2026 at 5:20 AM PST
Chris Cwik
The Dallas Cowboys don’t want to risk losing George Pickens after an excellent 2025. The Cowboys will reportedly place the franchise tag on Pickens on Friday, per Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein.
The move comes after Pickens exploded for a career-high 1,429 yards and nine receiving touchdowns in his only season with Dallas.
Placing the tag on Pickens was expected. Coming off that season, the 24-year-old Pickens is considered one of the best free agents on the market. He would have commanded a massive free-agent deal if the Cowboys let him walk.
Thu, February 26, 2026 at 6:11 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Ravens safety had to call out NFL Network for its side-by-side look of his draft profile next to Ohio State prospect Sonny Styles.
Thu, February 26, 2026 at 4:45 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Ohio State products Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese end up with official times of 4.46, tied for the fastest of the day among LBs, edge rushers and defensive linemen.
40-yard dash times (NFL.com)
Thu, February 26, 2026 at 4:38 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
These Ohio State guys are putting on a show today. Styles matches Buckeyes teammate Arvell Reese with a 4.47 time in his second attempt.
Unofficially tied for the best times of the day.
Thu, February 26, 2026 at 4:33 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Yahoo Sports has Reese from Ohio State going No. 4 overall in its latest mock draft.
His 40-yard dash time of 4.47 (unofficial) will help. That matches the best time of the day.
Thu, February 26, 2026 at 4:31 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The stellar combine workout continues for the Ohio State LB, who clocked an unofficial 4.49 in his first 40-yard dash attempt.
That’s the No. 2 fastest time of the day among LBs after TCU’s Kaleb Elarms-Orr (4.47).
Thu, February 26, 2026 at 4:03 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
The Washington Commanders are releasing center Tyler Biadasz, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Biadasz, whom the Dallas Cowboys selected out of Wisconsin in the fourth round of the 2020 draft, spent the past two seasons with the Commanders.
He started 31 games in that span.
Now the 2022 Pro Bowler will look for his next landing spot.
Thu, February 26, 2026 at 3:49 PM PST
Andy Backstrom
While the NFL Players Association couldn’t release team report cards publicly this year, due to the NFL winning a grievance arguing that the surveys violated the CBA, they still came out in a report from ESPN.
ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler disclosed the grades for each of the categories — from treatment of families to team ownership — for all 32 franchises.
Check them out here.
CANTON, OHIO – AUGUST 24: A detail of the NFL Players Association logo on August 24, 2025 in Canton, Ohio. (Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)
(Aaron M. Sprecher via Getty Images)