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.
Over the course of a few weeks, 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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For NFL fans who don’t follow college football with the same amount of fervor, the combine provides football fans an early glimpse at future NFL stars. Want to see if that quarterback prospect actually has a cannon for an arm, or if that wideout really is as fast as everyone says? This is the opportunity for both fans and NFL teams to find that out.
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 keep track of the news going on leaguewide.
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.
Live10 updates
Mon, February 23, 2026 at 6:54 PM PST
Nate Tice
As we enter the upcoming NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, here’s where we stand mock draft wise. First overall is …
1. Las Vegas Raiders — Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
This pick feels like an intriguing pairing with new head coach Klint Kubiak. Mendoza is a clean operator whose sheer professionalism could lift the floor up for a franchise that’s been in the doldrums for oh so long. Mendoza is accurate, has good size, moves well in the pocket, and constantly finds the right answer from the pocket (he’s already a standout in situations like third down, the red zone and two-minute drives). He’s not an overwhelming athlete, but can create and scramble for yards when things go astray.
The Raiders’ offensive line needs a lot of work, but Las Vegas has an interesting collection of young skill players (Brock Bowers, Ashton Jeanty, I’d even include Tre Tucker here) that would give Mendoza immediate options as he starts in the NFL. Mendoza’s game, work ethic and intelligence should help make his transition to the NFL not quite as daunting (more under center work notwithstanding) when compared to others jumping from a shotgun-heavy college offense. He’s exactly what the silver and black need.
Mon, February 23, 2026 at 6:33 PM PST
WR Jordyn Tyson won’t be doing any on-field workouts or testing at the combine this week, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. Tyson is still working his way back from an in-season hamstring injury.
Yahoo Sports’ Charles McDonald had Tyson as the second wideout off the board in his latest mock draft with Nate Tice 16th overall to the New York Jets (pick via Indianapolis Colts) — only behind Ohio State’s Carnell Tate.
Mon, February 23, 2026 at 2:38 PM PST
Criss Partee
Los Angeles Chargers center Bradley Bozeman is retiring after eight seasons in the NFL. Bozeman began his career in the NFL in 2018 as a sixth-round draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens.
He played four years with the Ravens, two with the Carolina Panthers, and spent his final two seasons with the Chargers. Bozeman spent six of his eight NFL seasons playing for the Harbaugh brothers, John and Jim.
The news will undoubtedly put the Chargers in the mix to look extensively toward the offensive line at this year’s combine. You know, that, and the 54 sacks quarterback Justin Herbert took this past season — the third-most among quarterbacks in 2025.
Mon, February 23, 2026 at 12:19 PM PST
Ian Casselberry
An intriguing name invited to the NFL combine to throw is quarterback Taylor Elgersma, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Elgersma will throw to other position groups along with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Kyle Trask.
Elgersma, 23, was in camp with the Green Bay Packers last season but was among the final roster cuts.
Nicknamed the “Canuck Cannon, the 6-foot-5, 227-pounder had an outstanding college career at Wilfrid Laurier, throwing for 10,306 yards and 77 touchdowns, completing 71% of his passes. Elgersma was drafted by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2025 and the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions this year.
Mon, February 23, 2026 at 11:43 AM PST
Jason Owens
The Atlanta Falcons are planning to apply the franchise tag to tight end Kyle Pitts, according to multiple reports.
The franchise tag salary for tight ends in 2026 is projected at roughly $16 million. Franchise tag values are calculated by averaging the top five salaries in the league at a given position.
NFL teams have until March 3 to apply the franchise tag to a single player. Players under the franchise tag will then have until July 15 to negotiate a long-term contract. After that deadline passes, a player is required to play under the franchise tag, barring a holdout.
Mon, February 23, 2026 at 11:09 AM PST
Criss Partee
Dallas Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones took a minute with reporters to comment on the offseason and mentioned how the franchise would certainly have an open-minded approach to potential trades that could improve the roster this offseason.
Jones also talked about the defense. Most notably defensive tackles Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams. He mentioned how the Cowboys would need their [cap] room and they’ll need to work through that. In 2026, Clark’s cap number will be $21.5 million and Williams’ $21.6 million.
Dallas has key players on the offensive side of the ball to deal with like wide receiver George Pickens and they just paid running back Javonte Williams $24 million for three years.
Mon, February 23, 2026 at 10:38 AM PST
The first NFL combine participants arrived in Indianapolis on Sunday, including defensive linemen, linebackers and place kickers.
For their first day of official combine activities, they’ll undergo registration, orientation and begin team interviews.
That same group will undergo medical exams and further team interviews on Tuesday.
Read more on the full NFL combine schedule.
Mon, February 23, 2026 at 10:02 AM PST
NFL combine week isn’t just for the rookies. There’s plenty of news pertaining to veterans, too — especially given the combine’s overlap with the franchise tag window, which runs from Feb. 17 through March 3 at 4 p.m. ET.
One player frequently at the center of those discussions is quarterback Daniel Jones, who spent the 2025 season with the Indianapolis Colts. Playing on a one-year deal, Jones posted by far his most successful season to date with 3,101 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and 8 interceptions over just 13 games. He led the Colts to an 8-5 record before his season ended due to a torn Achilles.
Talks between Jones and the Colts, working toward a long-term contract, are continuing this week, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero shared in an interview Monday.
Mon, February 23, 2026 at 7:13 AM PST
Charles Robinson
Maybe it’s the quarterback chaos or the landslide of head coaching changes. Or because it’s late February and many of the NFL’s personnel departments already seem satisfied that the No. 1 overall pick in the draft is in the barn. Or maybe it’s because the 2025 season produced a wildly unexpected Super Bowl between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, and an even more unexpected Super Bowl quarterback winner in Sam Darnold.
Whatever the driving force, it’s thrusting the usual sideshow of the NFL scouting combine — trade rumors, free-agency buzz and clandestine general manager meetings — into the middle of the main stage. And with that, the college players who are taking their next big step toward draft positioning have become a subplot.
“It’s going to be a wild offseason and it’s going to start next week [at the combine],” one prominent NFL agent said this week. “There’s so much more than usual with different veteran stuff compared to how guys are going to work out — and we have a good class of guys [in the draft]. All the quarterback things to figure out, some of the [veteran] defensive players — some of the young players that could be traded with the staff changes — there’s going to be a lot going on.”
Read more on the biggest veteran storylines to watch — including the future of Lamar Jackson.