4 Big Winners From Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Combine

The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine kicked off on-field drills Thursday with the first trio of position groups, as the edge defenders, interior defensive linemen, and linebackers all got the opportunity to show off their athletic prowess at Lucas Oil Stadium.

There were plenty of impressive performances throughout the day from each group, but a handful of prospects made the most of their chance to shine in front of league decision-makers.

Here are some of the biggest winners from Thursday’s action:

LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State

Styles was already highly regarded coming into the week as the consensus top linebacker prospect in the class, but he put up historic numbers across the board. Especially at his size, Styles delivered one of the most impressive workouts in combine history Thursday, showing off all the skills that made him a dynamic playmaker for the Buckeyes:

Coming into the week, Styles was viewed as a top-15 pick. After that performance, there’s no way he’s getting out of the top 10, and he could make a strong case to be a top-five pick by the time we get to Pittsburgh in a couple of months.

Edge Malachi Lawrence, UCF

There were plenty of edge defenders who performed well Thursday, but nobody made themselves more money than Lawrence, who showed off impressive athleticism for his size. After a productive 2025 campaign for the Knights, Lawrence looked fluid and explosive during on-field drills, putting himself in some rare company:

This year’s class is loaded at the position, but that kind of performance could separate Lawrence from the pack as NFL teams sort these prospects into tiers heading into the draft. It felt like Lawrence was headed for a late-Day 2 slot coming into the week, but it feels like he may not make it out of the second round now.

DL Kaleb Proctor, SE Louisiana

The small-school stud of the day was Proctor, and undersized but explosive interior defender who proved he belonged on the field with his Power 4 peers. He showed impressive movement skills and explosiveness, with elite speed that’s rare for his position:

In a defensive line class that’s short on upfield disruptors who can blow up plays in the backfield from the 3-technique spot, Proctor should be grabbing the attention of every team in the league with his combine performance. That should send scouts and executives back to the tape to see him dominate lower-level competition.

DL DeMonte Capehart, Clemson

Another interior defender who planted a flag for his athletic ability Thursday, Capehart came to play, and put up some incredible numbers for a player his size. His impressive overall workout put him on a short list of bigger prospects with the kind of athleticism he brings to the table:

At 6-5 and 315 pounds, Capehart’s towering frame and rare athletic ability should have all 32 teams moving him up the board after this performance. He should be firmly planted in the Day 2 conversation, with a chance to come off the board in the top 50 picks.

Best of the Rest

LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

LB Jake Golday, Cincinnati

LB Kyle Louis, Pitt

DL Zane Durant, Penn State

DL Gracen Halton, Oklahoma

Edge George Gumbs Jr., Florida

Edge Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

4 Big Winners From Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Combine

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