The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine wrapped up Sunday in Indianapolis, and as always, a week of interviews, measurements, and on-field workouts left the draft landscape looking a little different than it did when prospects arrived. Some players locked in their lottery-ticket status. Others raised more questions than they answered. And a handful of under-the-radar names made sure scouts and general managers left Lucas Oil Stadium with a new name or two circled on their boards.

Here is a full breakdown of the combine's top performers, the biggest stock movers, the consensus top picks by position, and the teams best positioned to come out of the 2026 draft in dramatically improved shape.

Combine Top Performers

Fastest Man at the Event: Brenen Thompson, WR, Mississippi State

Mississippi State wide receiver Brenen Thompson put up the fastest 40 time of any player at the combine, running a blazing 4.26. That number will follow Thompson everywhere between now and April 23. Pure speed at that level forces NFL defenses to account for you on every snap, and Thompson gave teams a reason to invest in him as a vertical threat and gadget weapon at the next level.

Record-Breaker at Quarterback: Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas

The QB workouts were always going to be watched closely with the presumed No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza choosing to skip on-field drills. Into that void stepped Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green, who put on arguably the most explosive individual combine showing of any player at any position. Green was a big workout winner with record efforts in the vertical jump and broad jumps, and a blistering 4.36-second run in the 40-yard dash. Those are ridiculous numbers for a quarterback. Green was already a player scouts were monitoring as a developmental prospect with serious upside, and that showing will have teams reconsidering exactly where he fits in this QB class.

Historic Tight End Performances: Kenyon Sadiq and Eli Stowers

The tight end group gave the combine two of its most memorable individual moments. Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq ran a 4.39 in the 40, which is a new combine record at the tight end position. Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers broke combine records in both the vertical jump at 45.5 inches and the broad jump at 11 feet and 3 inches. Two record-setting performances from the same position group in the same week is something that does not happen often. Both players are going to get serious Day 2 attention, and Sadiq's speed number at the position may push him into late first-round conversations with teams that run scheme-heavy passing attacks.

Best All-Around Linebacker: Sonny Styles, Ohio State

Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles put in an incredible all-around performance, running a 4.46-second 40-yard dash, the best time among linebackers at the event. Styles comes from one of the most celebrated football families in college football, but he made his own statement in Indianapolis. His combination of size, athleticism, and football intelligence has him trending as one of the most complete defensive prospects in the entire draft.

Fastest DB in the Building: Lorenzo Styles Jr., Ohio State

The Styles brothers each made noise at the combine. Safety Lorenzo Styles Jr. ran a blazing 4.27, the best time in the combine at the point he ran it. A safety running 4.27 is the kind of number that makes defensive coordinators rearrange their entire wish list for the offseason.

Notre Dame RB Keeps Rising: Jeremiyah Love

Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love impressed at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, running the second-best 40 time among running backs at the event. Love came in already considered the class's top running back by a wide margin, and he left with that status firmly intact. Comparisons to Reggie Bush have followed him throughout the pre-draft process and nothing in Indianapolis changed that.

Top Picks by Position

Quarterback: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

The quarterback class is essentially just Fernando Mendoza alone at the top. National champion. Heisman Trophy winner. Elite advanced metrics profile. Mendoza has it all and stands alone as the surefire first overall pick in the NFL Draft by a good margin. He skipped the throwing session at the combine, but that matters very little. Mendoza's ADP has crystallized as the clear No. 1 overall player. His season-long ADP has now settled at a firm 1.0, meaning the board is effectively locked in at the top. After Mendoza, the class gets murky in a hurry. Alabama's Ty Simpson has intriguing traits and showed well in the throwing session, while Penn State's Drew Allar is a polished pocket passer who should hear his name called in the first two rounds.

Running Back: Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

There is a significant gap between Love and everyone else in this class. Love had 199 carries for 1,372 rushing yards, 18 rushing TDs, 27 catches, 280 receiving yards, and 3 receiving TDs in 2025. Multiple analysts have compared Love to top running backs they have evaluated over the past two decades based on his vision, burst, receiving ability, and broken tackle production. Notre Dame's Jadarian Price is an intriguing complementary piece, and Nebraska's Emmett Johnson rounds out the top three.

Wide Receiver: Carnell Tate, Ohio State / Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

Carnell Tate and Jordyn Tyson look like the consensus WR1 and WR2 for most in this class, but they could not be any more different as players. Jordyn Tyson is a twitchy speedster with underrated ball skills, while Carnell Tate is a wildly impressive route runner who destroys defenders at the second level with subtlety, precision, and reliable hands. Tate's ability to run precise routes at speed makes him an instant-impact receiver at the next level, and his combine numbers reinforced what tape already showed. Tyson's straight-line speed and yards-after-catch ability gives teams a legitimate home run hitter.

Tight End: Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon / Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

Both players made themselves a lot of money in Indianapolis. Sadiq's 4.39 speed creates matchup problems that most NFL defenses simply cannot solve, and Stowers' record-breaking explosion numbers signal a rare athletic profile that teams covet for modern two-tight-end sets.

Offensive Tackle: Francis Mauigoa, Miami / Spencer Fano, Utah

Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano are two of the best offensive tackle athletes in recent draft classes, and more than 97% of mock drafts have included them in the first round. Mauigoa was a key piece of Miami's CFP championship run and projects as an immediate starter at the next level. Fano's combination of length and athleticism gives him the tools to develop into an elite blindside protector. Georgia's Monroe Freeling rounded out the top tackle group with a solid combine showing Sunday.

Edge Rusher: Rueben Bain Jr., Miami / David Bailey, Texas Tech / Arvell Reese, Ohio State

The trio of elite edge rushers at the top of this class could continue to shuffle throughout the NFL Draft process, but there should not be anyone else joining them in the first tier of first-round locks. Rueben Bain will get knocked for his arm length, but David Bailey has the best production profile and is likely the best pure pass rusher, while Arvell Reese is a hybrid freak athlete who could play off-ball or at the edge.

Cornerback: Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

McCoy did not play in 2025 after an ACL injury, so medical checks were a major storyline for him in Indianapolis. His on-ball production before the injury was elite, with four interceptions and nine pass breakups in 2024. If he clears medical reviews, McCoy has first-round talent and could go inside the top ten picks depending on team need.

Safety: Caleb Downs, Ohio State

Many evaluators view Downs as one of the top safety prospects in recent memory, with an 83.7 PFF run-defense grade and an 89.6 PFF coverage grade, showcasing impact in all phases. He is the kind of player who can change a defense's entire identity. Lorenzo Styles Jr.'s combine performance has pushed him into the first-round conversation as well.

Teams Best Positioned to Win the 2026 Draft

New York Jets

The Jets finished with one of the worst records in the league, but they have a plan and put themselves in a position to change the course of their franchise. They hold the No. 2 overall pick plus additional early selections from trades, giving them one of the richest draft hauls in the entire league. Whether they go edge rusher with Arvell Reese, offensive tackle, or pivot to a quarterback at No. 2, the Jets have the assets to address multiple holes in one draft cycle.

Dallas Cowboys

With two first-round picks in 2026, the Cowboys have a chance to rebuild a defense that resides at the bottom of the league. Dallas acquired additional picks through the Micah Parsons trade and enters the draft with serious capital to reshape their roster. In a class loaded with edge rushers, cornerbacks, and pass-rushing talent, the Cowboys are in the right place at the right time.

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams also hold two first-round picks in 2026 after acquiring Atlanta's selection. With Matthew Stafford returning and a roster built to compete now, the Rams can use one pick to address the cornerback position and another to prepare for life after Trent Williams at left tackle, where a developmental tackle prospect could grow behind one of the best ever at the position.

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders hold the No. 1 pick and Mendoza is considered a virtual lock for that selection. Incoming head coach Klint Kubiak was surely lured to Las Vegas by the opportunity to land the consensus top quarterback of the class. The Raiders still have veteran Geno Smith, which should allow Kubiak and the organization the increasingly rare opportunity to truly prepare Mendoza for the NFL rather than rush him onto the field. If Mendoza develops the way his college tape suggests he can, the Raiders made the right call building the entire offseason around landing him.

Arizona Cardinals

Arizona's first priority has to be charting a path forward at the quarterback position, with the Cardinals likely to move on from Kyler Murray. Holding the No. 3 pick with a new head coach installed in Mike LaFleur, the Cardinals have a chance to make a franchise-altering selection. Whether they take the best offensive tackle available or swing on a developmental quarterback, the foundation is in place for a reset in Arizona.

The Big Picture

The 2026 class is not the deepest in recent memory. A significant number of elite prospects chose to return to college to take advantage of NIL money and revenue sharing rather than enter the draft. The quarterback position beyond Mendoza is a genuine question mark, and the offensive tackle group gets thin quickly after the top two or three names.

But this class does have some truly elite individual talents at the positions that matter most. The edge rusher group is as good as any in recent years. The wide receiver depth through the first three rounds is legitimate. And a handful of combine performances this week in Indianapolis pushed players into Round 1 conversations that were not happening even a month ago.

Green's combine explosion, Sadiq and Stowers breaking tight end records, Thompson's 4.26 that nobody will forget, and the Styles brothers each running sub-4.5 at their respective positions gave the combine exactly what it is supposed to deliver: moments that change how teams build their boards.

The draft is April 23 in Pittsburgh. The real work starts now.

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