A number of prospects solidified their first-round status, while others made their case in Indianapolis to move up draft boards
Omar Navarro
The2026 NFL Combinewrapped up in Indianapolis after an eventful week.
With a full slate of events, there were quite a few prospects that stood out and created some buzz for themselves heading into the next phase of the draft process.
But there's no doubt the overwhelming takeaway from the week was one of speed.
The average 40-yard dash times were the fastest in history for seven of the eight position groups in Indianapolis, as the wide receivers and defensive backs led the way with an average of 4.44 seconds.
That speed and athleticism was apparent in the drills as well, but arguably no position more than tight end.
Oregon'sKenyon Sadiqtook the most headlines this week with the fastest 40-yard dash ever for a tight end at 4.39 seconds.
It's why he was USA Today's Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz's No. 2winner of the Combine, behind Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles.
Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote:
There might not be a bigger gulf between the No. 1 prospect at any position and the rest of the field than there is at tight end. Sadiq demonstrated why on Saturday by establishing himself as a historically unique multifaceted threat.
The 6-foot-3, 241-pounder also added an 11-foot-1 broad jump and 43.5-inch vertical to his tally in addition to a number of smooth drills.
It was an all-around great performance for Sadiq that earned him NFL.com's Nick Shook's selection in hisAll-Combine team.
Shook wrote:
He's an athletic freak, confirming the reputation he'd built up at Oregon, but consistency with his hands remains a question. It's not necessarily surprising that he didn't try to settle the matter under the spotlight in Indy. Instead, he stole headlines with his testing numbers, which produced a top-three overall Next Gen Stats athleticism score of 95 and generated a 28% percent probability he'll make a Pro Bowl in his career, per NGS. That's pretty good.
Another tight end to get headlines was Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers, who set the record for vertical leap at his position with a 45-inch mark in addition to a blazing 4.51-second 40.
Another big winner of the week was Sadiq's teammate with the Ducks, safetyDillon Thieneman, who is seen as a riser after this week.
Whether it was his smooth process through the drills or athletic testing, the safety made an impact and was one of the biggest winners of the week.
Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote:
Thieneman set the bar at his position by flipping his hips like a cornerback in his on-field workout. And before that, the 6-foot, 201-pounder flew to a 4.35-second 40. Comfortable taking on almost any coverage assignment, he should be a highly coveted asset for a defense in the back half of the first round.
Sticking with defensive backs, ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr. had Indiana's D'Angelo Ponds on his list oftop standoutsof the week.
He showed off his explosiveness with a 43-inch vertical, which tied for fifth best among cornerbacks at the combine since at least 2003.
Kiper wrote:
He didn't run the 40-yard dash or participate in the broad jump, but that vertical jump will make NFL front offices take a long look at him in the second round. I'd be shocked if Ponds gets out of Round 2. He had seven interceptions and 27 pass breakups over three seasons, and he was at his best in big games for the national champion Hoosiers. Ponds is tough as nails, too. He's a real baller who I'd love to have in the slot on my team.
On the offensive line front, Sunday's performances went a long way in showing off the depth of the draft in the trenches.
Penn States Vega Ioane, the top interior line prospect in the class, was easily one of Shook's All-Combine selection as his drill work made it clear why he's one of the best in his class.
Shook wrote:
It didn't take long for me to recognize that Ioane has the goods. The Penn State product was the first in line for seemingly every drill and set a very high standard for his counterparts, displaying fluid hips, light, choppy feet, a knack for changing direction smoothly and a violent punch in shield drills. He excelled across the board during on-field work, producing a near-perfect showing that leads me to believe he'll be productive right away at the next level.
Sunday was also a big day for a number of other interior offensive line prospects.
Oregon's Emmanuel Pregnon and Iowa center Logan Jones turned heads with athletic performances, as did Texas A&M's Chase Bisontis.
All three madeChad Reuters stock uplist following their workouts, and made their case for the middle depth of the offensive line in this draft.
Reuter wrote about Bisontis:
Bisontis added an excellent workout to his rsum on Sunday. He moved like an H-back during his 5.02-second 40-yard dash after putting up a 32-inch vertical jump to display his explosiveness. Bisontis played offensive tackle as a freshman at Texas A&M, so it was no surprise when he looked right at home in pass protection drills. His short-area quickness was impressive, too. I see him stepping in as an immediate starter at the next level.
With Pro Days and meetings still on the docket in the coming weeks, a lot of prospects have a chance to build on their performances in Indianapolis by the time the draft rolls along.
