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EspañolThe 2026 NFL Scouting Combine kicked off at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with edge defenders, defensive tackles, and linebackers taking the field.
Here are the prospects who helped their draft stock during Thursday’s testing and on-field workouts:
LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Styles delivered the best linebacker workout in combine history. At 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds, he posted a 43.5-inch vertical jump (the best for any player at his position since at least 2003) and a 4.46-second 40-yard dash. Entering the week as a potential top-10 pick, Styles' performance may have solidified it.
LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
Reese matched his former teammate Styles with a speedy 4.46-second 40-yard dash. In the positional drills, he moved just like how he does on the field: effortlessly. Whether he's put at linebacker or edge, Reese will always be around the football with his freakish athleticism.
EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech
Bailey further stamped his top-five status by running the fastest 40-yard dash of any defensive lineman at 4.50 seconds. He also impressed with a 35-inch vertical and a 10-foot-9 broad jump.
DL Caleb Banks, Florida
Banks started off the day by raising the eyebrows of scouts with his massive 6-foot-6 and 327-pound frame and a 99th-percentile wingspan, the longest for a defensive tackle since 1999. He showed off his rare athleticism for his size with a 5.04-second 40-yard dash and a 32-inch vertical.
EDGE Malachi Lawrence, UCF
Seen as a top-100 pick entering the pre-draft process, Lawrence boosted his stock with a solid showing at the East-West Shrine Bowl and helped himself even more in Indy. He finished second among edge rushers in the vertical (40 inches), broad jump (10-foot-10), and 40-yard dash (4.52 seconds).
EDGE George Gumbs Jr., Florida
Banks has represented the Gators well, but his former teammate reminded everyone that he should not be lost in the sauce. Gumbs recorded a 41-inch vertical, which was only a half-inch shy of the all-time combine record for his position, nearly surpassing Eagles' Nolan Smith.
LB Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh
Carrying over a strong draft cycle after the Senior Bowl, Louis proved he belongs to be selected among the top linebackers, posting a 40-inch vertical and a 10-foot-9 broad jump. One of the best players at his position in coverage, Louis could potentially be converted to safety at the next level.
DL Gracen Halton, Oklahoma
Measuring in at 6-foot-2 and 293 pounds, Halton showcased rare athleticism, highlighted by a 36.5-inch vertical jump that led all defensive tackles this year and ranks as the third-highest for the position in combine history. He also added a 9-foot-6 broad jump and a 4.82 40-yard dash.
DL Zane Durant, Penn State
Despite some concerns about his 6-foot-1, 290-pound frame being undersized for the NFL, Durant has steadily changed the narrative this pre-draft process with a strong showing at the Senior Bowl and now at the combine. He clocked an official 4.75 40 and a 1.66-second split, the fastest among all defensive tackles.
EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
Another former Nittany Lion who stood out was Dennis-Sutton, who led all edge rushers with a 6.90-second three-cone drill. He also posted a 10-foot-11 broad jump, the best of the day for his group. This comes after questions regarding his lower-body quickness and agility.
This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: 2026 NFL combine: These prospects impressed evaluators on Thursday