2026 NFL combine: Mel Kiper's draft standouts, top workouts

It was an eventful combine week, with more than 300 prospects in the 2026 NFL draft class heading to Indianapolis for on-field drills, 40-yard dashes, medical testing and/or interviews with team personnel.

Not everyone participated in workouts, and some were selective in what they did. But several players improved their draft outlook by putting up solid performances and exceeding (or simply meeting/confirming) expectations. Which prospects did the most for their stock? Who is suddenly getting buzz ahead of where they were slotted before the combine?

I picked 13 standouts coming out of the combine, listed by position. They didn't all rise in the draft board; some of these players did exactly what we expected of them and solidified their status. In other words, their workouts matched what we see on tape -- and that's a good thing. But these guys all had great weeks in Indianapolis. I also tried to go a little more under the radar. I loved Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles' workout just as much as everyone else, and I had called out Arkansas' Taylen Green as the quarterback to watch in our combine preview last week, before he set QB-specific records Saturday. But I wanted to pull back the next layer here.

One more important note: This list is just about what happened on the field. I will talk to sources across the league over the next few weeks to learn more about red flags and who excelled during team interviews. Let's begin on offense.

Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas

Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 223 pounds

I'm not sure any other prospect improved his stock in Indy as much as Washington. We know Jeremiyah Love will be the first running back off the board, and Notre Dame teammate Jadarian Price seems to have a good grip on RB2. But the No. 3 running back spot is a wide-open race, and Washington might have done enough at the combine to jump the line and make his case to go in Round 3.

Washington's 4.33-second 40-yard dash (with a 1.51-second 10-yard split) led all running backs and tied for eighth best among all positions this year. And per ESPN Research, it tied for the fastest 40 time over the past 20 combines for players weighing at least 220 pounds (joining DK Metcalf and Isaac Guerendo). His 39-inch vertical and 10-foot-8 broad jump were also second at the position this year, behind Kentucky's Seth McGowan.

Washington ran for 1,070 yards and eight TDs last season, and his 6.4 yards per rush ranked 19th in the FBS. We saw the explosion on tape, and now we saw it in the predraft testing. Just an impressive showing Saturday.

Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee

Height: 6-4 | Weight: 198

In our preview of the workouts last Thursday, I predicted that Brazzell would "run something in the ballpark of 4.47 in the 40-yard dash and push himself into the first-round conversation." Well, he ran a 4.37. At his 6-foot-4 size, that's really something.

I've been a fan of Brazzell throughout the process, and I had him in my first Round 1 mock draft in January. Scouts will start to take notice; it's hard to find receivers with that body type who can run and move as he does. He popped in 2025 -- his second season at Tennessee after transferring from Tulane -- with 1,017 yards and nine scores. Brazzell averaged 16.4 yards per catch and had just two drops last season. He's strong and makes plays in 50-50 situations. I expect a lot more late-Round 1 buzz for him now.

Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia

Height: 5-9 | Weight: 177

Branch ran as fast as expected, turning in a 4.35-second 40. He was as explosive as expected, jumping 38 inches. But it was his work in the gauntlet drill that stood out most to me. With 29⅜-inch arms, he doesn't have the widest catch radius, but he showed really sure hands, plucking the ball from his body. And once the ball is in his hands, he's a dynamic playmaker -- 636 of his 811 receiving yards came after the catch last season. I'm admittedly high on Branch, but I see a second-rounder.

Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

Height: 6-7 | Weight: 352

Utah's Spencer Fano and Georgia's Monroe Freeling might get the post-workout headlines among the OTs with their sub-5.0 runs in the 40. Both terrific showings for a pair of top-20 prospects. But how about what Proctor did in a weight class roughly 40 pounds heavier than the 311-pound Fano and 315-pound Freeling? Proctor slimmed down from 366 pounds to 352 for the combine and turned in a 5.21 in the 40. He also jumped 32½ inches in the vert, and his 33⅜-inch arms checked a box for teams that are interested in keeping him at tackle in the pros.

With his size, athleticism, quickness and potential, Proctor has to be talked about in the mid-to-late first round.

Dani Dennis-Sutton, DE, Penn State

Height: 6-6 | Weight: 256

Dennis-Sutton solidified his Day 2 status, and I think he's a second-rounder. After posting his second straight 8.5-sack season -- including six in his final five games -- and getting 53 pressures, he showed off his burst at the combine.

His 4.63-second 40 ranked sixth among the edge rushers, his 39½-inch vertical was fourth, and his 10-foot-11 broad jump was first. Dennis-Sutton can keep tackles off his frame with his 33½-inch arm length and then use his quickness to get around them. (And he can get some inside pressure, too.) When Dennis-Sutton is on his game, he shows some really strong pass-rushing traits.

Malachi Lawrence, OLB, UCF

Height: 6-4 | Weight: 253

Ohio State's Arvell Reese and Texas Tech's David Bailey were the only two prospects in the edge rusher group to run faster than Lawrence, and they're likely top-five picks. Lawrence turned in a 4.52 in the 40-yard dash. And despite weighing over 250 pounds, he jumped 40 inches in the vertical and 10-foot-10 in the broad -- both second best among the edges.

At UCF last season, Lawrence had seven sacks and 14 tackles for loss. He can fly off the edge, with really solid closing speed and overall agility. He's in the Day 2 discussion as one of the biggest risers of the week.

Jack Kelly, LB, BYU

Height: 6-2 | Weight: 240

Kelly ran a 4.57 in the 40 (eighth among linebackers) and jumped 10-foot-5 in the broad (tied for third). Good numbers. And they came after a terrific season at BYU. He had 66 tackles, 10 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups and a forced fumble. He was particularly impressive in the Cougars' two games against Texas Tech, with three combined sacks. As you might have guessed from those sack totals, Kelly can play off the ball or as an outside linebacker in a pass-rushing role. The combine performance cleared the way to an early Day 3 pick.

Karson Sharar, LB, Iowa

Height: 6-2 | Weight: 231

It was Sharar's first year starting, and he led the team in tackles with 85. The athletic traits were all over the tape, and he put them on display in Indy. His 40-inch vertical was third among linebackers, and his 4.56-second 40 time was sixth. Similar to Kelly, he can play inside or outside at the second level, and he's also an early Day 3 prospect.

D'Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana

Height: 5-9 | Weight: 182

Ponds' 43½-inch vertical tied for fifth best among cornerbacks at the combine since at least 2003, per ESPN Research. That's the second-best vert for any player under 5-foot-10 in that same span (behind Chris McKenzie). Elite explosion.

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.

Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin

Height: 6-1 | Weight: 193

Demmings' 42-inch vertical ranked right behind Ponds among the corners, but he also turned in an 11-foot broad jump (second among CBs) and a 4.41 in the 40 (tied for fifth). As those numbers might suggest, he has the speed to stick with receivers, and with his long arms and big hands, he's a ball hawk. Demmings had nine interceptions and 35 passes defensed over his four-year career, including four picks and nine PDs in 2025. He's an early Day 3 pick; I have a fourth-round grade on him.

Kyle Louis, S/LB, Pittsburgh

Height: 6-0 | Weight: 220

Louis worked out with the linebackers, but I have him ranked at safety. He's a hybrid player who makes plays all over the field, and he could line up as a box safety, off-ball linebacker or even outside linebacker at the next level. He's fast to the football, and his 4.53 in the 40-yard dash proved his solid speed. But his jumps really stood out. His 39½-inch vertical ranked fourth among linebackers and would have tied for third among safeties. And his 10-foot-9 broad jump was second among linebackers and would have been fourth among the safeties.

Regardless of where an NFL team ultimately plays him, Louis is a baller who will make an impact in coverage, in run defense and as a blitzer. Over the past two seasons, he had 183 tackles, 10 sacks and six INTs. I'd watch for him to come off the board in the second or third round.

Jalon Kilgore, S/NB, South Carolina

Height: 6-1 | Weight: 210

A combo safety/big nickel prospect, Kilgore is tough and versatile, and he brings a lot of very good physical traits. His 4.4-second 40 time tied for fifth in the safety group. And though his 37-inch vertical was in the middle of the pack, his 10-foot-10 broad jump paced the position this year. We shouldn't be surprised: Kilgore was the Georgia 2A long jump state champ in high school. And he showed off his strength, putting up 16 reps on the bench press.

Kilgore has posted at least 53 tackles in each of his three seasons, while picking off eight passes and breaking up 23 over his career. He has also returned 12 punts, further showing his versatility. Think Day 2 for Kilgore.

Bud Clark, S, TCU

Height: 6-1 | Weight: 188

Clark spent six years at TCU, appearing in 10 games in 2020. He was limited to four games the following year, but he has picked off 15 passes over 47 games since then. His combine performance basically proved what we already knew from his deep collection of game tape. His 4.41 tied for seventh at safety in the 40-yard dash, and both jumps -- 38 inches in the vertical, 10-foot-7 in the broad -- ranked fifth. He's a solid player who can help a defense at the next level, and I have him graded in the late Day 2, early Day 3 range.

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