The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine was fast.
Mississippi State receiver Brenan Armstrong ran a 4.26 in the 40-yard dash on Saturday, the fifth-fastest time in the history of the event.
Ohio State safety Lorenzo Styles (4.28), LSU’s Zavion Thomas (4.28) and Oklahoma’s Deion Burks (4.30) were the next three fastest times. A total of 22 players ran a 4.40 or better in the 40-yard dash.
That list ranged from Notre Dame star running back Jeremiyah Love (4.36) to Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green (4.36). Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq ran a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash, which broke the record of 4.40 for a tight end shared by Vernon Davis and Dorin Dickerson.
That speed was the leading storyline over the four-day event, which featured several other breakout performances that will have an impact on the 2026 NFL Draft, which will be conducted from April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
Here is a look at the winners and losers from the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
MORE: SN’s Post-Combine NFL Mock Draft
NFL Combine winners 
Ty Simpson, QB
Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza — the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner and presumed No. 1 pick — did not participate in the throwing portion of the workout. Alabama’s Ty Simpson — who is projected to be the other first-round QB — took advantage with a strong performance on Saturday.
Simpson has been compared to former Alabama quarterback Mac Jones throughout the NFL Draft process.
Simpson had four games with a completion percentage of less than 60% last season for the Crimson Tide, but his accuracy stood out in the throwing portion. It should be enough to hold off LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and Penn State’s Drew Allar, who also threw well but are safer picks on Day 2. Allar — in particular — could make a push into the late first round given his 6-foot-5, 228-pound frame and his ratio of 61 TDs to 13 interceptions in college.
.@AlabamaFTBL QB Ty Simpson’s best throws from the Combine 👀
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— NFL (@NFL) March 1, 2026
MORE: Full NFL Combine QB results
Jeremiyah Love, RB
Love, who starred at Notre Dame with 1,372 rushing yards and 18 TDs last season, confirmed his first-round billing with a fantastic performance on Saturday. Love ran a 4.36 in his second 40-yard dash attempt, had a 1.55 in the 10-yard split and had a strong showing in the on-field portion for the running backs.
Jeremiyah Love is going to be really, really good.
The best running back we’ve seen in years 💨pic.twitter.com/z7KgEeNC5C
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 1, 2026
The Raiders took Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 pick in the first round last season, and he had 975 rushing yards, 55 catches for 346 yards and 10 total TDs. Love appears to be the type of running back who is worth that kind of top-5 investment.
MORE: Jeremiyah Love complete NFL Combine results
Taylen Green, QB
Taylen Green passed for 2,714 yards, 19 TDs and 11 interceptions with 777 rushing yards and eight TDs at Arkansas in 2025. Green’s stock soared after an impressive performance highlighted by a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash — the second fastest time by a QB in Combine history. Green also had a 43.5-inch vertical and jumped 11-feet, two inches in the broad jump. It was an all-around display that made him a wild card at quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft. Would a team be willing to go Green on Day 2?
MORE: Taylen Green breaks pair of position records
Eli Stowers and Kenyon Sadiq, TEs
Sadiq and Stowers were two of the best tight ends in the FBS last season, and they showed out in Indianapolis.
Remember Davis’ freakish talent at tight end for the 49ers? Sadiq had a 1.54 in the 10-yard split and had a 43.5-inch vertical. Sadiq also had 51 catches for 560 yards and eight TDs for Oregon. On passes of 20 yards or more, according to Pro Football Focus, Sadiq had nine targets, six catches and five TDs. That is a combination NFL teams will love.
Stowers set a NFL Combine record with a broad jump of 11 feet, three inches. He also led all tight ends with a 45.5-inch vertical jump. He ran a 4.51 in the 40-yard dash. Stowers — the 2025 Mackey Award winner — was an automatic possession tight end. He had 36 catches on 43 targets on passes of 10 yards or less. Given the success of rookie tight ends Tyler Warren, Colston Loveland and Harold Fannin Jr. last season, Sadiq and Stowers will be coveted high-round picks.
.@VandyFootball‘s Eli Stowers just set a new Combine record for tight ends with an 11’3″ broad jump 😳
2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
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— NFL (@NFL) February 28, 2026
MORE: Kenyon Sadiq breaks TE 40 time record
Sonny Styles (LB) and Lorenzo Styles Jr. (DB)
Imagine the pride Lorenzo Styles Sr. and his wife Laverna felt at the NFL Combine after their sons Sonny’s and Lorenzo Jr.’s performances on Thursday and Friday. It was the talk of the first two days, and the Styles brothers are next on the “Picktown Pipeline.”
How many times did you watch Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles’ leap 43.5 inches in the vertical jump? On Thursday, Sonny Styles wowed with a 4.46 in the 40-yard dash — also best among linebackers. He had a 1.56 in the 10-yard split and went 11 feet, two inches in the broad jump. It was a freakish display of athleticism. Styles’ performance into the top-10 in the first round. SN has Tampa Bay selecting Styles with the No. 15 pick in its latest NFL Mock Draft.
SONNY STYLES. 43.5″u VERTICAL. UNREAL.@OhioStateFB | @MoveTheSticks
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— NFL (@NFL) February 26, 2026
On Friday, Ohio State defensive back Lorenzo Styles Jr. ran a 4.27 in the 40-yard dash. That should vault his draft stock. Styles Jr., a converted receiver who transferred from Notre Dame, had 30 tackles and three pass breakups last season.
Officially a 4.27 40 for Lorenzo Styles Jr. — the fastest by a safety since at least 2003 per @NFLPlus data. https://t.co/GN4v7VIH4h
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 27, 2026
MORE: Inside the ‘Picktown’ NFL pipeline
Arvell Reese, EDGE
Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese also ran a 4.46 in the 40-yard dash with a 1.58 split in the 10-yard dash. Reese flashed some high potential at Ohio State last year, but he did not have a sack in the last six games. He has a high upside — one that might be enough to push him to the No. 2 pick after this performance.
Texas Tech defensive stars
Texas Tech ranked third in the FBS with a defense that allowed 11.8 points per game last season. The Big 12 champions had several defensive playmakers perform well at the NFL Scouting Combine.
David Bailey — who had 14.5 sacks last season — ran a 4.5 in the 40-yard dash, which was second to Reese among defensive ends. Lee Hunter — a 318-pound defensive tackle — ran a 5.18 in the 40-yard dash. He also was more than comfortable in front of the camera. Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez ran a 4.57 in the 40-yard dash — which was on the lower end — but he had a 6.90 in the three-cone drill, which was the best among linebackers. We trust the production on the field.
Kyle Louis and Anthony Hill Jr., LBs
Louis was one of the best linebackers in college at Pitt — and he might be an even better pro. Anthony Hill Jr. — a star linebacker at Texas also performed well. They didn’t test quite as well as Styles, but all three linebackers are among those tremendous athletes that fit well in the pass-first NFL.
The two-year production on the field is comparable. All three players had 182 total tackles the last two seasons. Styles had 17 TFLs, seven sacks and one interception. Louis had 24 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and six interceptions. Hill had 23.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and three interceptions.
A look at how all three linebackers’ results compared at the NFL Combine.
LB40-YARD10-YARDVERT.BROAD3-CONESonny Styles4.461.5643.511′ 2”7.09Anthony Hill Jr.4.511.583710′ 5″-Kyle Louis4.531.5839.510′ 9″6.97
MORE: 2026 NFL Combine measurements tracker
Chris Johnson, CB
Johnson, a second-team SN All-American who had four interceptions this season, performed well and could make a push for the first round. He ran a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash with a 1.54 split, and he flashed in the on-field drill portion. Johnson also had five forced fumbles during his career with the Aztecs, so you know he can hit. He is one of our favorite sleepers for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Dillon Thieneman, S
Thieneman, a star safety at Oregon who was part of the “Caucasian Collision Unit,” flashed in the safety workout with a 43.5 in the 40-yard dash that included a 1.52 split. He also had a 41-inch vertical jump. Thieneman’s production at Purdue and Oregon matches the workout, too. He averaged 102 tackles the last three seasons.
Zachariah Branch and Skyler Bell, WRs
Zachariah Branch and Skyler Bell took different paths in college — but both receivers showed out at the NFL Combine. Branch was one of seven receivers who ran a 4.35 or better in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. A look at those receivers:
Fastest receivers at NFL CombinePLAYERSCHOOLTIMEBrenen ThompsonMississippi State4.26Zavion ThomasLSU4.28Deion BurksOklahoma4.3Jeff CaldwellCincinnati4.31Bryce LanceNorth Dakota State4.35Zachariah BranchCincinnati4.35
Branch — a 5-foot-9, 175-pound receiver — also had a 1.50 in the 10-yard split. Branch had 810 catches for 810 yards at Georgia last season, but he had an 83.1% catch percentage. A total of 72 of his 93 targets were on passes of less than 10 yards. Branch impressed with his route running, which could mean a different role in the NFL. He does add immediate value in the punt return game.
Skyler Bell — who had 101 catches, 1,278 yards and 13 TDs for the Huskies — ran a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash. The Sporting News first-team All-American will be one of the draft-day steals on Day 2.
MORE: Who had the fastest 40 times at the 2026 NFL Combine?
Mike Washington Jr., RB
Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. finished with 1,070 rushing yards and eight TDs in 2025.
Washington ran a 4.33 in the 40-yard dash — the best time among running backs. He broke down into tears on the sideline — a reminder that the NFL Combine can be a make-or-break moment for prospects looking to achieve their NFL dream. Washington played at Buffalo and New Mexico State before catching on in his final season with the Razorbacks.
.@RazorbackFB RB Mike Washington Jr. got emotional after running an incredible 4.33u. 🥲
These guys work so hard for this moment. @StaceyDales
2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
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— NFL (@NFL) February 28, 2026Spencer Fano and Monroe Freeling, OTs
Fano — a 6-foot-5, 311-pound tackle from Utah — was as advertised as an elite tackle prospect. He had a 1.72 10-yard split and displayed the dominant athleticism that made him the Outland Trophy winner this season. He could play either tackle or guard in the NFL at a high level.
Freeling — a 6-foot-7, 315-pound tackle from Georgia — had a 1.71 in the 10-yard split. He was seen as a fringe first-round pick before the draft.
Genning Dunker’s mullet, OT
Dunker — a 6-foot-5, 319-pound guard from Iowa — and his flowing red mane was the talk of the NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday. Dunker had a 1.83 in the 10-yard split as well. Dunker likely will be a Day 2 pick.
Gennings Dunker in all of his mullet glory 😅
2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
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— NFL (@NFL) March 1, 2026
MORE: Meet Gennings Dunker and his glorious mullet
NFL Combine losers 
NFL Combine vs. Pro Day?
Which one is more important at this point? The NFL Scouting Combine needs to give more incentive for its superstars to work out at the event. It might not affect television ratings this year with the new metrics, but it could in the future.
Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State’s Caleb Downs, Miami’s Rueben Bain and Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy were among the players who did not work out at the NFL Scouting Combine. It likely will not impact their draft status, but it does impact interest in the event.
Diego Pavia, QB
Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer gave Pavia the lowest grade among the quarterbacks who worked out Saturday. Pavia skipped the 40-yard dash before the on-field workout, where he did not flash as much as Simpson, Allar and Nussmeier.
Still, Pavia mixed in a handful of throws that are a reminder of his talent and makes that evaluation more complicated.
.@VandyFootball QB Diego Pavia with a couple of beauties on the go route.
2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
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— NFL (@NFL) March 1, 2026
Pavia’s official height is 5-foot-10, and that will continue to be a talking point at the 2026 NFL Draft. He also continues to get advice from Johnny Manziel, who was a first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft but also played just two NFL seasons.
“One thing about me is I don’t care what people think about me,” Pavia said during the interview portion via ESPN.com.
What does this mean for Pavia? He likely will be a Day 3 pick — but the 2025 Heisman Trophy runner-up did produce at a high level for Vanderbilt the last two seasons. He will be one of the most-intriguing players in the 2026 NFL preseason to see if he sticks on a roster.
MORE: Inside Diego Pavia’s NFL Combine results
Rueben Bain’s arm length, EDGE
Bain — a Miami edge rusher — had arms that measured 30 7/8 inches, a measurement that came into hyper-focus. According to Warren Sharp, no player with arms that measured less than 31 inches has had 10 or more sacks in the last 20 seasons.
Bain had 12 sacks and a FBS-best 68 quarterback hurries, according to PFF.com. Is this a case where the production on the field will surpass the measurements? Bain is still projected to be selected with the No. 4 pick by the Tennessee Titans in Sporting News’ latest mock draft, that is behind Reese at No. 2 to the New York Jets.
Bain did not participate in the workout portion of the NFL Combine, so Miami’s Pro Day on March 23 will come into focus.
MORE: What to know about Rueben Bain’s arm length
Cashius Howell’s arm length, EDGE
Howell’s arms measured at 30 1/4 inches, a measurement that was shorter than Bain. The Texas A&M edge rusher produced after transferring from Bowling Green with 11.5 sacks and 27 quarterback hurries this season. It took two years for Howell to adjust to the SEC — and he might be pressured to produce earlier at the next level?
The good news? Howell tied with Reese with a 1.58 in the 10-yard split — which was the best among the defensive lineman. He’s still in the first round in our latest SN Mock Draft.
Bishop Fitzgerald, S
Fitzgerald had 51 tackles and five interceptions and was a SN second-team All-American in 2025. The 5-foot-11, 201-pound safety did not perform well Friday. He ran a 4.55 in the 40 with a 1.58 in the 10-yard split,, and a 33-inch vertical was on the lower side among safeties. Fitzgerald is a unique playmaker, but will that translate at the next level? There are more questions now.
MORE: Why does Rich Eisen run the 40-yard dash?
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S
McNeil-Warren generated first-round buzz heading into the NFL Combine. The Toledo safety displayed an all-around game for the Rockets that included 77 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. Will that first-round grade hold after he ran a 4.52 in the 40-yard dash, the second-slowest time among safeties? He had a 1.58 in the 10-yard split. McNeil-Warren could slip to Day 2 as a result.
Emmett Johnson, RB
Johnson rushed for 1,451 yards and 12 TDs for Nebraska in 2025. He had 36 runs of 10 yards or more this season — which is just three fewer than Love. Yet Johnson ran a 4.56 in the 40-yard dash, the worst time among running backs at the NFL Scouting Combine. He did have a 1.59 in the 10-yard split — which was better than Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price at 1.60.
MORE: Why is the NFL Combine always in Indianapolis?
Debate on Carnell Tate’s 40 time, WR
Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate ran a 4.53 in the 40-yard dash, which was on the lower end of the receivers. Tate stumbled on his first attempt, and he did not improve on that time. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that some NFL teams had that time at 4.45 or 4.47.
The time is what it is. It should not impact Tate’s draft status too much. He’s the next first-round pick off the Ohio State receiver factory, and he’s drawing comparisons to Cee-Dee Lamb, who ran a 4.50 at the NFL Combine. Tate can improve on that time at Ohio State’s Pro Day.
Denzel Boston, WR
Boston, a potential first-round pick from Washington, did not run the 40-yard dash and he had a 35-inch vertical, which was lower than expected. Boston did have a 4.28 in the 20-yard shuttle, which was the third-best among receivers. He has a first-round draft projection, but he will need to confirm that with a strong performance at Washington’s Pro Day.
MORE: Inside the NFL Combine records