The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine kicks off in Indianapolis on Thursday, with more than 320 draft-eligible prospects preparing for the highest stakes job interview of their lives. For NFL teams, the week is a critical blend of athletic testing, medical evaluations, and on-field drills that help finalize draft boards heading into the home stretch. For players, it’s the ultimate chance to confirm who they are on tape or completely rewrite their trajectories with one explosive workout. As always, the Combine will deliver breakout performers, tough conversations, and the first major reset of the draft cycle since Senior Bowl week.
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2026 NFL Combine Preview
Players Who MUST Have a Good Week
Several prospects arrive in Indianapolis with more to prove than most. Ty Simpson headlines that group: The Alabama quarterback is poised to be the second QB off the board, but he must show improved consistency, polished mechanics, and the poise that evaluators only saw in flashes during 2025. Simpson’s teammate Kadyn Proctor also enters the week needing a decisive performance. After posting some uneven film over his career, teams want reassurance that he’s still the elite OT prospect he was projected to be.
On the defensive side, Florida DL Caleb Banks is another player under the microscope, mainly due to injuries that cut his 2025 season short. Teams want evidence that the explosiveness and power he displayed in Mobile weren’t just a short-lived peak. Auburn’s Keldric Faulk must prove he can stand out in a deep EDGE class.
For this group, a mediocre week won’t just stall momentum; it could actively cost them millions of dollars.
Players Who Will Skyrocket Up Big Boards
Every Combine produces a handful of players who blow up the testing and immediately surge in value, and this year’s roster has several explosive candidates. Malachi Fields has the build that the NFL clamors for. He was dominant at the Senior Bowl and is expected to run far faster than his size suggests. A quick time could vault him comfortably into Round 1 discussions. Kyle Louis, the versatile Pitt linebacker, is another candidate to rise. His range, burst, and coverage instincts have already turned heads, and elite agility times could cement him with a top 45 kind of projection.
Skyler Bell, WR from UCONN, has been a bit under the national radar because no one follows UCONN football. But he has shown explosiveness and lateral twitch. If scouts see that translate through testing, then people will be woke when it comes to Bell. As a fantasy community, we always leave Indianapolis with more rookies to be excited about after they wow at Lucas Oil, and Bell could be one of them.
Three Combine Predictions
1. Ty Simpson becomes a lock for Round 1.
Simpson’s live arm, mobility, and natural off-script creativity have always been there, but what teams want to see is command and consistency. In a controlled environment, Simpson’s strengths should shine. A crisp throwing session could remove any lingering doubts and elevate him into the QB2 conversation.
2. KC Concepcion solidifies himself into the round 1 WR conversation
KC Concepcion has been building quiet momentum for months, but Indianapolis is where that buzz becomes undeniable. His game is built on explosiveness, controlled suddenness, and route efficiency, all traits that historically pop in combine settings. Expect him to perform well throughout the week and walk out of Indy looking less like a Day 2 playmaker and more like a modern Round 1 weapon … especially for teams seeking space creators who can win inside and outside.
3. Jonah Coleman solidifies himself as RB2.
This running back class isn’t deep at the top, but Coleman’s compact build, vision, and burst give him a legitimate chance to become the clear No. 2 behind Jeremiyah Love. If he runs better than expected by even a little bit and dominates change-of-direction drills, he should lock in Round 2 capital and build a narrative that he’s one of the few plug-and-play rookie RBs.
Conclusion
The Combine is always a turning point in the pre-draft process, but this year carries even more weight for a class that is deep in the trenches and searching for clarity at quarterback and wide receiver. Between medicals, interviews, and on-field testing, the next week will reshape evaluation boards across the league.
Whether it’s Ty Simpson proving he belongs atop the first round, Jordyn Tyson forcing his way into a heated WR1 debate, or Jonah Coleman cementing himself as a top-tier back, the 2026 NFL Combine promises to deliver clarity, surprises, and the breakout moments that define draft season. As always, when the lights come on in Indianapolis, the truth about this class will finally start to reveal itself.
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