2026 NFL Combine & Impact on the NFL Draft

The 2026 NFL combine has come and gone. A total of 319 prospects were invited and attended this year’s combine, held once again in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium. There were 166 offensive players, 146 defensive players, and seven specialists that were put through medical exams, interviews, and on-field workouts.

Performances at the annual combine can make or break an NFL career. The weeklong event allows NFL coaches and front office personnel to evaluate the top prospects available for the upcoming draft. 

Who made an impact at this year’s combine and how have those performances impacted the 2026 NFL Draft odds?

No Question at No. 1

It is pretty much a foregone conclusion that the Las Vegas Raiders and new head coach Klint Kubiak will select Heisman Trophy winning QB Fernando Mendoza from Indiana. Mendoza led the Hoosiers to a perfect 16-0 season and a national championship. 

He is the complete package, blessed with size, enough athleticism, arm strength, and savvy to become the Raiders starting quarterback even in Year 1. The Raiders suffered through a 3-14 season last year, which led to the firing of head coach Pete Carroll. The team had serious issues at quarterback and with Mendoza available, it’s as close to a done deal as you can get at this point in the offseason cycle.

Sportsbooks agree as Mendoza is listed at odds of -20000 at most sportsbooks to become the 2026 NFL Draft’s first overall pick.

Defense at No. 2 & 3

It’s not necessarily a deep draft at the quarterback position. Don’t be surprised if Mendoza is the only QB taken in Round 1. The second and third overall picks belong to the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals respectively. 

The Cardinals released QB Kyler Murray on March 4, the first day of the 2026 league year. The Jets have Justin Fields and veteran Tyrod Taylor as their top two QBs right now. Both teams need a quarterback, but there is not one worthy of the No. 2 pick. That’s why it is believed the Jets and Cardinals will go defense with their first picks.

Arvill Reese is 6-4 and weighed 241 pounds at the combine. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds. David Bailey, who was the leader of Texas Tech’s elite defensive unit, measured in at the combine at 6-4 and 251 pounds. He clocked 4.5 in the 40, recorded a 35-inch vertical jump and broad jumped 10-9. 

It’s really a matter of preference for each team. As of now, Reese, who played at Ohio State, is the favorite to go No. 2 to New York at -150 to -165. Bailey is given +185 odds to go No. 2.

Other Top 3 Picks

There aren’t many NFL draft markets on the board just yet, but you can find odds for the first three picks. Also among those on the board at No. 2 and No. 3 are Reese’s college teammate Sonny Styles and Miami DE Reuben Bain Jr. 

Styles is another athletic freak. He measured 6-5 and weighed 244 at the combine. He ran 4.46 in the 40, had a vertical jump of 43.5 inches, broad jumped 11-2, ran a 4.26 pro shuttle, and a 7.09 3-cone drill. 

Styles can be found anywhere between +1200 and +2200 to go No. 2 in the upcoming draft. He’s also listed at +650 to go No. 3.

Bain is 6-2 and weighs 265. He attended the combine but did not participate in any of the athletic testing or drills. He was an outstanding pass rusher at Miami, but he is considered somewhat of an outlier by NFL standards. His arm length (30⅞ inches) came into question at the combine, but his film says something different. Bain is third on most boards at No. 2 given odds of between +750 and +1300 to go to the Jets. 

Francis Mauigoa (6-5½, 328) was Bain’s teammate at Miami. He also did not participate at the NFL combine, but he is considered to be the best offensive lineman in the draft by many experts. Mauigoa is given +350 odds to go No. 3 to Arizona.

Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love is the only other player given odds of less than +1000 to land in the top three. Love, who ran 4.36 in the 40 at the combine, is listed at +380 odds to go No. 3 to the Cardinals. 

Where Will Players Land?

As we get closer to draft day, more sportsbooks will open markets for teams to draft a certain player. For example, the Tennessee Titans are the favorite (+200) to draft Love. New Tennessee head coach Robert Saleh is a defensive-minded guy who believes in running the football and Love would be a perfect fit.

Kenyon Sadiq is an absolute freak of a tight end who played at Oregon last year. Sadiq measured 6-3 and 241 pounds at the combine. He blazed to a 4.39 40-yard dash, recorded a 43.5-inch vertical jump, and he broad jumped 11-1. He also got 26 reps on the 225-pound bench press. He’s likely the first TE taken and Philadelphia (+290) is the favorite to land him. 

As mentioned, after Mendoza the quarterback market is not deep. The next QB off the board is likely to be Alabama’s Ty Simpson. He is projected to go at the bottom of the first round or early in the second. The Cardinals or Jets could trade for a pick late in the first round to select Simpson. The Jets are actually the favorite (+225 at Sportsbetting.ag) right now to select Simpson.