2026 All-Combine Team, Defense: 12 NFL draft prospects who dazzled in Indianapolis

Best team fits: New York Jets, Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens.

Occasionally, a supreme athlete is discernible from the suite level at Lucas Oil Stadium. On Thursday, Durant revealed himself as that athlete. He was clearly the most complete and pro-ready interior lineman on the field in Indianapolis, crushing every drill with fluid and explosive movement, polished technique and burst that makes him just look different. His performance also supported the testing numbers he posted: He finished with the best 40 time among interior linemen at 4.75 seconds, a 9-foot-4 broad jump and a 33.5-inch vertical jump, good for the second-best athleticism score (89) among interior linemen (behind Kentucky's David Gusta, who scored a 91), per Next Gen Stats. Penn State tends to produce explosive defenders, and Durant did plenty on Thursday to suggest he'll be the latest in that line.

Best team fits: Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland Browns.

The upper crust of the DT group appeared loaded even without Clemson’s Peter Woods, who sat out of drills Thursday but has a case for being the best of his class. There were plenty of gems who did participate, however, including Proctor, a player who spent his collegiate career in relative anonymity at Southeastern Louisiana but introduced himself to the NFL world with one of the best testing efforts (83 NGS athleticism score, good for fourth-best among all interior D-linemen), then rode his natural athletic gifts to a strong showing in position drills. Above all, Proctor proved he can move with the best of them, prompting me to jot down notes like “so fluid,” “so smooth/athletic” and “excellent body control.” Because of a relative lack of size (6-2, 291), Proctor might not work for every team in the market for a defensive tackle. But he helped himself stand out from the pack in Indianapolis, making him an interesting prospect both in terms of potential and where he could land in April.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: DeMonte Capehart, Clemson; Tyler Onyedim, Texas A&M; Albert Regis, Texas A&M; Lee Hunter, Texas Tech; Tim Keenan III, Alabama.

Best team fits: New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants.

I know he’s going to earn most of his money off the edge at the next level, but I’d first like to suggest that perhaps Reese's value extends beyond just rushing the passer. He proved at Ohio State that he can thrive both on and off the ball, and followed up his breakout final collegiate season with a fantastic showing in Indianapolis on Thursday. Reese's workout matched his stellar 2025 tape from the start, mirroring the fluid, downhill style of play that made him a star for the Buckeyes. As the only defender classified as an edge in the linebacker group, Reese nailed every LB drill, then stuck around to complete the traditional edge-rusher drills for scouts, emphasizing his potential as a do-everything-linebacker who can become a cornerstone of a defense. With a 4.46-second 40-yard dash (at 241 pounds) carrying his athletic profile, Reese scored the second highest Pro Bowl probability (36%) of all edge rushers, per Next Gen Stats' draft model, trailing only Miami's Rueben Bain Jr. (47%). The debate will soon shift toward whether potential (Reese) outweighs production (David Bailey) when deciding between edge rushers, but as exhibited Thursday, Reese's true value may lie in his versatility.

Best team fits: New York Jets, Washington Commanders, New York Giants.

Bailey is the finished product most teams covet when considering investing a top pick on an edge rusher. His 2025 production at Texas Tech was undeniable, as was his athletic profile on Thursday, with a 4.5 40-yard dash and a 10-foot-9 broad jump helping him earn the third-best NGS athleticism score (80) among all edge rushers. Bailey followed up those quality testing marks by thriving in the on-field workout, displaying the burst that became his hallmark in Lubbock. He also showed an interesting trait that was relatively unique among his counterparts, firing his feet at a faster rate than anyone else in agility-dependent drills and riding his explosiveness to an excellent performance. After nailing the combine, Bailey won't be on the draft board for long in late April.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: George Gumbs Jr., Florida; Romello Height, Texas Tech; Cashius Howell, Texas A&M; Max Llewellyn, Iowa; Keldric Faulk, Auburn; Vincent Anthony Jr., Duke; Mason Reiger, Wisconsin.

Best team fits: Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys.

Styles’ combine showing will own a prominent place in the scouting summit’s history for many years to come. He finished first at the position in three prominent testing events: 4.46 in the 40-yard dash (T-1st with edge Arvell Reese, while weighing heavier than any other LB at the event), 43.5 inches in the vertical leap and 11-foot-2 in the broad jump. After clinching that combine triple crown, Styles crushed the on-field portion, gliding through drills in a performance that could have been considered perfect had he not had a couple of minor slips on the Lucas Oil Stadium turf. Styles is a machine, a natural star who even looked impressive when taking a spill during an early pass-rushing drill (he aced the second rep). Whoever lands Styles in April will wisely build their defense around him.

Best team fits: Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Commanders.

A winner of four major college football awards (Nagurski, Lombardi, Bednarik and Butkus), Rodriguez backed up his crowded trophy case with a medal-worthy showing on Thursday. He posted a Next Gen Stats athleticism score of 86 after running a 4.57 40-yard dash and posting a 38.5-inch vertical leap, then nailed every position drill with fluidity, a high motor and supreme confidence. Rodriguez should be proud of how he performed in Indianapolis.

Best team fits: New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts.

In my decade of covering the NFL Scouting Combine, I've never seen a linebacker group as deep and talented as this one. In most classes, Golday might end up being the first or second linebacker off the board. A 10-foot-5 broad jump quantified his explosiveness, as did a 39-inch vertical leap. Like Sonny Styles and Jacob Rodriguez, Golday largely nailed all of the on-field work, too, backing up a strong showing in testing with a well-rounded performance in the LB drills. Golday’s testing matched the expectation he carried with him into Indianapolis and may have put him on some new radars as we enter March. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Bryce Boettcher, Oregon; Wesley Bissainthe, Miami; Anthony Hill Jr., Texas; Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh; Jack Kelly, BYU.

Best team fits: Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns.

Ponds carried name recognition and local support into Indianapolis after playing a key part in Indiana's storybook rise to the top of the college football world in 2025. That all makes for a great feel-good movie, but it won't earn him any brownie points among evaluators. Fortunately, Ponds handled that himself Friday, showing off the same attributes and talents that made him a standout for the Hoosiers while nailing the majority of positional drills. He was especially impressive in agility-reliant drills, separating himself from the pack with his controlled yet speedy movement and efficient footwork when changing direction. Ponds also exhibited natural pass-catching skills when making extended-reach catches. He flirted with perfection throughout his on-field session, suggesting that his production at Indiana should only be a preview of what he can do at the next level. Oh, I should also note he posted a 43.5-inch vertical jump, the only measurable test in which he participated. Yep, he's kind of an athletic freak, too.

Best team fits: Green Bay Packers, Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams.

Get to know Colton Hood, folks, because this kid is a player. Though he only just finished his redshirt sophomore year (after a journey that took him through Auburn, Colorado and Tennessee), Hood looks very prepared to make the leap to the pro level. He earned a Next Gen Stats athleticism score of 82 thanks to a 4.44 40-yard dash, a 10-foot-5 broad jump and a 40.5-inch vertical jump. That blend of athleticism portends a successful NFL career. It also adds up to a 14% chance of making a Pro Bowl, per Next Gen Stats, the second-highest mark in the cornerback class -- and it was plenty easy to envision that future when watching Hood work through the drills on Friday. He displayed natural athleticism in a backpedal-and-transition drill when he made a leaping grab after a long, retreating run, crashed to the turf and held onto the ball. He was fearless, attacking fastball-like passes and snagging them with ease. He produced arguably the best rep of any corner in the box drill, thanks to efficient, explosive footwork. And he made inertia look like a myth with how quickly he was able to change direction without slowing his rhythm. He's built for the NFL and should make a team happy when he's selected in April.

Best team fits: Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He shares a name with a certain NFL Scouting Combine legend -- but this Chris Johnson did plenty to put himself on the radar in his own right, assembling a quality blend of testing excellence (4.4 40, 10-foot-6 broad jump) and on-field proficiency in Indy. He looked the part throughout the drills, appearing comfortable, confident, controlled and athletically gifted enough to find success at the next level. Johnson had a couple of drops at the ends of drills and could use slight improvement with his hands, but that was a footnote in an otherwise well-rounded workout that pairs quite nicely with a promising testing profile.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Jadon Canady, Oregon; Malik Muhammad, Texas; Avieon Terrell, Clemson; Daylen Everette, Georgia; Collin Wright, Stanford.

Best team fits: Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings.

The safeties were a top-heavy group, and I liked a handful of the best out there so much that this decision was especially difficult for me. Ohio State's Lorenzo Styles Jr. put down a blazing-fast 4.27 40-yard dash and crushed drills while showing off the skilled hands he no doubt honed in his past life as a Notre Dame receiver, yet I couldn't help but give two other players the nod, starting with Thieneman. The Oregon safety aced testing, posting a 4.35 40, a 10-foot-5 broad jump and a 41-inch vertical leap, earning Next Gen Stats' top athleticism score (86) among safeties. He followed that up with a flawless effort in the field work, showing burst that matched his 40 time and premier polish. That's a frightening combination for any NFL offense that has to oppose him in the near future. I loved his workout from start to finish.

Best team fits: Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers.

This spot could be occupied by Lorenzo Styles Jr. or Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, but I'm going with Spears-Jennings because of how his athleticism jumped off the field from my suite-level vantage point at Lucas Oil Stadium. I didn't need to check the jersey number to confirm I was watching this Oklahoma product run through drills Friday, because his springy, fluid nature separated him from the pack. Spears-Jennings appeared a little tight in the hips to begin the workout, but he quickly loosened up and went to work, consistently delivering high-quality reps and showing off natural leaping ability that paired nicely with good hands. He was both light and explosive, so much so that he nearly ran himself out of the box drill ... but he used that same ability to recover and finish strong. Add in his testing -- including a 4.32 40 and a 10-foot-5 broad jump -- and it's fair to say he earned himself a notable boost in draft stock.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: Lorenzo Styles Jr., Ohio State; Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo; A.J. Haulcy, LSU; VJ Payne, Kansas State; Zakee Wheatley, Penn State.