Day one of workouts at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine featured defensive linemen, edge rushers, and linebackers, and a few dudes absolutely made noise.
Inside, Oklahoma’s Gracen Halton was the clear winner. A 36.5-inch vertical at defensive tackle is different. That’s a real explosion, not just “good for his size.” You see that kind of lower-body pop, and you start thinking interior disruptor, not just space eater or lane closer. Penn State’s Zane Durant backed up his tape with a smoking hot 4.75 forty and a 1.66 ten-yard split. That split is what really matters, but it's the combine, so why not celebrate the fast 40-yard dash as well? Texas A and M’s Albert Regis did not dominate any one drill, but he was strong across the board and showed the kind of athletic profile that may have teams rethinking his placement on their draft boards. Great showing from him on day one.
On the edge, Cashius Howell looked like he was shot out of a cannon, and despite his measurements, his burst showed up immediately in drills. Dani Dennis-Sutton confirmed what we already thought about his athletic ceiling. When the movement matches the build, that’s when scouts start nodding in unison.
At linebacker drills, the guys from OSU showed out. Sonny Styles put on a show, with a 4.46 forty and a 43.5-inch vertical, at his size, which is just unfair. That’s not normal movement for a guy of his size. He could be a scary good player at the next level with athleticism and what he's shown on tape. Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez showed elite agility, and Indiana’s Aiden Fisher looked smooth and in control in space. Kyle Louis might not have had the loudest headline numbers, but he moved fast and clean in drills. Sometimes you just trust your eyes, and he definitely passed that test. Also, I wanted to give a shoutout to Jake Golday, who looked awesome in drills and could be a steal as a green dot linebacker post-round two in the NFL Draft.
Look, it's the "NFL underwear olympics", the pads are off, and testing does not replace film, we know this. But when a guy shows up in Indy and confirms the athletic traits you thought were there, along with NFL measurements to match, that’s when the stock really starts climbing. Day one gave us a few defenders who didn’t just participate; they may have made people rewatch the tape.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2026 NFL combine: LB and DL standouts