The 2026 NFL Draft class is shaping up to be a bit of a mixed bag that's light on true "blue-chippers." Scouts are split on how to rank the top guys at nearly every position, so the 2026 NFL Combine carries more weight than usual as we look for players to separate. It’s the perfect stage for the wildcards and polarizing prospects to finally separate themselves from the pack.
Here are 5 players whose draft stock could rise based on what happens at the 2026 NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
2026 NFL Combine Most To Gain
Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
Garrett Nussmeier is in a fascinating spot heading into the 2026 NFL Combine. A little more than a year ago, Nussmeier was in the conversation to be the top QB in the 2025 NFL Draft. Now, he’s fighting just to be a top-100 pick. The lack of clarity behind Fernando Mendoza at the quarterback position is helpful, however.
If you watch Nussmeier’s film over a two-year window, you see a player who’s got the arm strength, arm talent, and football intelligence to thrive. You also see a player who takes far too many risks with the football. One also has to wonder if his late-season benching has messed with his confidence. Can Nussmeier use the 2026 NFL Combine to show what made him the talk of college football early in 2024? If so, he could work his way into the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. From a monetary standpoint, the difference between being drafted in the middle of the second round and the middle of the third round is roughly a $1 million per year difference in total value on a four-year rookie contract.
Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami
We all know what we'll be looking for when it comes to Rueben Bain Jr. at this point: arm length. His reported arm length is below 31 inches. Only nine players categorized in the DL/DE/EDGE category have recoded arm lengths below 31 inches at the NFL Combine since 1999. Excluding primarily interior players, that number drops to three. On tape, Bain is a dominant player who looks every bit like a top-five pick, but it's fair to wonder if his arm length will be a major hindrance at the NFL level when going up against bigger, longer, stronger athletes. It's not like Bain can do much about his arm length, but measuring at a number above 31 inches would at least take him out of being a historic outlier and solidify him as a top-five pick.
Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia
Zachariah Branch is under-hyped right now because of the way he was used in Georgia's offense. More than 45% of Branch's receiving yards came on targets behind the line of scrimmage in 2025. While his size does limit what his future role will be in the pros, he has some truly special traits that'll translate. His footwork, speed, and elusiveness are all top-tier for a receiving prospect, and he can use the agility drills and 40-yard dash to put hard numbers to what we see on tape. A strong showing at the 2026 NFL Combine can push him into the first round. A bad one could drop him to the third or fourth round.
Kyle Louis, LB, Pitt
Kyle Louis has a few different questions that can be answered at the 2026 NFL Combine. One, does his clocked speed at the Panini Senior Bowl (21.3 mph) match the speed he can display in the 40-yard dash and agility drills? Two, does he have enough size to stick at off-ball linebacker or would he be better served in a hybrid safety role? Louis had a great showing in Mobile and his instincts pop on tape. But will his measurements force him into a role change at the NFL level?
Jeff Caldwell, WR, Cincinnati
Let's go to one of the members of Bruce Feldman's Freaks List for this final player. While 40-yard dashes, throwing sessions, and agility drills get a ton of attention, the drills that measure lower-body explosion are incredibly valuable. That's where Cincinnati wide receiver Jeff Caldwell comes in. He reportedly had an 11-foot-9 broad jump before the season, a mark that would be tied for second all-time at the NFL Combine, behind only Byron Jones' 12-foot-3 mark in 2015. Caldwell could challenge that record this week in Indianapolis, but even at 11-foot-9, that would be a broad jump seven inches longer than any receiver at last year's event. If Caldwell adds a 36-inch vert and a 4.4 40-yard dash to the mix, too—both very possible—he's gonna turn some heads and increase his NFL draft stock.
