This is the second mock draft I’ve done for the 2026 cycle. You’ll find a thought on every pick below, then at the end some detailed Seahawks thoughts.

Round One

#1 Las Vegas — Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana)
I don’t believe Mendoza warrants going first overall and think there should be a broader discussion about what is best for a team at the start of its latest attempted rebuild. I think they should focus on building their roster, not pinning their hopes on a quarterback who will not be supported by enough talent on both sides of the ball. But it seems clear this is what they’re going to do.

#2 NY Jets — Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State)
I think Caleb Downs and Jeremiyah Love are better players. Yet the talk is the Jets are going to tag (franchise or transition) Breece Hall and then attack the veteran safety market. If both of those things happen, they might insert Styles hoping he’ll provide a central heart for a defense that needs so much work.

#3 Arizona — Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
Love is just an exceptional talent. You’re going to get a player with a high probability of succeeding with excellent character. Positional value be damned, this isn’t the draft class to worry about that. Get the best player you can.

#4 Tennessee — Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State)
He’s arguably the best player in the draft, with A+ character thrown in for good measure. You get a good player and you can start to build your culture by taking Downs here. As with Love, you can’t be a slave to positional value. The talent at the premium positions is lacking.

#5 NY Giants — Arvell Reese (LB, Ohio State)
The rumour mill is pointing to a mixed view on Reese, with some seeing him in the top-echelon of talents and others viewing him a notch behind. If he goes to the Giants here, they’ll likely keep him at off-the-ball linebacker. Which is fine. He doesn’t have to be a pass-rusher in the NFL.

#6 Cleveland — Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State)
Although he only ran a 4.54, I think Tate will be viewed as another ‘safe’ pick with a strong chance of succeeding. That is probably what the top-10 in this draft is going to be about. Who gives you the best chance to hit a double, given the clear lack of home-runs?

#7 Washington — David Bailey (EDGE, Texas Tech)
His testing was good not great and his frame doesn’t scream ‘elite NFL pass rusher’ but there’s enough buzz around him to think he’ll go early. I’m not convinced he’ll be more than a reasonable player — but as I’ve said a few times already, that’s what the 2026 draft class is about.

#8 New Orleans — Vega Ione (G, Penn State)
There’s a growing buzz that Ione is seen by some teams as the top offensive lineman in the draft. When you put on his tape it’s clear to see why. He has an excellent chance to quickly emerge as one of the best left guards in the NFL.

#9 Kansas City — Francis Mauigoa (T/G, Miami)
They just cut Jawaan Taylor, freeing up a gap at right tackle. Perhaps they sense that there’s a good chance Mauigoa or Spencer Fano is going to last to them, so are shifting their resources to other parts of their team in free agency?

#10 Cincinnati — Rueben Bain (DE, Miami)
I have big reservations about Bain’s length and body type. There just aren’t many players like him who have great careers. No testing also raises a flag about his upside. But the Bengals tend to like these powerful, bigger defensive ends.

#11 Miami — Spencer Fano (G, Utah)
A quick note, seeing as everyone’s freaking out about his arm length. Grey Zabel has 32-inch arms. Fano has 32 1/8-inch arms. What exactly is the problem here? Fano is an excellent talent and will make a tremendous guard in the NFL, just like Zabel.

#12 Dallas — Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU)
He didn’t do any testing and there were already concerns about his speed. He also has short arms. I am dubious that by the end of this process, Delane will be CB1. I can see others usurping him.

#13 LA Rams (v/ATL) — Brandon Cisse (CB, South Carolina)
There is talk that Cisse could be the second cornerback drafted if he runs well at his pro-day. This isn’t a huge surprise. Physically, expectations are very high for him. He’s also well regarded for his character. He has some technical flaws but his ceiling is very high. I wish he’d tested at the combine though.

#14 Baltimore — Dillon Thieneman (S, Oregon)
I appreciate the Ravens only drafted a safety in round one a year ago. However, Thieneman is special. He would further unlock Baltimore’s secondary, at a time when the safety position is growing in importance — especially when you need players who can wear a lot of different hats. His combine performance was one of the best I’ve ever seen — and I’ve watched every combine since 2009.

#15 Tampa Bay — Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon)
Not all of these picks can be based on the biggest need. It’s possible Tampa Bay loses Mike Evans and decides they need another weapon for Baker Mayfield. Sadiq has a few rough edges to his game but his physical upside will create mismatch opportunities.

#16 NY Jets (v/IND) — Avieon Terrell (CB, Clemson)
He’s such a talented player and could even be CB1 when all’s said and done. His brother was taken with the #16 pick in 2020 so there’d be some symmetry here if Avieon emulates AJ.

#17 Detroit — Keldric Faulk (DE, Auburn)
The Lions seem to like presence in their defensive ends and Faulk has only scratched the surface of his potential. This feels like a fit for both team and player.

#18 Minnesota — Caleb Banks (DT, Florida)
There aren’t many human’s who look like Caleb Banks. Someone is going to roll the dice on this outstanding talent. The Vikings feel like a team that can get the best out of him and unlock his star potential, with Brian Flores running the defense.

#19 Carolina — Peter Woods (DT, Clemson)
They could look to free agency to find help off the edge and then bring someone in who can offer dynamism and speed from the interior. Woods is said to be capable of running a 4.8 despite weighing over 300lbs. It’s a shame he didn’t test at the combine.

#20 Dallas (v/GB) — Caleb Lomu (T, Utah)
Yes, the Cowboys need help on defense. Jerry Jones is also telling anyone who’ll listen that they’re going to be proactive in free agency. They are likely going to move on from Terence Steele (they should, anyway) enabling Tyler Guyton to move over to right tackle, where he’s more comfortable. That could open the door to draft either Caleb Lomu or Monroe Freeling with this pick.

#21 Pittsburgh — Makai Lemon (WR, USC)
His odd combine appearance could easily put a few teams off. Adding to this, he was suspended for part of a game by USC during the season. There are questions here and he’ll be in damage-limitation mode with his agent. The Steelers have never shied away from a challenging wide receiver, though.

#22 LA Chargers — Kadyn Proctor (T/G, Alabama)
A classic Jim Harbaugh pick. You plug in Proctor at guard and if you get any more injuries at tackle, you have some security there too.

#23 Philadelphia — Blake Miller (T, Clemson)
Although Lane Johnson announced he will play in 2026, the Eagles have consistently tried to plan ahead in the trenches. Drafting Blake Miller would be an investment in the future — and they could try him at guard for a year in preparation for replacing the legend who’d be next to him.

#24 Cleveland (v/JAX) — Monroe Freeling (T, Georgia)
He could easily go in the top-20 based on his testing performance. He has a lot of what teams are looking for in a left tackle — he’s just a little bit green technically. The Browns made a trade for a right tackle/guard today, so Freeling would help further bolster an O-line that needs rebuilding.

#25 Las Vegas (v/CHI) — Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee)
TRADE — Maxx Crosby to the Bears
The Bears complete a trade for Maxx Crosby, giving this pick to the Raiders in the package. McCoy missed the whole of 2025 and then decided not to compete at the Senior Bowl or the combine. There’s a sense he’s being badly advised and it could impact him on draft day.

#26 Buffalo — Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona State)
Tyson drops due to his injury history but eventually someone will take a chance on his talent. The Bills would be an ideal team to roll the dice.

#27 San Francisco — Chris Brazzell II (WR, Tennessee)
I watched an interview with Kyle Shanahan after the 49ers lost to the Seahawks and he said his priority this off-season was adding speed on offense. Brazzell, who is underrated in the media, ran a 4.37. In the past the 49ers have had a knack of drafting receivers I like — and I’m a fan of Brazzell’s.

#28 Houston — Max Iheanachor (T, Arizona State)
After trading away Tytus Howard, they’ve opened the door to take a right tackle here. Iheanachor had a good Senior Bowl and followed it up with a productive combine. There’s a growing buzz he will go in the first round.

#29 LA Rams — Omar Cooper Jr (WR, Indiana)
I just get the sense the Rams will show a lot of interest in Cooper, who provides a different skill-set to their other targets. He has a spark to him that would complement the elements already on their roster.

#30 Denver — Colton Hood (CB, Tennessee)
A year ago the Broncos snubbed bigger needs to go ‘best player available’ who happened to be a nickel/safety hybrid. Hood is a terrific player who is difficult to place in round one. If he lasts into this range, the Broncos might go BPA again and just take him.

#31 New England — Chris Bell (WR, Louisville)
There was increasing chatter during combine week that Bell, who is still recovering from a knee injury, will be drafted in the late first round. He’s a big playmaker who can make things happen in a variety of ways.

#32 Arizona (v/SEA) — Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama)
TRADE — Cardinals move up from #34
The Cardinals chuck a token pick Seattle’s way for the benefit of at least having the security of knowing they got their quarterback, preventing the Jets from trying to sell pick #33 overnight. Simpson would be a really good fit for the offense Mike LaFleur will run.

Round two

#33 NY Jets — Akheem Mesidor (DE, Miami)
After trading away Jermaine Johnson, the Jets could do with more off the edge. Preferably a bigger body like this. Don’t be shocked if Mesidor lasts into round two — he’ll be a 25-year-old rookie with short arms and he didn’t test.

#34 Seattle (v/ARI) — Gennings Dunker (G, Iowa)
It goes back to what this class is about. Try and hit the double. Dunker is an explosive offensive lineman with good length and agility testing. His zone-blocking grade has been strong for two years. He’s a plug-and-play right guard who perfectly fits the personality of this team. Bring him in and you’ve completed your O-line make-up for the foreseeable future.

#35 Tennessee — CJ Allen (LB, Georgia)
Robert Saleh will want to create presence, physicality and reliability with his defense. Allen isn’t great moving backwards. He is a downhill thumper who lets opponents know he’s on the field.

#36 Las Vegas — TJ Parker (EDGE, Clemson)
After trading away Maxx Crosby, the Raiders draft a replacement in Parker — who had an underwhelming 2025 but has somewhat recovered his stock at the Senior Bowl and by running a 1.61 10-yard split at the combine.

#37 NY Giants — Kayden McDonald (DT, Ohio State)
The best run defender at defensive tackle in the draft, McDonald didn’t show much in the way of quickness or ease of movement at the combine. His stock could settle into this range as a consequence.

#38 Houston — Anthony Hill Jr (LB, Texas)
I don’t think Hill is noticeably better than the clutch of other day-two linebackers but the league seems to be buzzing about him going in the top-40.

#39 Cleveland — Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (S, Toledo)
Honestly, I don’t get the hype. I don’t know where the first round talk came from. His combine performance was only so-so.

#40 Kansas City — Malachi Lawrence (EDGE, UCF)
When I wrote him up I said I thought he had the best bend-and-straighten ability among the pass-rushers in this class. Then he ran a 1.59 10-yard split and jumped a 40-inch vertical. The Chiefs love to draft special athletes. His run defense needs to improve though.

#41 Cincinnati — Chris Johnson (CB, San Diego State)
I worry about his size/frame and his Senior Bowl outing was underwhelming. He had a good combine to recover some lost momentum.

#42 New Orleans — KC Concepcion (WR, Texas A&M)
He’s a talented player but the drops will bother some teams. He had 19 in three seasons on 294 targets. That’s simply too many.

#43 Miami — Cashius Howell (EDGE, Texas A&M)
They are suddenly depleted in the rush department and given they’ll be using 3-4 concepts and probably looking for outside linebackers to complement the big bodies they already have, Howell is a fit.

#44 NY Jets — Denzel Boston (WR, Washington)
The Jets need more weapons. Boston doesn’t have the greatest separation ability and not running at the combine hints that he knows it wouldn’t have gone well. He is a good run blocker though and he was productive for Washington.

#45 Baltimore — Zion Young (DE, Missouri)
The Ravens add a player who is physical and intense on the field but is a complicated assessment off it. His personality is a bit odd and getting a DWI/speeding arrest just before draft season is absolutely stupid for many reasons.

#46 Tampa Bay — Kyle Louis (LB, Pittsburgh)
Drew Fabianich reminded me last week during our conversation that the Buccs drafted Lavonte David, who was undersized for a portion of his college career, and enjoyed great success. Louis, despite only being 220lbs, plays like he’s 240lbs.

#47 Indianapolis — Jake Golday (LB, Cincinnati)
Sometimes you can get a good feel for who certain teams will like. The Colts seem to have a defined type of player and I have a hunch that Golday will be on their targets list.

#48 Atlanta — Keith Abney (CB, Arizona State)
You kind of feel like the Falcons need more of an edge to their team, even at positions like cornerback. Abney would help provide that.

#49 Minnesota — AJ Haulcy (S, LSU)
If Harrison Smith is moving on, retirement or not, they could bring in Haulcy for some downhill punch at the safety position.

#50 Detroit — Jadarian Price (RB, Notre Dame)
We know they want a two-back system and after trading away David Montgomery, they could look to Price to help support Jahmyr Gibbs.

#51 Carolina — Keionte Scott (CB, Miami)
If you haven’t got a high-quality nickel corner and you want someone who is going to absolutely hammer opponents from that position and set a new tone for an otherwise soft, finesse-like team — draft Keionte Scott.

#52 Green Bay — Grace Halton (DT, Oklahoma)
A blog favourite during the season, Halton turned a good Senior Bowl into an impressive combine — where he ran a 4.82 at 293lbs and jumped a 36.5-inch vertical. Numbers like that will get you into round two.

#53 Pittsburgh — Emmanuel Pregnon (G, Oregon)
He’s big, he’s built like a tank and he is a day one plug-and-play starter. His zone-blocking grade was good but he’ll be better off in a system calling for size and force up front.

#54 Philadelphia — Gabe Jacas (EDGE, Illinois)
After bizarrely measuring with much bigger hands and longer arms at the combine compared to the Senior Bowl, a 12-sack season in his back-pocket and reasonable speed numbers from Mobile, he could go in this range.

#55 LA Chargers — Lee Hunter (DT, Texas Tech)
I think he’s a sack of potatoes personally. Sorry to be blunt but his body is shaped like an orange resting on two matchsticks. His embarrassing lack of explosive traits (21.5-inch vertical) highlight the issue. But I guess he has some quickness.

#56 Jacksonville — Josiah Trotter (LB, Missouri)
If they lose Devin Lloyd in free agency, Trotter could be a reasonable replacement at this stage in the draft. I’m just not convinced the Jags GM, who came from the Rams, will value linebacker this early. So this is a question mark for me.

#57 Chicago — Jacob Rodriguez (LB, Texas Tech)
If they trade away Tremaine Edmunds, they might decide to plug in Rodriguez — who at least shares some of the Jack Campbell playing style Ben Johnson is familiar with from his Detroit days.

#58 San Francisco — Christen Miller (DT, Georgia)
Miller didn’t stand out on tape in 2025 despite hopes he could really elevate himself into the national conscious for the draft. He has the kind of skill-set I can imagine the 49ers going for to work with what they already have.

#59 Houston — Keylan Rutledge (G, Georgia Tech)
What a combine. His agility testing, explosive traits and on-field drills should push him up boards and into the kind of range where he goes between #55-70.

#60 Buffalo — D’Angelo Ponds (CB, Indiana)
I don’t think you can play Ponds at outside corner with his size. He needs to be a nickel. The Bills have a need here so plug him into this spot.

#61 LA Rams — Treydan Stukes (S, Arizona)
He’s a different type of player to Kam Curl but his testing performance was outstanding and he’s said to be an outstanding leader and personality. He could go in round two.

#62 Denver — Chase Bisontis (G, Texas A&M)
Ben Powers is not a long term fixture on the line and could be cut to save money. Bisontis would be able to step in and feels like a good fit for Sean Payton’s offense.

#63 New England — R Mason Thomas (EDGE, Oklahoma)
The size concerns and a not great combine are what they are — but Thomas plays his arse off and it’d be very easy to imagine Mike Vrabel taking a shine to him.

#64 Seattle — Mike Washington Jr (RB, Arkansas)
The Seahawks could find themselves in a bind with Ken Walker potentially being lured away in free agency and touted possible replacement David Montgomery ending up with the Texans instead. It could put pressure on the draft to provide a solution. Luckily, Washington Jr is a fantastic talent with major outside-zone potential.

Thoughts on the Seahawks

This mock draft is based around the following scenario:

— The Seahawks try to acquire Maxx Crosby but cannot match the offer from the Bears

— They pivot to Rashan Gary, acquiring him for a conditional 2027 pick with the Packers prepared to cut him anyway

— They lose Ken Walker in free agency but use their available cap space to retain Rashid Shaheed and Josh Jobe

— Boye Mafe and Riq Woolen depart as expected, while Cobe Bryant is given a big-money contract by the Jets

— They protect their compensatory picks for Walker, Mafe, Bryant and Woolen by avoiding the free agent market — instead looking at choice cuts from other teams

— That could include cornerback Marlon Humphrey

— DeMarcus Lawrence is given extra time to consider his future as he contemplates retirement, with the hope that trust/patience will be seen as a positive environment to which he will want to return

— A decision is made to part with Uchenna Nwosu due to his $19m cap-hit — although the door is left open for a return down the line

There are other things we could get into here — but this is a reasonable starting point for the mock draft. The Seahawks would be given a tricky post-Super Bowl situation to keep the framework of their team together.

They trade down a couple of spots, gaining a token gesture pick from the Cardinals. Arizona simply wants to avoid waiting overnight to see if Ty Simpson lasts to #34, so they move up to remove any doubt. The Seahawks, unconcerned by the Cardinals, oblige and are happy to move back knowing the player they want will still be available.

I don’t think replacing Anthony Bradford is a critical need and they have young players on their roster already who could compete to start at right guard in 2026.

However, John Schneider spoke last week about having an old-school offensive line. Gennings Dunker is being slept on by the broader draft media. His testing performance at the combine showed a level of upside that should be acknowledged. There are not many linemen who can jump a 32.5-inch vertical, a 9-0 broad and run a 4.63 short shuttle at 319lbs. On top of this, he has consistently produced high grades in a zone-blocking system for two years. His personality fits the Seahawks perfectly.

Alternatively, there are EDGE rushers available where they pick. However, I’m not entirely convinced there’s the upside with TJ Parker. Zion Young is slow and a bit strange. I really like the upside of Malachi Lawrence but that is a projection-based pick leaning on upside. The one that did make me pause slightly is Cashius Howell. He does have very short arms (30 1/4 inches) and that’s a problem. Mike Macdonald did have success with Kyle Van Noy though (31 5/8 inches) and they might look for a situational pass-rusher to replace Boye Mafe.

With their second pick, Mike Washington Jr would fill the void left by Ken Walker. Yes, the fumbles will be talked about. He had three last season for Arkansas and ideally, the number would be none. I’m asking my coaches to fix that, knowing if they can, you have a 6-1, 223lbs runner on your hands who is capable of a 4.33 forty and a 39-inch vertical jump. His potential is through the roof — and his fit in the outside-zone system is excellent.

With their third round pick, how about some further cornerback depth with Georgia’s Daylen Everette?

This is an off-season that feels semi-realistic and reasonable. It probably won’t have Seahawks fans rushing to place bets on a repeat in the way a Maxx Crosby trade would do — but I do think it’d enable the team to go into 2026 feeling confident they can contend.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments section and check out this video I did today with Puck Sports talking about the combine:

David Montgomery is not coming to Seattle. Despite being heavily linked to the Seahawks, the Houston Texans pulled off a trade with the Lions today, giving up a fourth and seventh rounder plus offensive lineman Juice Scruggs.

The Seahawks weren’t going to be able to compete with that kind of offer given their limited day three draft stock.

It does leave them in a bit of a bind though. Albert Breer suggested today that Ken Walker could be about to get around $14m a year on the open market. That almost certainly ends any shot of him returning to the Seahawks (and rightly so — that’s a mega salary that is incredibly difficult to justify).

With a thin draft class at the position and the remaining free agent options a mix of ‘not very good’ or ‘about to be paid more than they should be’ — the Seahawks might have to settle on a cheaper veteran and hope Zach Charbonnet can make a quick recovery.

It’s not ideal but if they were able to land someone like Mike Washington Jr in the draft, at least the physical potential is there to claim a possible solution.

Breer also discussed Maxx Crosby’s situation, suggesting he thinks he might be traded this week. The key seems to be a team stepping up to the plate and being prepared to offer the Raiders a package that they can sell to their fans, given they’re trading away a highly popular franchise lynchpin. Nobody appears willing to offer what they reportedly want (two firsts and a player) so is there a compromise deal out there?

We’ve been talking about Crosby to Seattle for a long time on here and I still think the Seahawks will be actively pursuing this, within reason. They can’t be reckless but a certain degree of aggression is necessary.

For me this is the key to remaining highly competitive next season. The Seahawks can’t afford to potentially lose DeMarcus Lawrence and Boye Mafe and replenish with young or average players. We’ve seen this story before. The Seahawks didn’t do a good enough job replacing both Frank Clark and Jadeveon Clowney. They have to use that as a cautionary tale. The 2026 version of Benson Mayowa and Bruce Irvin won’t get the job done.

Yet if another team simply offers a deal for Crosby you can’t compete with, there’s not much you can do. Who could they pivot to?

Rashan Gary is nowhere the same standard as Crosby. However, he is someone who has produced 24 sacks in his last three seasons. This is despite a drought of 10 games (including playoffs) to end last season without a sack.

His production falling off a cliff has led to widespread speculation that he could be on the way out in Green Bay. He’s 28-years-old and it feels like he could do with a fresh start. The Packers are also currently $6m in the red for effective cap space. They need to save some money.

It’s possible he’s cut this week to save $11m. However, that would also come with a $17m dead cap hit. They’ll save the same amount of money to give him away via trade. Would they be willing to just do a deal on the cheap for a throwaway pick? Better to get something than nothing.

His base-salary in 2026 would be $18m. It’s not ideal and you’d rather it be cheaper. Yet it’s also not so high to make you want to curl up in a ball and start crying. Gary playing at his best level is worth that money. In 2023 his PFF grade was an 80.0. Even as his play has regressed, his run-defense has still been reasonably good.

They can’t replace Lawrence with a rookie. They’d need to determine whether Gary has the fire and determination to get his career back on track and come and fight to reach his best level again. I would suggest this is very much in ‘could do a lot worse’ category.

What are some other options? The Vikings need to make major savings as they are $50.5m over the cap. Trading Jonathan Greenard would save $12.25m. Is Alex Highsmith expendable in Pittsburgh following the emergence of Nick Herbig?

Free agency will be very expensive at this position and it’s hard to see where they could get value and/or quality. Finding a solution here, to me, is the key to the off-season. Landing Crosby would set them up for further success. Let’s see if they can get it done, or whether they have to switch to alternatives.

Get ready for the O-line takeover of the 2026 NFL draft.

The league is desperate for help in the trenches. Supply, for so long, has not matched demand.

13 linemen were drafted in the first two rounds a year ago. We could easily see that topped this year, following a highly explosive testing performance at the combine.

Explosive testing, measured by the vertical and broad jumps, really matters — as noted in this article from four years ago. Consistently the best offensive linemen in the league are typically explosive athletes. It’s why, for the last decade, we’ve used our own formula to measure explosive traits.

The ideals are a 31-inch vertical and a 9-0 broad jump.

So how does this year compare to last?

Players jumping a +31-inch vertical in 2025: 22
Players jumping a +31-inch vertical in 2026: 22

Players jumping a 9-0 broad in 2025: 20
Players jumping a 9-0 broad in 2026: 20

The numbers are identical.

The difference is, the numbers above for 2025 include pro-day workouts. The 2026 numbers do not. So there is every chance this will be a more explosive O-linen group than a year ago. For example, Miami’s Francis Mauigoa didn’t do anything at the combine but a big pro-day performance is expected.

With options limited at other positions and a lack of premium quality across the board, don’t be surprised if the league collectively goes to the O-line well.

I will calculate the TEF scores for the class when we get the bench-press numbers tomorrow.

Before I get into the on-field notes, this could influence the Seahawks.

I know a lot of the fan base see it as a priority to replace Anthony Bradford. I don’t see this as a major, glaring need. The Seahawks have added young, scheme-fit linemen who can challenge Bradford in camp. They will retain five starters who helped them win a Super Bowl and consistency on the line is critical.

However, it’s at least possible that the Seahawks don’t trade the #32 pick and are presented with the need to make a selection. It’s not unrealistic that their best option, based on grade, will be an offensive lineman in that spot. Or, alternatively, fast forward to round two and they are presented with a decision to make at #64 with the O-line being a grading fit.

The point is — there’s every chance this class will push the Seahawks towards an early pick on the offensive line.

Here are all the combine linemen who scored a +75 grade for zone-blocking in 2025:

Emmanuel Pregnon — 93.0
Keagen Trost — 91.6
Beau Stephens — 89.5
Brian Parker — 89.4
Travis Burke — 88.7
Austin Barber — 87.1
Gennings Dunker — 86.6
Evan Beerntsen — 85.3
JC Davis — 83.9
Kadyn Proctor — 83.6
Carver Willis — 81.8
Jake Slaughter — 81.7
DJ Campbell — 81.2
Sam Hecht — 79.8
Spencer Fano — 79.4
Matt Gulbin — 79.2
Keylan Rutledge — 77.4
Garrett DiGiorgio — 77.3
Fernando Carmona — 76.8
Blake Miller — 76.6
Ar’maj Reed-Adams — 75.8

Several players on this list performed well today and could be on Seattle’s radar.

So on to my thoughts from the day…

Gennings Dunker could be a serious option for the Seahawks, possibly as early as #32. I thought his tape was fantastic. He jumped a 32.5-inch vertical and a 9-0 broad at 319lbs. His frame is really well put together — his weight in proportion, a thick lower body. He showed some agility by running the third fastest short shuttle (his 4.63 topped Spencer Fano’s 4.67). Only his Iowa team-mate Logan Jones (4.59), who is 20lbs lighter than Dunker, and Keyland Rutledge (4.54) ran a faster shuttle.

His base is so thick and powerful and he showed how that enables him to keep his movements controlled in the wave. On the long pulls he moved very well and drew praise from the on-field coaches. On the short pulls he looked like a runaway beer truck, flying out of his stance and getting on the move with force in his progression.

I thought Dunker had the best kick-slide rep. He created ideal depth on his drop and his movements were sudden and explosive. He was one of the few linemen to deliver a jarring punch to the bag. Everything was controlled.

His mirror drill was performed at a slight angle and the coach leading the drill should’ve corrected that. Yet this was also a great example of how his legs and arms work together to create easy shifts from left to right. Even when he was just blocking air, you could see how physical and imposing he looked compared to the others. This is a dude.

The NFL Network kept comparing his physical profile to Brandan Scherff. I appreciate this is mainly because they both went to Iowa — but there’s very little separating them in terms of size and athleticism. Scherff’s short shuttle (4.57) was even only 0.06 seconds faster.

Here’s my write-up on Dunker:

One of my favourite linemen to study in 18 years of doing this blog. It’s been comical to see the internet nit-picking him at the Senior Bowl or looking at the tape of the game after he suffered a grade-two MCL tear, played anyway, but didn’t move that freely when zone blocking.

He showed two years of consistently good tape. He can be nasty as a finisher when given an opportunity and I like that. Dunker shows huge power on contact and is able to control blocks with brute force.

He can flow down the line to create cut-back opportunities for the running back. He blocks well on the move even when tasked with striking defenders at awkward angles. He loves to dump opponents on their back and then plaster them on the ground.

When he blocks square-on he is a people-mover in the running game. He can get out on the move, latch on to a target and control using his length which is impressive — 34-inch arms with a 6-5, 320lbs frame and big 10-inch hands. This is what an O-liner is supposed to look like — thick lower body, powerful upper body, long arms.

His combo blocks are sharp and effective. He’s very comfortable reaching up to the second level and knocking a linebacker out of position. His initial punch on contact carries violence. He keeps his feet moving on contact and drives through his blocks well.

His feet move well enough on kick-slide to protect at tackle if you want to keep him there. I think he’ll be a red-zone dynamo in the running game. He can handle counters (spin moves, inside counter) and he consistently executes his blocking assignment.

Dunker seals the edge for outside runs and he re-sets his feet to block off any edge penetration on inside runs.

I do get some of the complaints. He’s not Grey Zabel running to the second level or on pulls. That’s why he isn’t going to be a top-20 pick. Let’s not go overboard though and suggest he can’t play zone. He can.

He clearly loves the game and has a classic O-lineman personality. This is the kind of player I want on my football team. I think he can play right tackle but he’d be an excellent guard. Testing will determine his upside but I can’t see him failing at the next level. He might not be an elite interior lineman but I doubt he’s going to make you rue taking him. For me he’s a top-45 pick.

As a player who admits he’ll be kicking inside in the NFL to play right guard, I think he has every chance to be a long-term, very productive starter. In a draft like this with so few attractive options in the late first round, I don’t know why you wouldn’t consider Dunker.

His zone-blocking grade, explosive traits, size and length, mentality, personality fit and classic Iowa-training for the NFL give you a great chance to come out of this draft with a long-term starter. That is really all you can hope for in the 2026 draft, such as it is.

Seahawks fans should be taking Dunker very seriously. He might not be flashy. He might not excite the masses, or have everyone hyping him up online. Players like this create foundations for success though. Sometimes these very solid O-liners are easy to identify and yet the league — somehow — overlooks them.

Elsewhere, Spencer Fano confirmed why he is going to be a very high pick. He ran a 4.91 and added explosive testing with a 31-inch vertical and a 9-3 broad. Yes, he has short arms (32 1/8) and that will likely mean he has to kick inside to guard. So what? He’ll be an excellent guard. He was noticeably more athletic to the other linemen during on-field drills with his speed and ease of movement jumping off the screen. He is a different level of athlete.

Parker Brailsford had some incredible testing numbers — jumping a 9-10 broad to go with a 32.5 inch vertical. A 4.95 forty isn’t a surprise given he’s only 289lbs. He has a ton of potential as a zone-blocking center. He is certainly someone worth considering later on and he’ll have a shot to start in the league one day. His wave drill and long pull were excellent with good burst and an easy change of direction.

Max Iheanachor could easily go in round one and he just looks the part out there. He’s 6-6 and 321lbs but carries the weight well. He ran a 4.91 and jumped a 30.5 inch vertical and a 9-7 broad. He has smaller hands (nine-inches) but there’s every chance that when the run on O-liners starts, he’ll be included in the top-32. He looks muscular and athletic.

Chase Bisontis looked very solid across the various pulling drills. His frame is classic for a guard and his explosive testing was decent, jumping a 32.5 inch vertical and an 8-9 broad. There was a lot of control in his movements and he ran a 5.02 at 315lbs. He has nearly 10-inch hands but his arms (sub-32 inches) will be an issue for some.

DJ Campbell looked like a monster. Along with Micah Morris and Jaeden Roberts, these were three ‘get off the bus first’ types. Campbell has good zone-blocking grades (81.2) and I look forward to studying more of his tape. He moved well for his huge frame but his explosive testing was poor, including a 26.5 inch vertical.

Brian Parker really stood out to me from the second group. He moved very well, transitioned from left to right with ease and he was excellent on the long and short pulls. He was so quick out of his stance and sprinted down the line. His punch could’ve been stronger on the kick-slide but his footwork and athleticism, plus the depth of his drop, were good. He could’ve let loose a bit more on the mirror and everything was a bit too controlled but he had an excellent day. He’s another very underrated player — jumping a 9-1 broad but opting not to do a vertical.

Caleb Lomu crossed his feet on the wave but otherwise performed very well. He ran a 4.99 and will likely get serious attention in the top-20. He jumped a 32.5 inch vertical and a 9-5 broad. He moved brilliantly on his kick-slide and he had a great mirror. Lomu should be able to stick at left tackle with 33.5 inch arms.

Emmanuel Pregnon had some stiffness in his movements and it’s peculiar that he has PFF’s top zone-blocking grade because he’s not an obvious, natural fit for the scheme. I liked his footwork on the wave drill though and his control on the pulls. He’s also extremely explosive — jumping a 35 inch vertical and a 9-3 broad. He ran a 5.21 at 314lbs and he has massive 11-inch hands. His mirror drill felt a bit restricted.

Kadyn Proctor’s session was a little bit all over the place. His massive 6-7, 352lbs frame didn’t always want to play ball with the quick changes of direction and he lost balance a couple of times. However, you can see he’s a decent athlete. He ran a 5.21 which is good for such an enormous human and managed a 32.5 inch vertical and a 9-5 broad. He will go in round one.

Logan Jones’ testing results were good but not what they needed to be for his size. He was noticeably smaller than everyone else. Logan Taylor had a good drill session with group two I thought, while Keylan Rutledge moved well for his size.

On Rutledge, he could be a strong alternative to Dunker. He has a tough playing demeanour and loves to finish his blocks. His 4.54 short shuttle at 6-4 and 316lbs speaks to his athleticism. He also ran a very good 5.05 forty and jumped a 32.5 inch vertical. He has 33 1/4 inch arms and big 10-inch hands. He’s a good zone-blocker, played right guard for Georgia Tech and would likely be available at #64.

I also thought Diego Pounds had a strong day during drills and Jake Slaughter had the best mirror drill of the day.

Welcome to this year’s coverage of the NFL Scouting Combine. Every day I will be updating this thread with forty times and other data. I will then end the day with a review article and a live stream. I hope you will join me for all four days — it’s a big commitment and I’d love for you all to be involved.

Explosive testing is very important. Ideally you want a 31-inch vertical and a 9-0 broad jump.

O-line vertical jumps — Group 1

Enrique Cruz — 35
Jude Bowry — 34.5
Monroe Freeling — 33.5
Evan Beerntsen — 32.5
Parker Brailsford — 32.5
Gennings Dunker — 32.5
Austin Barber — 32
Chase Bisontis — 32
Spencer Fano — 32
Alan Herron — 32
JC Davis — 30.5
Max Iheanachor — 30.5
Garret DiGiorgio — 29.5
Fernando Carmona — 29
Fa’alili Fa’amoe — 28.5
Jager Burton — 28
Sam Hecht — 28
Travis Burke — 27
Jalen Farmer — 27
DJ Campbell — 26.5

O-line board jumps — Group 1

Parker Brailsford — 9-10
Enrique Cruz — 9-8
Jude Bowry — 9-7
Monroe Freeling — 9-7
Max Iheanachor — 9-7
Austin Barber — 9-3
Jager Burton — 9-3
Spencer Fano — 9-3
Gennings Dunker — 9-0
Jalen Farmer — 9-0
Travis Burke — 8-11
Garret DiGiorgio — 8-10
Evan Beerntsen — 8-9
Chase Bisontis — 8-9
DJ Campbell — 8-8
Fa’alili Fa’amoe — 8-8
Fernando Carmona — 8-7
Joshua Braun — 8-5
Sam Hecht — 8-5
JC Davis — 8-3

Forty times — Group 1

Ten yard splits in brackets

Austin Barber — (1.77) 5.12 & (1.77) 5.12
Evan Beerntsen — (1.82) 5.27 & (1.82) 5.25
Markel Bell — (1.89) 5.50 & (1.85) 5.36
Chase Bisontis — (1.77) 5.03 & (1.77) 5.03
Jude Bowry — (1.78) 5.12 & (1.75) 5.08
Parker Brailsford — (1.73) 5.02 & (1.70) 4.96
Travis Burke — (1.80) 5.18 & (1.80) 5.19
Jager Burton — (1.78) 4.96 & (1.76) 4.94
DJ Campbell — (1.75) 5.07 & (1.76) 5.02
Fernando Carmona — (1.86) 5.22 & (1.86) 5.23
Kage Casey — (1.85) 5.21 & (1.93) 5.31
Dametrious Crownover — (1.80) 5.16 & (1.80) 5.15
Enrique Cruz — (1.75) 4.95 & (1.76) 4.96
JC Davis — (1.79) 5.16 & DNR
Garret DiGiorgio — (1.86) 5.37 & (1.88) 5.38
Gennings Dunker — (1.84) 5.19 & (1.85) 5.22
Spencer Fano — (1.73) 4.91 & (1.72) 4.93
Jalen Farmer — (1.76) 4.93 & DNR
Monroe Freeling — (1.72) 4.95 & (1.72) 4.93
Sam Hecht — (1.74) 5.10 & (1.76) 5.15
Alan Herron — (1.84) 5.09 & (1.83) 5.09
Max Iheanachor — (1.74) 4.91 & (1.76) 4.95

O-line vertical jumps — Group 2

Caleb Tiernan — 35.5
Emmanuel Pregnon — 35
Caleb Lomu — 32.5
Kayden Proctor — 32.5
Keylan Rutledge — 32.5
Jake Slaughter — 32.5
Logan Jones — 32
Blake Miller — 32
Vega Ione — 31.5
Drew Shelton — 31
Logan Taylor — 31
Keagan Trost — 31
Diego Pounds — 30
Micah Morris — 29.5
Ar’maj Reed-Adams — 29.5
Aamil Wagner — 29.5
Dillon Wade — 28.5
Beau Stephens — 28
Carver Willis — 26.5
Febechi Nwaiwu — 24.5

O-line broad jumps — Group 2

Caleb Lomu — 9-5
Blake Miller — 9-5
Micah Morris — 9-4
Diego Pounds — 9-4
Drew Shelton — 9-4
Emmanuel Pregnon — 9-3
Caleb Tiernan — 9-3
Logan Jones — 9-2
Ar’maj Reed-Adams — 9-2
Jake Slaughter — 9-2
Brian Parker — 9-1
Kayden Proctor — 9-1
Logan Taylor — 9-0
Aamil Wagner — 9-0
Carver Willis — 9-0
Febechi Nwaiwu — 8-9
Vega Ione — 8-8
Keylan Rutledge — 8-8
Dillon Wade — 8-8
Beau Stephens — 8-6

Forty times — Group 2

Ten yard splits in brackets

Logan Jones — (1.74) 4.94 & (1.76) 4.91
Caleb Lomu — (1.75) 5.00 & (1.75) 5.01
Blake Miller — (1.77) 5.09 & (1.76) 5.04
Micah Morris — (1.73) 5.10 & (1.74) 5.10
Brian Parker — (1.78) 5.14 & (1.81) 5.20
Diego Pounds — (1.82) 5.19 & (1.77) 5.15
Emmanuel Pregnon — (1.82) 5.22 & DNR
Kadyn Proctor — (1.84) 5.22 & (1.86) 5.25
Ar’maj Reed-Adams — (1.85) 5.29 & (1.86) 5.29
Keylan Rutledge — (1.81) 5.06 & (1.82) 5.06
Drew Shelton — (1.80) 5.17 & DNR
Jake Slaughter — (1.78) 5.14 & (1.75) 5.10
Beau Stephens — (1.82) 5.36 & (1.84) 5.37
Logan Taylor — (1.84) 5.24 & (1.83) 5.19
Dillon Wade — (1.74) 5.04 & (1.75) 5.02
Aamil Wagner — (1.79) 5.05 & (1.80) 5.02
Carver Willis — (1.84) 5.14 & (1.84) 5.12

O-line short shuttles

Gennings Dunker — 4.63
Spencer Fano — 4.67
Sam Hecht — 4.71
Parker Brailsford — 4.72
Fernando Carmona — 4.75
Chase Bisontis — 4.78
Alan Herron — 5.09

O-line three-cones

Spencer Fano — 7.34
Fernando Carmona — 7.50
Chase Bisontis — 7.53
Joshua Braun — 7.62
Sam Hecht — 7.75
Kage Casey — 8.01
Alan Herron — 8.20

Before we get into the final day of combine workouts, there are a couple of interesting nuggets to get into.

Firstly, Jeremy Fowler is reporting that there’s sufficient interest in Ken Walker to think he will be leaving the Seahawks:

“Sounds like he’s generating enough outside interest to spell the end of his time in Seattle”

Fowler goes on to note that David Montgomery wants out in Detroit. He says he’s owed $6m for 2026 (his base salary is $5.5m) and that the Seahawks make sense if they lose Walker.

Brady Henderson has previously brought up Montgomery’s name, so it sounds like this is the plan. If they lose Walker, pivot to Montgomery. Fowler reckons the Lions would want a day-three pick in return. The Seahawks currently only have a sixth rounder in that range, though.

Potential pick-swaps could be in play with the Lions owning a fourth rounder, two fifth rounders and two sixth rounders. Could the Seahawks, for example, swap #96 for #118 and give up their sixth rounder in a deal?

It shouldn’t be a surprise if Walker is priced out of a return. There’s a likely Super Bowl MVP tax going on and a thin running back draft, plus the possibility of Breece Hall being tagged, means Walker will be the key target for several teams needing a new runner.

For a player who has had injury issues in the past and isn’t great in pass-pro, paying around $14m a year can’t be justified for the Seahawks when they have so much to get done.

Montgomery has been a powerhouse complement to Jahmyr Gibbs in Detroit for three seasons, scoring 33 touchdowns for the Lions in that time. The Seahawks could do a lot worse.

There’s also been an interesting shift in the dynamic around Maxx Crosby. Pro Football Talk reported the Raiders want two first rounders and a player (the Micah Parsons deal). As I’ve kept stressing — the Seahawks wanted a first rounder for DK Metcalf a year ago. They settled on what they could get — the 52nd overall pick.

It appears nobody is willing to pay Las Vegas’ asking price. A report from Boston over the last couple of days cited a Patriots source saying they would be prepared to trade a first round pick and change (eg, something like a fourth rounder).

The unwillingness to pay a big price is potentially connected to Crosby’s existing injury status. He’s recovering from knee surgery. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that this week he posted a video shooting a basketball at home, to perhaps try and reassure any potential suitors.

Either way, it feels like the Raiders have a choice. Compromise on price and move forward — but run the risk of criticism for letting him go too cheaply. Or keep him and run the risk of drama in the future if things go south again. Plus, they are pretty much at their peak sales window now. Crosby’s value isn’t going to increase in eight months time.

Adding to this is Jay Glazer, who is close to Crosby, saying at the Super Bowl that he wants a trade. The Raiders might have to accept they’re not going to get a Parsons-level deal.

It’ll be interesting to see if anyone forces the issue in the coming days and steps up to make an arrangement that satisfies everyone.

A very small number of running backs worked out, meaning their session was over in a flash. The first group of quarterbacks failed to shine in a down year for the position — but Ty Simpson led a far more impressive second session. The receiver drills are notoriously difficult to track given the focus on the players throwing them the ball — yet some still stood out.

Let’s start with a big positive from the day, potentially in particular for the Seahawks.

Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr has been a blog favourite for some time. His combination of size and speed was always intriguing, plus he fits the outside zone system very well.

He ran a 4.33 at 6-1 and 223lbs today. He added a 39-inch vertical and a 10-8 broad jump. Washington’s profile of a dynamic, electric runner combined with top-end explosive traits demands more attention than he’s been getting in the wider media.

De’Von Achane ran a 4.32 at his combine at 191lbs. Think about that for a second. Washington is 32lbs heavier than Achane and runs at the same speed. He’s also far more explosive — Achane jumped only a 33-inch vertical and a 9-3 broad.

Achane was underestimated by the NFL and has turned into one of the very best backs in the game. This is an opportunity to draft someone with the same level of speed yet with a far bigger frame and level of explosive power.

He is adept at sprinting to the outside and then turning upfield for big gains. I think he has every chance to be an excellent outside-zone runner. However, he’s also capable of running through contact to get the tough yards. He recorded 644 yards after contact in 2025.

His second-level acceleration will be a huge asset for a team wanting its runners to sprint to the opening, plant and turn upfield. He has home-run hitting ability. He changes direction well too and finishes runs. He has a gliding quality to his running style you don’t often see on a physical back like this.

Washington consistently allows blocks to be established then cuts upfield with explosion. Yet when required, he hits the hole well and runs with decisiveness and no dancing. He dodges and weaves through attempted tacklers and he’s capable of making defenders miss in space.

I’d be surprised if he wasn’t on Seattle’s radar. If Ken Walker departs, they are going to need to find a runner from somewhere. His fit for this system, his upside, make him extremely intriguing. I think there’s every chance he will not only go earlier than many in the media have been projecting but the Seahawks in particular could be keeping a very close eye on him.

For what it’s worth, he’s also high character and would fit well in their building.

Shout-out to New Mexico State running back coach and Assistant Head Coach David Cobb for his work with Washington before he moved to Arkansas. He also worked with Seth McGowan, who transferred to Kentucky, who also had a strong work-out. He’s big (6-0, 223lbs) and not as quick as Washington but he was the most explosive tester among the runners (42.5-inch vertical, 10-11 broad) and he still managed an impressive 4.49 forty.

Jeremiyah Love unsurprisingly had a good workout. He is destined to be a top-five pick I think, such is the lack of premium-position talent at the top of the draft. Love’s combination of production, physical brilliance and character will be coveted.

His team-mate Jadarian Price made decisive movements during drills, showed no dancing, had an easy change of direction and was very smooth in the blast drill. He did well catching the football, especially when he needed to catch away from his body. He also ran a 4.49. He’s another potential Seahawks target.

Jam Miller had a reasonable work-out. I thought Kaytron Allen laboured a bit. His Penn State team-mate Nicholas Singleton — who would’ve had a great combine — didn’t test after picking up an injury at the Senior Bowl.

There are limited options here. Could the Seahawks target the position early if Walker departs? I think with players like Washington Jr and Price available, it’s possible. After all, this is the team that used second round picks on Walker and Zach Charbonnet, and a first rounder on Rashaad Penny.

In the first group of quarterbacks and receivers, there was little to get the juices flowing. It was a very average throwing session.

Taylen Green made major headlines for his testing. He ran a 4.36 at 6-6 and 227lbs, before jumping a 43.5-inch vertical and an 11-2 broad. I’ve been one of Green’s more vocal supporters for months, talking-up his physical profile and upside.

However, the reality is he is not an accurate passer. We saw that in games, at the Senior Bowl and then today throwing against air. I genuinely believe he is worth drafting to try and develop. There’s too much there physically to write him off. Yet his technique needs a total re-work, he might never be accurate and you’ll probably always be relying on improv and tools.

His mid-range throws were all over the place today. His first deep throw sailed out of bounds like he was aiming at one of the scouts in the stand and he didn’t deliver with much anticipation on the shorter range outs.

Haynes King ran a 4.47, jumped a 35-inch vertical and a 9-8 broad. He was a warrior on the field for Georgia Tech and he’s clearly a good athlete. He threw a bit behind early on. For the out-route session I thought he threw with the best anticipation in group one. However, he just doesn’t have the arm to drive the ball downfield and that showed on the go-routes.

Drew Allar’s footwork still needs a ton of work. His accuracy was off on multiple throws. As he got to the end he started uncorking and threw without a hitch and had a lot more drive and velocity. On tape there were huge alarm bells with how late he throws and with zero anticipation. I don’t think any of those fears were allayed today. He’s another player you draft late-on at best to sit and just see if you can develop anything.

Carson Beck’s footwork was the best of the group but he also threw low and/or behind sometimes. He had good base on his throws and did a decent job throwing long over the middle. The thing is, there were no defenders on the field. When they are on the field, he throws to them too often.

Luke Altmyer was smooth, in control and had the best touch on his passes. He threw the most catchable ball and had better deep throws than expected. His testing was reasonable too. He’ll be worth a late round flier for someone with a defined scheme needing a backup. Jalon Daniels showed a reasonable arm and made some good throws too.

I need to watch the cut-ups of the receivers to learn more about how they performed. However, there are some testing notes.

Remember — the Seahawks focus on speed/suddenness regardless of size. They have typically avoided players who run +4.50.

Malachi Fields has always been a 4.61 runner. It’s been crazy seeing people with a national audience just ignore that or claim he’s faster than he is. He was hyped up at the Senior Bowl, projected by some of the big names as a potential late first rounder and I just don’t see where any of this comes from (see, also: Lee Hunter, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren).

The tape showed he wasn’t quick at all. The Senior Bowl 1v1’s showed the same. He can’t separate. He also had drops in the gauntlet too. I feel for the player really, because his public evaluation isn’t fair. Some of the stuff said about him was blatantly not true on tape.

Chris Brazell however, who has been underestimated for months, ran a 4.37. As soon as I heard Kyle Shanahan say his biggest priority was more speed on offense this off-season, I’ve been thinking Brazell could be a first round option for the 49ers. Chris Bell, who didn’t work-out as he returns from injury, could be another option for them. They both feel like Niner types.

During his work-out, Brazell caught awkward passes and contorted his body to complete catches. That was very clear on tape too — his tracking and ability to catch anything is clear.

Omar Cooper Jr ran a 4.42 which will aid his rise. There’s a very realistic chance he finds a home in the top-40. I’m not totally convinced still. His run-blocking effort is poor and there are reported concerns about his approach with issues raised about his commitment and application.

With the second group, it was great to see De’Zhaun Stribling test as well as he did. He ran a 4.37 at 6-2 and 207lbs. He has big 10-inch hands. He also jumped a 36-inch vertical and a 10-7 broad.

Here’s my write-up for him:

Apologies to the Cougs out there, Stribling is really good.

He only had one drop in 2025 and nine total drops in a five-year college career. Some players have that many drops in a season. That’s nine drops in 345 career targets, by the way.

He’s listed at 6-2 and approximately 210lbs. He settles into intermediate pockets nicely, knowing when to ramp down the speed. If you give him a cushion he’s good at selling the deep route and coming back to the quarterback to present an open target.

His release can be really sharp — especially when he has space to run around a defender from an inside position. When he can’t separate he’s shown he can make contested 1v1 catches including some that are high difficulty.

Stribling looks the part with his frame and movement/actions. If you give him a shot, he can make things happen. He turns upfield quickly when presenting his hands and eyes back to the QB. He has a stutter step move off the snap that is well executed.

He shows good concentration skills on challenging/contested passes and his tracking seems decent. His big frame can box off opponents on quick hitting routes and slants. He could be a real asset on slants and in-cutting routes on critical downs.

He catches the ball away from his body and as noted by his lack of drops, he shows good hands. He was predominantly used as an outside threat (326 snaps out wide vs 71 in the slot).

He also had a 76.6 grade for run blocking — the third best mark behind Nyziah Hunter & Denzel Boston. This is a big bonus.

There’s no doubt in my eyes Stribling can play in the NFL, we just need to see what his upside is when he tests. I would draft this guy.

We know now he has a lot of upside with his speed and size. For me, I would keep looking for guys like this. These are the kind of players you can work with who can be available at a very reasonable draft range.

I like Carnell Tate as a technician who runs good routes. He’s consistently where he needs to be and he can be a very reliable WR2. However, I don’t think anyone should’ve expected a great forty (he ran a 4.54) nor is there any reason to imagine he should be going very early in round one unless you determine the class is so thin up top, a solid WR2 is what you want to spend a top-10 pick on. He is not a game-changer. He’s a great complement to a top receiver if you have one.

The second quarterback throwing session was a lot better than the first, headlined by an outstanding performance from Alabama’s Ty Simpson.

This was a complete package display. His technicals were on a different level to most rookies. His footwork, drop, body control, throwing base, shoulder directed towards the target, release — all excellent. His out-throws to the back-shoulder were textbook in quality. His throws over the middle were on time and strong. He consistently delivered passes with anticipation as receivers hit their breaks.

There was velocity on his throws, flashing the kind of arm most didn’t realise he had (watch all of his games and you’ll see ‘wow’ moments, especially early in the season). His go-balls had legit moon-ball height. Only Cade Klubnik was able to match that.

This was one of the best throwing performances at a combine in recent history. This was Simpson showing he could go in round one, particularly in a thin draft at the position. He absolutely nailed this and should be considered one of the big winners in Indianapolis this week.

Garrett Nussmeier also showed well. He was resourceful with his throws with no hitch or wasted motion. His footwork and base was also good. His deep-out had punch, accuracy and touch while the go-routes had air and touch. I thought he had a very good performance to remind teams ‘why not take a chance on me?’

Cole Payton had good velocity on his throws and the ball pops out of his palm. There were a couple of wayward throws early on and his mid-range throws did not land for the most part. He threw too high on his first deep-out and over-compensated on the next. He saved his best throws for the end, managing to launch downfield over the middle on the play-action section. The tools are all there but there was a different technical level with Simpson and Nussmeier.

I thought Klubnik had a very reasonable performance. His intermediate throws sailed at times but as noted, he had good height on his go-balls and generally showed nice touch. Diego Pavia struggled for the most part and I saw little of interest from Behren Morton and Sawyer Robertson.

Again, you need to see the cut-ups to analyse the receivers in this setting but Ja’Kobi Lane had a great gauntlet — he didn’t slow down, showed a gliding quality and made effortless adjustments to each throw. He then made an amazing diving grab on one route to the sideline and a fingertip grab on a Nussmeier go-ball. He jumped off the screen in a way no other receiver did.

Welcome to this year’s coverage of the NFL Scouting Combine. Every day I will be updating this thread with forty times and other data. I will then end the day with a review article and a live stream. I hope you will join me for all four days — it’s a big commitment and I’d love for you all to be involved.

Running back vertical jumps

Seth McGowan — 42.5
Mike Washington Jr — 39
Rashul Faison — 37.5
Adam Randall — 37
Eli Heidenreich — 35.5
Emmett Johnson — 35.5
Jadarian Price — 35
J’Mari Taylor — 34.5
Jam Miller — 30.5

Running back broad jumps

Seth McGowan — 10-11
Mike Washington Jr — 10-8
Jadarian Price — 10-4
Robert Henry — 10-4
Adam Randall — 10-4
Demond Claiborne — 10-2
Rashul Faison — 10-2
Eli Heidenreich — 10-0
Emmett Johnson — 10-0
Jam Miller — 9-7
J’Mari Taylor — 9-7

Running back forty times

Demond Claibore — 4.38 & 4.37
Eli Heidenreich — 4.47 & 4.45
Robert Henry — 4.55 & 4.53
Emmett Johnson — 4.60 & 4.57
Jeremiyah Love — 4.37 & 4.36
Seth McGowan — 4.50 & 4.54
Jam Miller — 4.43 & 4.46
Jadarian Price — 4.50 & 4.51
Adam Randall — 4.51 & 4.51
Mike Washington Jr — 4.33 & 4.36

For what it’s worth, De’Von Achance ran an official 4.32. Achane is 32lbs lighter than Mike Washington Jr.

Wide receiver vertical jumps

Deion Burks — 42.5
Jeff Caldwell — 42
Skyler Bell — 41
Dillon Bell — 39
Kevin Coleman — 38.5
Zachariah Branch — 38
Malachi Fields — 38
Omar Cooper Jr — 37
Denzel Boston — 35
Emmanuel Henderson — 35
Vinny Anthony — 34.5
Chris Hilton — 34.5
Malik Benson — 32.5
Germie Bernard — 32.5
Caleb Douglas — 31.5
Aaron Anderson — 30

Wide receiver broad jumps

Jeff Caldwell — 11-2
Skyler Bell — 11-1
Deion Burks — 10-11
Dillon Bell — 10-6
Kevin Coleman — 10-6
Caleb Douglas — 10-6
Germie Bernard — 10-5
Zachariah Branch — 10-5
Malachi Fields — 10-4
Malik Benson — 10-2
Chris Hilton — 10-2
Emmanuel Henderson — 10-0
Aaron Anderson — 9-5

Quarterback vertical jumps

Taylen Green — 43.5
Joe Fagano — 35
Haynes King — 35
Luke Altmyer — 32

Quarterback broad jumps

Taylen Green — 11-2
Joe Fagano — 9-10
Haynes King — 9-8
Luke Altmyer — 9-6

Quarterback forty times

Luke Altmyer — 4.72 & 4.74
Jalon Daniels — 4.70 & 4.66
Joe Fagano — 4.84 & 4.84
Taylen Green — 4.37 & DNR
Haynes King — 4.47 & 4.47

Wide receiver forty times

Vinny Anthony — 4.58 & 4.54
Dillon Bell — 4.50 & 4.53
Skyler Bell — 4.40 & 4.42
Malik Benson — 4.38 & 4.41
Germie Bernard — 4.52 & 4.49
Zachariah Branch — 4.42 & 4.36
Chris Brazzell — 4.37 & DNR
Barion Brown — 4.41 & 4.42
Deion Burks — 4.33 & 4.31
Jeff Caldwell — 4.32 & 4.37
Kevin Coleman — 4.50 & 4.50
Omar Cooper — 4.47 & 4.43
Caleb Douglas — 4.40 & 4.40
Malachi Fields — 4.62 & 4.64
Emmanuel Henderson — 4.44 & 4.46
Chris Hilton — 4.41 & 4.44

Quarterback vertical jumps (Group 2)

Cole Payton — 40
Sawyer Robertson — 37.5

Quarterback broad jumps (Group 2)

Cole Payton — 10-10
Sawyer Robertson — 10-3

Quarterback forty times (Group 2)

Cole Payton — 4.56 & 4.57
Sawyer Robertson — 4.65 & 4.67

Wide receiver vertical jumps Group 2

Kendrick Law — 42
Bryce Lance — 41.5
Ja’Kobi Lane — 40
Antonio Williams — 39.5
J. Michael Sturdivant — 39
Eric Rivers — 37
Chase Roberts — 37
Ted Hurst — 36.5
De’Zhaun Stribling — 36
Zavion Thomas — 36
Reggie Virgil — 36
Kaden Wetjen — 35.5
Jalen Walthall — 35
Caullin Lacy — 33.5

Wide receiver broad jumps Group 2

Ted Hurst — 11-3
Bryce Lance — 11-1
J. Michael Sturdivant — 10-11
Jalen Walthall — 10-11
Ja’Kobi Lane — 10-9
Kendrick Law — 10-8
Eric Rivers — 10-7
De’Zhaun Stribling — 10-7
Reggie Virgil — 10-7
Chase Roberts — 10-6
Antonio Williams — 10-4
Caullin Lacy — 9-8

Wide receiver forty times Group 2

Ted Hurst — 4.42 & 4.48
Caullin Lacy — 4.59 & 4.55
Bryce Lane — 4.34 & 4.39
Ja’Kobi Lane — 4.48 & 4.47
Kendrick Law — 4.46 & 4.50
Eric Rivers — 4.37 & 4.36
Chase Roberts — 4.65 & 4.66
De’Zhaun Stribling — 4.39 & 4.37
J. Michael Sturdivant — 4.41 & 4.41
Carnell Tate — 4.54 & 4.54
Zavion Thomas — 4.28 & DNR
Brenen Thompson — 4.26 & 4.30
Reggie Virgil — 4.58 & 4.57
Harrison Wallace — 4.57 & 4.55
Jalen Walthall — 4.58 & 4.58
Kaden Wetjen — 4.48 & 4.48
Antonio Williams — 4.42 & 4.42
Colbie Young — 4.49 & 4.52

This was a better day than yesterday overall, highlighted by one of the greatest on-field performances I can recall in 18 years of blogging. More on that individual when we get to the safeties.

Cornerback review

The cornerback class has some depth and this could really play into Seattle’s hands. They don’t need a true #1 corner, someone who is going to need to come in and solve a drastic need. They have Devon Witherspoon and the expectation is Josh Jobe will return. They will need to replace Riq Woolen.

There are ample players they can strongly consider, including with their picks on day two.

So who stood out today?

Firstly, Avieon Terrell. The Clemson cornerback had an outstanding on-field performance. He just looks so natural, which isn’t a surprise given his bloodlines. The transitions were easy for him on every backpedal drill. His starting footwork was better than most for the ‘W’ drill. He showed explosive forward movements after his initial backpedal. On the #2 Teryl Austin drill his pivot and change of direction was whiplash worthy.

In every way he looked like a productive starting NFL cornerback. I’ve had him as CB1 for a while and given Jermod McCoy and Mansoor Delane did no testing here, I think he caught them on the hop, flashing what he’s about.

His brother AJ was the 16th pick in the 2020 draft. For me, Terrell should expect to go in the same kind of range. He is one of the best players in this draft.

The Seahawks are not likely to get a shot at him but one player who could be on their radar is Georgia’s Daylen Everette. I’ve gone back and forth on his grade. There are some iffy tape moments and we saw that at the Senior Bowl too. Yet watching him today, I think I have some clarity on what to make of a player who has everything except consistency.

Everette just looks the part. A dude. He looked different next to many of the other cornerbacks. He has a fantastic body type on a 6-1, 198lbs frame. He has 32 inch arms and ran a 4.38 forty.

Everything looked natural to him, including an outstanding gauntlet drill. All of his backpedals were smooth with no wasted motion. His ball-tracking was good. Every single rep was a tick in the box. The only minor error was a slightly shortened final backpedal on the ‘W’.

He’s well known as the leader of the Georgia secondary.

Sometimes you just see the way a player looks with their build and they flash their natural athleticism and you just know — this is the type of player you can work on. You can bring out the talent here. Watching Everette today it was easy to feel like he gives you as good a chance as anyone to find a diamond at corner.

He will be moving back into the day two range for me. He could easily be an option for the Seahawks as they look to replace Woolen with someone who also has a high ceiling.

Other players who impressed included Julian Neal. He’s another big, long corner who transitioned a lot better than you could reasonably expect for his size. His ball-tracking wasn’t the best but for a bigger guy, he’s another player who did a very decent job during drills.

Colton Hood looked bigger on the field today than he did on tape. He moved well enough and was another player who showed well with his backpedal and transition.

Hezekiah Masses isn’t someone I’ve studied yet but I liked what he showed. He was sharp, an easy mover and showed some suddenness. He high-pointed awkward passes and looked very natural. He was the most intriguing of the cornerbacks I’ve not watched so far.

D’Angelo Ponds showed a very easy backpedal and flip of the hips. His movements are dynamite but he looked tiny compared to the most of the others. During his W drill he didn’t stay in line and was a bit flat-footed on his backpedal. My view hasn’t changed on him. Even with his obvious talent and competitive nature, it’s hard to place his NFL role with his lack of size.

Toriano Pride ran the fastest forty but showed some stiffness with his change of direction and poor ball-skills. He was a little bit pigeon toed in the backpedal.

Davison Igbinosun had a good W, as did TJ Hall. However, Igbinosun’s gauntlet was about as bad as you’ll ever see. He was moving around the line so much he looked like he’d had 10 pints of strong German lager.

The NFL Network went a bit OTT on Chris Johnson. He moved well but his frame looks challengeable. He’s smaller, lacks length. I would put my biggest guy on him. He had a good day but the praise he got compared to some of the others was too much.

It would’ve been good to see Brandon Cisse do drills and test, especially given big things were expected. Even so, today reaffirmed there will be options for the Seahawks and it doesn’t have to be with their first round pick. In fact, if they wanted to trade #32, they can go cornerback and running back on day two I think.

Safety review

Multiple safeties ran excellent forty times. It isn’t typical to see several 4.3 and 4.4 runners at this position. Of the 14 running a forty, 10 ran a sub-4.5.

Let’s not bury the lede though. Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman produced one of the all time great on-field workout performances. He started off by running a 4.35 and jumping a 41-inch vertical. Yet it was how he moved during drills that was frankly quite stunning.

His backpedal and transition was as good as any cornerback I’ve seen. His movements were so sudden and deliberate with zero wasted motion. He did it all with a muscular looking 6-0 and 201lbs frame. He looked bigger, yet moved incredibly. It was genuinely a thrill to watch him compete.

Even on the gauntlet, where he got his body twisted around half-way through, he still contorted to catch everything.

I’ve been high on Thieneman for a long time. I’ve had him as a fringe first grade dating back to mid-season, where he stood out in multiple games. Sometimes you just need that little nudge to confirm how good a player is. Today, that’s what I got. He’s a legit first round talent.

At a time where the draft media has been so desperate to push Emmanuel McNeil-Warren as a first round pick, Thieneman is the actual real deal. It’s very easy to imagine him enjoying a long NFL career. He can play single-high and roam as an eraser. He can play around the line if you want him to do that. He doesn’t have Nick Emmanwori’s size so I would prefer to keep him deep — but whatever your idea on his role, there’s no reason to believe he won’t thrive.

His display will go down as one of my favourites since starting SDB in 2008. A real shot in the arm for a combine where more players than ever are sitting out.

Here’s my scouting notes on Thieneman from part one of my recent series, looking at players I really like. Remember, you can find links to other reports by clicking here:

He has really good size yet still has highly impressive range. Thieneman covers ground tremendously as a roaming free safety.

He has a nose for the football (six interceptions as a freshman at Purdue). He can launch downfield from deep and fly through space to hammer ball-carriers. He shows a quick trigger to sniff out plays in front of him.

Thieneman is an excellent downfield attacker and he’s willing to charge into vacant gaps and make a tackle. In multiple games he showed he’d done his homework — anticipating routes correctly. It is very evident he’s in the film room studying tape.

It’s easy to imagine him lining up anywhere. He’s a chess piece. He dodges blockers when playing in attack mode with great agility and good luck stretching out runs or bouncing outside if he has you in his sights.

He can start as a single-high safety and run 25 yards downfield to deliver hits for minimal gains. There are not many players with his size and range. He can take away a half of the field.

There’s evidence of jarring hits on tape and he plays with some violence. Centre-field players like this are not typical. There’s no hip stiffness in transition and he changes direction quickly.

There’s room for him to add more muscle without losing speed. He’s seen as one of the vocal leaders for Oregon. Reports suggest he is a football junky completely committed to his craft.

AJ Haulcy is jacked up and muscular. You can see him playing around the LOS. He’s not super quick as he ran a 4.52 and he won’t play deep. There’s ample tape of him delivering while attacking downhill though and he can be a very solid day two pick.

Jalon Kilgore definitely has something to him. He collected a decent tally of interceptions at South Carolina, he’s well sized (6-1, 210lbs) and has long arms (33 inches). He does have some potential versatility between safety and corner. He ran a 4.40 and jumped a 37 inch vertical. This was a good day for Kilgore.

I need to watch more of Treydan Stukes, who also had a very good day. Well regarded for his leadership qualities at Arizona, he ran a 4.33 and jumped a 38 inch vertical. His arm length is only a shade under 32 inches with a 6-1, 190lbs frame. You can do a lot with that physical profile. He’ll be one of the first players I go to post-combine.

Lorenzo Styles, brother of Sonny, ran a 4.27 and showed good, easy movements too. He is someone I will check in on having not studied his tape yet. I also look forward to spending time on VJ Payne and Michael Taafe. Bud Clark, who is so productive (and that has shown to translate consistently at this position) also had a good day.

I thought the other on-field performances were fairly unspectacular. McNeil-Warren showed he isn’t that fast with a 4.52 and his movements were not as natural as others. His frame is long but awkward as he’s very lean in his upper body. He doesn’t strike you as an obvious high pick, especially when he’s running in the 4.5’s.

The NFL Network did not show anywhere near enough of the drills which was frustrating, constantly cutting to close-ups of the players or going to commercials. John Schneider said he could follow the combine just as easily on the television. Today was evidence to the contrary — which makes me think, again, there’s more to his quick return to Seattle. They’re working on something, even if it’s just keeping their free agents together.

Tight end review

It wasn’t a surprise that Kenyon Sadiq tested brilliantly. The expectation of a legendary workout has long been touted. We’ll no doubt see his athleticism counted twice now in mock drafts — but let’s not forget, there are some issues with effort, consistency and route-running.

Neither was it a huge shock that Eli Stowers set a record with a 45-inch vertical. He was a very talented High Jumper in High School. Even so, this is a remarkable achievement for a player who will be a very useful ‘big slot’ at the next level.

I didn’t feel we learnt a great deal from the on-field drills. The key at this position at the 10-yard splits and the agility testing.

Here are the splits. We’re typically looking for a sub-1.62:

Kenyon Sadiq — 1.54
Jack Endries — 1.59
Eli Stowers — 1.59
John Michael Gyllenborg — 1.60
Eli Raridon — 1.60
Matthew Hibner — 1.61
Jared Kanak — 1.61
Sam Roush — 1.61
Dallen Bentley — 1.62
Tanner Koziol — 1.62
Marlin Klein — 1.64
RJ Maryland — 1.64
Josh Cuevas — 1.65
Bauer Sharp — 1.68
Khalil Dinkins — 1.70
Will Kacmarek — 1.70
Riley Nowakowski — 1.70
Miles Kitselman — 1.71

Only six tight ends ran a short shuttle. We’re looking for a sub 4.5 time ideally:

John Michael Gyllenborg — 4.22
Khalil Dinkins — 4.33
Sam Roush — 4.37
Josh Cuevas — 4.38
Nate Boerkircher — 4.40
Dallen Bentley — 4.42

Of this group, only John Michael Gyllenborg and Sam Roush had the confirmed agility and quickness you’re looking for. Obviously if more had done the short shuttle, we’d potentially be able to add to the list.

It’s a big difference from a year ago where there were eight players who ran a sub-1.60 10-yard split. The Seahawks wisely took Elijah Arroyo at the right time. This isn’t a year to covet a tight end and it’s not a position you’d expect the Seahawks to target.

Welcome to this year’s coverage of the NFL Scouting Combine. Every day I will be updating this thread with forty times and other data. I will then end the day with a review article and a live stream. I hope you will join me for all four days — it’s a big commitment and I’d love for you all to be involved.

If you missed the news earlier, John Schneider travelled back to Seattle before combine drills even began. As far as I’m aware, he’s never done this before. Is it indicative of work going on back at base, whether that’s contracts or trades? Does it suggest they are viewing this draft class as negatively as we’ve been suggesting? I think there’s merit to all of this.

Meanwhile, further to what we were discussing yesterday…

Day 1 of the combine had a 37% participation rate, down 18% year over year compared to 2025. The 3 cone had a 50% participation rate pre-pandemic. It's just 13% now.

It's getting very Pro Bowl for TV viewers:https://t.co/qJfxymFxcH

— Justis Mosqueda (@JuMosq) February 27, 2026

Cornerback vertical jumps

D’Angelo Ponds — 43.5
Charles Demmings — 42
Will Lee — 42
Brandon Cisse — 41
Colton Hood — 40.5
Julian Neal — 40
Thaddeus Dixon — 39.5
Marcus Allen — 39
Malik Muhammad — 39
Ephesians Prysock — 39
Chandler Rivers — 39
Colin Wright — 39
Latrell McCuthin — 38.5
Avery Smith — 38.5
Chris Johnson — 38
Daylen Everette — 37.5
Toriano Pride — 37.5
Tacario Davis — 37
TJ Hall — 36
Andre Fuller — 35
Davison Igbinosun — 34
Avieon Terrell — 34
Hezekiah Masses — 31.5

Cornerback broad jumps

Julian Neal — 11-2
Charles Demmings — 11-0
Will Lee — 11-0
Brandon Cisse — 10-11
Latrell McCutchin — 10-11
Malik Muhammad — 10-10
Chandler Rivers — 10-10
Andre Fuller — 10-9
Toriano Pride — 10-8
Chris Johnson — 10-6
Thaddeus Dixon — 10-5
Colton Hood — 10-5
Avery Smith — 10-5
Daylen Everette — 10-4
Ephesians Prysock — 10-4
Marcus Allen — 10-3
Tacario Davis — 10-3
Avieon Terrell — 10-3
D’Angelo Ponds — 43.5
Davison Igbinosun — 10-0
Hezekiah Masses — 9-11

Cornerback forty times

Marcus Allen — 4.51 & 4.56
Tacario Davis — 4.41 & 4.44
Charles Demmings — 4.42 & 4.44
Daylen Everette — 4.38 & 4.40
Andre Fuller — 4.54 & 4.50
TJ Hall — 4.59 & 4.60
Colton Hood — 4.45 & 4.44
Davison Igbinosun — 4.46 & 4.55
Domani Jackson — 4.41 & 4.42
Chris Johnson — 4.43 & 4.40
Will Lee — 4.52 & 4.55
Hezekiah Masses — 4.56 & 4.46
Latrell McCutchin — 4.44 & 4.43
Devin Moore — 4.55 & 4.50
Malik Muhammad — 4.42 & 4.46
Julian Neal — 4.54 & 4.50
Toriano Pride — 4.36 & 4.32
Ephesians Prysock — 4.46 & 4.45
Chandler Rivers — 4.42 & 4.40
Avery Smith — 4.54 & 4.60

Cornerbacks who didn’t run:

Avieon Terrell
Jermod McCoy
Mansoor Delane
Keionte Scott
D’Angelo Ponds
Thaddeus Dixon
Brandon Cisse
Keith Abney

Safety vertical jumps

Genesis Smith — 42.5
Dillon Thieneman — 41
DeShon Singleton — 39.5
Lorenzo Styles — 39
Bud Clark — 38
Ahmaad Moss — 38
Teydan Stukes — 38
Xavier Nwankpa — 37.5
Jalon Kilgore — 37
Dalton Johnson — 26
Kamari Ramsay — 36
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren — 35.5
VJ Payne — 35
Robert Spears-Jennings — 35
Bishop Fitzgerald — 33
Zakee Wheatley — 32.5

Safety broad jumps

Jalon Kilgore — 10-10
DeShon Singleton — 10-10
Teydan Stukes — 10-10
Genesis Smith — 10-8
Bud Clark — 10-7
VJ Payne — 10-7
Robert Spears-Jennings — 10-5
Dillon Thieneman — 10-5
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren — 10-2
Zakee Wheatley — 10-2
Kamari Ramsay — 10-0
Dalton Johnson — 9-11

Safety forty times

Bud Clark — 4.48 & 4.44
Bishop Fitzgerald — 4.56 & 4.57
AJ Haulcy — 4.54 & 4.53
Dalton Johnson — 4.41 & 4.45
Jalon Kilgore — 4.42 & 4.40
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren — 4.55 & 4.53
Xavier Nwankpa — 4.48 & 4.49
VJ Payne — 4.41 & 4.42
Kamari Ramsey — 4.47 & DNR
Robert Spears-Jennings — 4.32 & DNR
Treydan Stukes — 4.34 & DNR
Lorenzo Styles Jr — 4.28 & 4.28
Michael Taafe — 4.50 & 4.55
Dillon Thieneman — 4.37 & 4.36

Cornerback three cone times

Latrell McCutchin — 7.00
Avery Smith — 7.03
Julian Neal — 7.13
TJ Hall — 7.19
Toriano Pride — 7.20

Defensive back short shuttle cone times

Genesis Smith — 4.18
Latrell McCutchin — 4.18
TJ Hall — 4.19
Julian Neal — 4.20
Andre Fuller — 4.28
Jalon Kilgore — 4.32
Robert Spears-Jennings — 4.43
Avery Smith — 4.46

Tight end vertical jumps

Eli Stowers — 45.5
Kenyon Sadiq — 43.5
Sam Roush — 38.5
Matthew Hibner — 37
Tanner Koziol — 36.5
Jack Endries — 36
Will Kacmarek — 36
Jaren Kanak — 36
Marlin Klein — 36
Eli Raridon — 36
John Michael Gyllenborg — 35.5
Dallen Bentley — 35
Bauer Sharp — 35
Miles Kitselman — 34.5
Josh Cuevas — 34
Riley Nowakowski — 33.5
RJ Maryland — 33
Khalil Dinkins — 32.5

Tight end broad jumps

Eli Stowers — 11-3
Kenyon Sadiq — 11-1
John Michael Gyllenborg — 10-8
Sam Roush — 10-6
Eli Raridon — 10-3
Tanner Koziol — 10-2
RJ Maryland — 10-2
Bauer Sharp — 10-0
Khalil Dinkins — 9-11
Jack Endries — 9-11
Will Kacmarek — 9-11
Jaren Kanak — 9-11
Riley Nowakowski — 9-11
Dallen Bentley — 9-10
Josh Cuevas — 9-10
Marlin Klein — 9-9
Matthew Hibner — 9-8
Miles Kitselman — 9-8

Tight end forty times

Dallen Bentley — 4.65 & 4.63
Josh Cuevas — 4.68 & 4.65
Khalil Dinkins — 4.73 & 4.73
Jack Endries — 4.68 & 4.63
John Michael Gyllenborg — 4.60 & 4.62
Matthew Hibner — 4.57 & 4.62
Will Kacmarek — 4.75 & 4.76
Jared Kanak — 4.53 & 4.55
Miles Kitselman — 4.91 & 4.94
Marlin Klein — 4.62 & 4.63
Tanner Koziol — 4.71 & 4.71
RJ Maryland — 4.52 & 4.54
Riley Nowakowski — 4.66 & 4.71
Eli Raridon — 4.62 & 4.63
Sam Roush — 4.70 & 4.78
Kenyon Sadiq — 4.40 & 4.40
Bauer Sharp — 4.63 & 4.64
Eli Stowers — 4.51 & 4.55

Tight end 10-yard splits

Kenyon Sadiq — 1.54
Eli Stowers — 1.55
John Michael Gyllenborg — 1.56
Matthew Hibner — 1.56
Jared Kanak — 1.59
RJ Maryland — 1.59
Eli Raridon — 1.59
Bauer Sharp — 1.59
Sam Roush — 1.61
Josh Cuevas — 1.62
Riley Nowakowski — 1.62
Dallen Bentley — 1.63
Jack Endries — 1.63
Marlin Klein — 1.63
Tanner Koziol — 1.63
Will Kacmarek — 1.64
Miles Kitselman — 1.66
Khalil Dinkins — 1.68

The linebackers salvaged what was quickly turning into a thoroughly mediocre opening day at the 2026 scouting combine.

Numerous defensive linemen chose not to run a forty or do drills. The defensive tackles failed to sparkle, with the defensive ends underwhelming with a lack of pure speed, twitch and intrigue.

Then an electric group of linebackers took the field. Explosive testing is critical at this position and many jumped brilliantly. Then they mostly ran solid forty times and 10-yard splits.

Ohio State’s star duo Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles lit up Indianapolis as the headline acts. Along with David Bailey, they also did all of the on-field drills after running a forty.

The fact that so many others stood and watched hinted at an event in crisis. Players are increasingly snubbing this event. Many would rather test and perform in the favourable environment of a pro-day. It’s no longer reasonable to expect them to travel across the country, go through extensive media duties, do long medical checks and then go out and perform late in the day so the NFL can try and make this a ‘prime time’ event.

Meanwhile, for the second year in a row, the turf has had the players slipping around like they’re at the Winter Olympics. We’re a slip away from someone being seriously injured and further damage being done to this under-fire week.

I suspect the combine will just about cling on while some players are prepared to get out there and compete. Some players will always need the boost. Year after year though, the number is decreasing.

The only chance of salvaging things here is to rip up the scheduling plan for players, provide incentives to perform and just rethink things. At the moment this isn’t a scouting event anymore. It’s a legal tampering week, it’s a chance to talk to other teams and you get medicals. Maybe that’s enough to just tick along every year. As someone passionate about this event, having tracked it for nearly 20 years watching every minute of content, it’s sad to see how far it has fallen.

Even John Schneider, for the first time to my knowledge, bailed on the combine before workouts even began. He was back in Seattle today for his radio show on Seattle Sports, appearing from the team facility. More on that in a moment.

Only one defensive end ran a short shuttle. Two others ran a three-cone. Only seven defensive tackles ran a short shuttle.

The following players didn’t run a forty. Those in bold didn’t do any on-field drills:

Keldric Faulk
Rueben Bain Jr
Akheem Mesidor
Zion Young
Caden Curry
Gabe Jacas
Joshua Josephs
Derrick Moore
Keyron Crawford
Peter Woods
Kayden McDonald
Domonique Orange
Darrell Jackson Jr
Zxavian Harris
Rayshaun Benny
CJ Allen
Kendal Daniels
Josiah Trotter
Harold Perkins
Bryce Boettcher
Dontae Lawson
Jimmy Rolder

The lasting thought of the day

Watching the defensive linemen reaffirmed an opinion I’ve had since October. This is not a good draft. People will try and talk it up. I know a highly respected scout who will always say, ‘there’s no such thing as a bad draft.’

In this instance, I beg to differ.

We’ve still got three more days to go and perhaps other position groups will shine? It’s a deeper crop of receivers and there’s some depth at cornerback.

Yet I’m sat here tonight with absolutely no idea what the Seahawks should do at #32. I suspect they’ve been busy checking in on trades and will be more than willing to move that pick. It won’t be a shock if they make a deal in the coming days.

They won’t be alone. There’s a very small pool of worthy first round prospects and by the time you get into the second half of round one, ouch.

With Brady Henderson noting today in a great conversation with Dan Viens that there’s a less than 50% chance of Ken Walker returning, I wonder if they’ll move #32 in a trade and then perhaps the next pick goes on a Walker replacement? Would Jadarian Price last? Probably not. Mike Washington Jr could be in play though in round two. Watch out for his workout this weekend.

Either way, increasingly I think the Seahawks might ‘2021’ this draft. That is a reference to the year they only used three picks and didn’t feel obliged to trade down to acquire more stock. We might see something similar this year.

I would suggest Schneider not being present for the workouts in Indianapolis might be a hint that they don’t intend to be investing much in this class — with attentions turning to retaining their own players and making a significant addition via trade.

Defensive tackle review

Let’s start with the positives. Caleb Banks is a rare human being. You don’t see many people on planet Earth who are 6-6 and 327lbs with 10 7/8 hands and 35-inch arms. He then jumped a 32-inch vertical and a 9-6 broad before running a very reasonable 5.05.

He left positional drills after the opening act (the wave) complaining that his shoes hurt. It summed up the opening session really.

Undersized players with physical limitations in terms of length impressed such as Zane Durant and Gracen Halton yet both have sub-32 inch arms.

Apart from that it was an incredibly average session. The NFL Network focused most of its attention on Lee Hunter — who has bizarrely been promoted way beyond his status after a middling Senior Bowl.

Hunter, who has a top-heavy frame, is carrying a little too much bad weight and has very skinny legs, managed only a 21.5 inch vertical and an 8-4 broad jump. You are not going to win many battles in the trenches with such weak explosive testing results. He doesn’t look the part.

This barely got a mention though, as Hunter played to the cameras and generally seemed to be smiling and enjoying himself. The truth is, Daniel Jeremiah’s ranking of Hunter as the top defensive tackle in the draft was exposed today.

Peter Woods of Clemson robbed us of finding out whether he could put on the show Bruce Feldman’s ‘freaks list’ had been predicting. I have to go back and re-think my view on Kayden McDonald. He didn’t run and I thought during drills he lacked sparkle.

Darrell Jackson looked like he could go out right now and play a game for the ‘Dark Side’ with his frame. He’s 6-5, 314lbs, has nearly 35-inch arms and 11-inch hands. He has minimal body fat for a defensive tackle and looks like a ‘get off the bus first’ type. He didn’t show the best change of direction during drills though and there are some reported character question marks.

The Seahawks will be pleased they don’t desperately need a defensive tackle. The one to covet from today — Banks — surely has no chance of lasting to #32 unless the medical checks are not good.

Defensive end review

There’s arguably no better review of this draft class than the attempt to polish up this group of defensive ends.

It’s a group of non-ideals. Players with incredibly short arms, or a lack of twitch, or poor testing. There’s hardly anyone you’d bang the table for.

I’ve been predicting for two weeks that Miami duo Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor wouldn’t test or compete. The media, and perhaps the league, has settled on their performances being enough within a bad class to think, ‘what the heck, we’ll take one of them’.

Yet Bain is 6-2, 263lbs with 30 7/8 inch arms and 9 1/8 inch hands. Where do you play him? What is he? Some in the league thought he’d need to kick inside. Not at 263lbs. So is he now an EDGE with a preposterous lack of length? Meanwhile Mesidor — who turns 25 this year — has only 32 1/8 inch arms at 6-3, 259lbs.

In most years the NFL would probably let both drop to round two where the risk factor is reduced. They might both be top-20 picks this year, yet the list of players succeeding with their measurables is extremely limited. And we have no testing numbers to ease the size/length concerns.

Cashius Howell is often talked up as a first rounder too. He has 30 1/4 inch arms on a 6-2, 253lbs frame. He is going to find it so difficult to keep blockers off his frame, win with his hands and set the edge vs the run. His 10-yard split of 1.58 is good but he’ll always be relying on quickness. He might be a situational pass rusher. What is that worth in the draft?

Keldric Faulk looked a bit stiff in his movements during drills. Zion Young — who didn’t run, amid concerns about his speed after GPS tracking showed he was slower at the Senior Bowl than LJ Collier, looked so laboured during his pass rush drill through the bags and figure-of-eight.

The whole viewing experience felt like we were going through the motions.

There were some positives. Malachi Lawrence had a great work out. I wrote about the UCF pass rusher in my first batch of scouting notes. Here’s a refresher:

A truly dynamic edge rusher with the skills to get to the quarterback — but there are question marks about his every down viability due to his run defense. Even so, when he attacks the edge he shows a level of dynamism most others don’t in this class — plus he has a good repertoire of moves. He is a skilled and dangerous pass rusher.

He’s 6-4, 247lbs with 33.5 inch arms. He has consistent production with 20 sacks in three seasons, plus 93 pressures. His win rate is 19.2% this season and it was 22.7% last season.

Lawrence knows how to use his length, extending his arms to keep blockers off his frame. He’s very capable of attacking from a wide-9 angle to bend the arc. He also shows signs of an inside counter.

He’s slippery to get around sub-standard college left tackles. When the run game flows wide he can work down the line and positions himself well. However, run defense is not a plus point generally if asked to seal edge or anchor.
When he can run to the ball-carrier he’s a forceful tackler. He’s shown evidence of exploding off the snap and hammering linemen. He has dumped blockers on their back.

Lawrence attacks taller blockers by getting low and driving his arms upwards to gain leverage. His straight arm shows he can drive blockers into the pocket. He can chop away at the arms of blockers to avoid contact and can also rip through. As noted, he has an assortment of moves to attack blockers with and his bend is better than most EDGE rushers in this class.

He plays with a high motor and he lined up everywhere including inside (30 snaps in 2025). There is a player here, he is intriguing. The question is whether his run defense can improve or does he have to be a situational rusher?
There’s a chance with good testing he works into the top-50. I’m surprised he ended up at the Shrine Bowl rather than the Senior Bowl. Even if he does just end up rushing situational, he’s intriguing.

Lawrence might not just go in the top-50 at this rate. In this kind of draft, with so few appealing options, he might go in the late first.

He looked far sharper than most. He managed a good 1.59 10-yard split, he jumped a 40-inch vertical and a 10-10 broad. He’s 6-4, 253lbs and has 33.5-inch arms. He’s one of the few pass-rushers who actually ticks all the boxes for size, length, speed and explosive traits.

Dani Dennis-Sutton had a good day, including a 4.63 forty at 256lbs with a 1.63 split. He jumped a 39.5 inch vertical, a 10-11 broad and ran a 6.90 three-cone. He’s an interesting player for the middle rounds.

David Bailey had a good work out and credit to him — he didn’t have to run and do all of the positional drills but he did. I am still not sold on his body type. He doesn’t look like an obvious elite pass-rusher with that frame. His testing was decent but nothing special — a 1.62 10-yard split, a 35-inch vertical. Is this really your second overall pick as some believe (I don’t)?

It’s very hard to get excited about this group, short of Lawrence who still has flaws against the run.

Linebacker review

This was a lot better. Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles lifted the combine gloom with complete workouts both in terms of actually bothering to do everything on the field and producing excellent results.

Reese — who can play the EDGE or off-the-ball — ran a 4.47 with a 1.58 10-yard split. He looked incredibly smooth, natural and loose with his movements. It’s a shame for him but his reward could be going to the Jets with the #2 pick.

Styles — who is 6-5 and 244lbs — jumped a 43.5 inch vertical and an 11-2 broad. He ran a 4.46 with a 1.56 10-yard split. He also looked great on the field and undoubtedly secured a place in the top-12. He will not get past Dallas as a floor.

Several other linebackers performed well too.

Kyle Louis, just as Drew Fabianich told us yesterday, does not look 220lbs. He is muscular and thick and yet so explosive. Remember — the league sees explosive traits as important for linebackers. Vertical, broad and bench — these are key tests. Louis jumped a 40 in the vertical, a 10-9 in the broad and ran a 4.53. A great day for a quality player.

Kaleb Ellarms-Orr, Jake Golday and Jacob Rodriguez also impressed. There were others I can mention too. The positional drills were far more exciting, quick and dynamic. The linebackers made up for the disappointment of the D-liners.