The NFL Combine is evolving.
More top prospects are opting out of testing since it could only serve to damage their draft stock. Others are returning to school thanks to lucrative NIL opportunities. As a result, fewer players are participating in the full slate of drills, leaving more uncertainty about how prospects truly stack up.
But every year, a few players seize the moment and use Indianapolis to reshape their draft outlook.
The 2026 NFL Combine was no different. Several prospects dramatically boosted their stock with elite athletic testing, emerging as clear 2026 NFL Combine risers who now look poised to hear their names called much earlier in April than expected.
Here are three of the biggest winners:
Kenyon Sadiq: TE, Oregon
Already ranked as the top tight end in the class by most evaluators, Kenyon Sadiq entered the week with a chance to cement himself as a top-tier prospect overall.
He did far more than that, proceeding to set the combine aflame while leaving shattered records in his wake:
Kenyon Sadiq had one of the best days ever by a TE at the Combine:
40-Yard Dash: 4.39 (best ever by a TE)
Vertical Jump: 43.5’’ (second-best ever by a TE)
Broad Jump: 11’1’’ (third-best ever by a TE)@Accenture | @oregonfootball pic.twitter.com/fxvABmsGrd— NFL (@NFL) February 28, 2026
The production profile backs it up. Sadiq led a top-five Oregon offense in receptions and touchdowns while finishing second in receiving yards, posting a 70th percentile dominator rating (a metric that measures yards and touchdowns as a percentage of a team’s total receiving output) and a 64th percentile breakout age.
The breakout age number deserves context. Sadiq dominated a playoff-caliber offense at just 20 years old and will play his entire rookie season at 21. By comparison, the likely TE2 in the class — Mackey Award winner Eli Stowers — will already be 23 by the draft.
Age-adjusted production matters at every position, and Sadiq checks that box emphatically.
The long-standing belief that tight ends need years to develop is also becoming outdated. Since 2023, rookie tight ends have accounted for 17% of all TE1 (top-12) fantasy seasons, including multiple overall TE1 finishes. Players like Tyler Warren, Harold Fannin, and Colston Loveland were key contributors to championship fantasy teams in 2025.
Sadiq projects more as a slot weapon than a traditional inline tight end, which would accelerate his early production.
Landing spots like the Chiefs, Bengals, Rams, or Ravens would immediately give him fantasy relevance.
After a historic performance in Indianapolis, Sadiq stands out as one of the most impactful 2026 NFL Combine risers, pushing both his NFL draft projection and dynasty rookie value to new heights.
Chris Brazzell II: WR, Tennessee
Heading into the Combine, the wide receiver class appeared to have a clear “big five” tier:
-
Carnell Tate
-
Makai Lemon
-
Jordyn Tyson
-
Denzel Boston
-
KC Concepcion
However, most of those players didn’t test. Outside of Tate’s 40-yard dash and Boston’s vertical, the top tier largely skipped speed and explosion drills.
That created an opportunity for someone else to emerge as a 2026 NFL Combine riser.
Chris Brazzell II seized that opportunity.
The Tennessee receiver is coming off a 62-catch, 1,017-yard, 9-touchdown season, and his testing confirmed the elite tools scouts expected.
At 6’4″, 198 pounds, Brazzell ran a 4.37 40-yard dash, placing him among the rare receivers who combine size, length, and legitimate vertical speed.
He now appears to be battling Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. to lead the next tier of dynasty rookie wide receivers.
The analytical profile favors Brazzell (per PlayerProfiler.com):
| Metric | Chris Brazzell II | Omar Cooper Jr. |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 6'4", 198lbs | 6'0", 199lbs |
| 40 Time (Speed Score*) | 4.37 (113) | 4.42 (102.8) |
| Dominator Rating | 33.2% | 26.4% |
| Breakout Age | 20 | 21.7 |
| Target Share | 23.8% | 21.2% |
*Speed Score refers to how fast a player is in accordance with size, i.e: a tall, heavy receiver running a 4.4 is more meaningful than a short, light receiver running the same time.
Cooper Jr. didn’t even top a 13.6% target share until his senior season, while Brazzell II had a 19.6% target share as a sophomore.
With his combination of size, speed, and production, Brazzell emerged as one of the clearest 2026 NFL Combine risers, positioning himself as a strong candidate to be the first receiver drafted after the top five. Let’s not forget his 6/177/3 performance against an elite Georgia defense:
SEC WRs with 175 rec. yards and 3 TDs in a game vs. a top-10 opponent, since 2000:
-Deebo Samuel vs. Clemson, 11/24/18
-Justin Jefferson vs. Oklahoma, 12/28/19
-DeVonta Smith vs. Ohio State, 1/11/21
-Jalin Hyatt vs. Alabama, 10/15/22
-Chris Brazzell II vs. Georgia, 9/13/25#GBO pic.twitter.com/w6jiMbBmkk— Tennessee Stats & Info (@Vol_Stats) September 14, 2025
Taylen Green: QB, Arkansas
Before the Combine, Taylen Green looked like a likely Day 3 quarterback.
After Indianapolis, he may not make it out of the top 100 picks.
Green began his career at Boise State, spending three seasons there before transferring to Arkansas. A starter since his sophomore year, he brings both experience and efficiency, posting an 82nd-percentile QBR while adding 779 rushing yards in 2025, third among Power Four quarterbacks.
His physical profile is already impressive:
-
6’6″, 227 pounds
-
9-inch hands
But the athletic testing is what truly changed the conversation.
Green produced maybe the greatest quarterback testing profiles in Combine history. Among 1,054 quarterbacks tested since 1987, his RAS (Relative Athletic Score) ranks second all-time.
The headline number is the 4.36 40-yard dash at 227 pounds, a metric normally associated with Calvin Johnson. He also broke the quarterback Combine records for both vertical (by 3 inches) and broad jump.
In other words: this is an athlete we’ve essentially never seen before at the position. Even more encouraging, his on-field performance improved after transferring from the Mountain West to the SEC.
Draft analysts Todd McShay and Steve Muench have both said they preferred Green’s tape to Jalen Milroe’s 2024 film, noting that his combination of size and historic athleticism has pushed him into the Round 2–3 range.
Green likely won’t start immediately in the NFL. But in superflex dynasty formats, the upside is obvious.
Quarterbacks with elite rushing ability can deliver fantasy value quickly, and Green’s unprecedented athletic profile makes him one of the most intriguing 2026 NFL Combine risers — and a worthwhile swing-for-the-fences selection in dynasty rookie drafts.
