Things picked up at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Thursday.
After two days of meetings and podium sessions, on-field activities got rolling from Lucas Oil Stadium.
The defensive lineman and linebackers took the field for the 40-yard dash and other drills, marking the beginning of four days of on-field workouts.
While some of the top prospects opted to save the workouts and drills for their respective Pro Days, it opened up the opportunity for others like Caleb Banks, Lee Hunter, Kayden McDonald and more.
It was also a big day at the podium for a group defensive backs and tight ends that will surely be a topic in the lead up to the draft.
That group included the consensus top tight end prospect Kenyon Sadiq, who had a chance to make his first impression to the group.
Listed at 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, Sadiq is a standout among his class because of his athleticism and versatility.
He talked about the mindset he's approaching the NFL with and how it could help him improve over time.
"I'm willing to do whatever my team wants me to do," Sadiq said on Thursday. "Production is one thing, but also being a great teammate as well. Just displaying my capabilities mentally but also the attributes I can bring to a team not just snap count, but on special teams as well."
He later added: "Being versatile is a big part of my game. It's just sharpening up all the aspects of my game to being an elite level, going up to this competition."
Sadiq will get a chance to hit the field tomorrow for the workouts, and is confident he can show exactly what he brings to the table.
"The versatility I think I bring, explosive pass game. I'm going to go run a great 40 and all those things tomorrow," Sadiq said. "Just showing how explosive I am in the pass game but in the run game as well so I can help a team all around."
He later added: "I want to make a statement and have a dominant Combine performance. One of the best to do it."
The Main Takeaway
The defensive tackles opened the day of Combine drills by putting on a show.
The position had quite the day, as a number of those who participated were able to impress with their athleticism in what's been called a deep group.
The biggest headlines of the day for the top prospects at the position came from Banks, the big Florida defensive lineman who is listed at 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds.
Even before the drills started, Banks made headlines with his unique measurements.
His height, hand size and arm length all measured in at least in the 94th percentile of his position, according to Pro Football Focus. But it was his 85 and 3/4th inch wingspan that caught some eyes, as it slotted in the 99th percentile and the longest at the Combine for a defensive tackle since 1999.
Banks finished the day second among his position with a 9'6" broad jump to go along with 32-inch vertical and 5.04 40-yard dash, the latter two landing in the top 10 of defensive tackles.
Hunter was another of the top interior d-linemen who hit the field, as was McDonald, who did not run the 40-yard dash.
Other standouts from the position included Penn State's Zane Durant, who put together the fastest 40-yard dash time of the day for his position with a 4.75, the fifth-fastest among defensive tackles in over 20 years. He also added top five finishes in the vertical and broad jump as well for good measure.
There was also Clemson's DeMonte Capehart, who finished the day with an unofficial 9.97 Relative Athletic Score, the eighth best since 1987, as well as Baylor's Jackie Marshall and Southeastern Louisiana's Kaleb Proctor, who had strong showings themselves.
On the edge rusher front, there was also a number of big names who participated in Thursday's activities.
The big headliner was Texas Tech's David Bailey, a projected top five pick, who ran a blazing 4.50 40-yard dash.
But others helped out their cause as well, like UCF's Malachi Lawrence, a strong performer of the day with an explosive showing.
Lawrence, listed at 6-foot-4 and 253 pounds, had a 40-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-10 broad jump and 4.52 time for the 40-yard dash and 1.58 10-second split, each No. 2 for the day at his position.
Tweet of the Day
Speaking of defensive tackles, Oklahoma's Gracen Halton wow'ed a number of people with what he did in the vertical jump.
Halton notched a 36.5-inch vertical jump, good for the third-best of all time by a defensive tackle at the Combine according to Pro Football Focus. Not to mention, he was measured at 6-foot-3 and 293 pounds.
To add onto it, he also ran a 4.82 40-yard dash, showing off his athleticism and explosiveness.
A Peek Ahead
Friday will be the day for the defensive backs and tight ends to get their turn at Lucas Oil Stadium.
That means some of the top prospects like Sadiq will get their chance to shine, as he said on Thursday he hopes to put together a great performance.
It's also a chance for the impressive group of defensive backs to help solidify their case and show why they are in contention for the first couple of rounds. On-field workouts will take place from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (PT).
Friday also marks a busy day at the podium as quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs will speak to the media for the first time, a group that has some big names.
