Record 40-yard dash: Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq is considered the best tight end in this year's NFL Draft class and he backed that up with on-field drills Friday night at the Combine. Sadiq can say he's the fastest tight end to ever compete at the Combine with a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-3, 241 pounds. That coming off a season in which he caught 51 passes for 560 yards and eight touchdowns for Oregon.
Max speed: This has turned out to be a strong defensive draft, especially when you consider speed as a metric. The defensive line group, linebackers and defensive backs all set speed records. The defensive line averaged 4.87 in the 40, the linebackers 4.55 and the defensive backs 4.44 at this year's Combine. Teams looking to improve their overall speed on defense will be able to do that in this year's draft. Oh, and the tight ends recorded the fastest average too as the first offensive position group to test Friday.
View photos of the tight ends at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
Utah tight end Dallen Bentley (01) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Texas A&M tight end Nate Boerkircher (02) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Alabama tight end Josh Cuevas (03) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Penn State tight end Khalil Dinkins (05) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Texas tight end Jack Endries (06) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Wyoming tight end John Michael Gyllenborg (07) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
SMU tight end Matt Hibner (08) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Ohio State tight end Will Kacmarek (10) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Oklahoma tight end Jaren Kanak (11) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Ohio State tight end Max Klare (13) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Michigan tight end Marlin Klein (14) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Houston tight end Tanner Koziol (15) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
SMU tight end RJ Maryland (16) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Southern California tight end Lake McRee (17) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Indiana tight end Riley Nowakowski (18) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon (19) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Stanford tight end Sam Roush (21) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq (23) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
LSU tight end Bauer Sharp (24) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers (25) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Sewell love: Clemson tackle Blake Miller talked about why Penei Sewell is one of his favorite tackles in the NFL to study.
"I think his physicality finishing blocks and his nastiness is awesome," Miller said. "Also too, he's athletic and gets out on the perimeter, gets to the second level, gets to the third level and makes blocks downfield."
Record jump: Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers is a freak athlete. At 6-foot-4, 239 pounds, Stowers set a Combine record with a 45.5-inch vertical. He also ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash with an 11-foot-3 broad which should make him a solid first-round pick.
Styles family: It was a good moment on the NFL Network Friday night broadcast of the on-field drills at the Combine when NFL Network reporter Stacey Dales interviewed the mother of Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and Ohio State safety Lorenzo Styles Jr., Laverna Styles. NFL Network host Rich Eisen, a University of Michigan grad, asked if there were any more Styles in line to join Ohio State. Laverna said not immediately but Michigan fans can expect the eventual Styles grandkids one day. Sonny and Lorenzo proved to be two of the most athletic prospects at their respective positions at this year's Combine and really helped their draft stocks this week.
Athletic tackle: Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor is one of the best pound-for-pound athletes in the draft but keeping his weight at a manageable level has been a conversation with teams this week at the Combine. He's 6-foot-7, 366 pounds and was used as both a tackle and fullback at Alabama, that's how athletic he is. Proctor said Saturday his ideal NFL weight will be around 350 to 355 pounds.
Tight ends impress: One of the drills I really enjoy watching at the Combine is the pass catching gauntlet drill. It puts a lot of pressure on the athlete to catch multiple balls while running a straight line, and speed through the drill is something teams really track. I thought this year's tight end group overall was impressive in the drill, better than I've seen from some receiver groups in past Combines. When factoring in the average speed overall from the group, which was a Combine record, teams are going to be able to find contributing tight ends all through this class.
Learning to play center: Auburn center Connor Lew started his high school career as a tackle but was asked to switch to center.
"Halfway through my freshman season, they moved me to center," Lew said Saturday. "We were going into our bye week for high school, we already had a trip planned down to the beach. And my head coach was like 'hey, can you snap a football?' I was like well I've never tried, but it's a good timing, we're on bye, I'll go down to the beach.
"So, I actually learned how to snap a football at the beach on the sand, so maybe there's something to that. My little brother was the quarterback, and my uncle was in front of me, which kind of simulated a game, you know, I'd snap first, make sure I got that and then start progressing the snap, stepping and then trying to block my uncle. It made it a lot more difficult on the sand, but I mean, that's one of my favorite stories to tell because that's where it all started."
More speed: This was the fastest safety class in the history of the Combine. Instincts are always the key trait for all great safeties, but speed certainly helps too. The combination of both makes for a difference maker in the back of a defense. Lorenzo Styles Jr. (4.27), Robert Spears-Jennings (4.32), Treydan Stukes (4.33) and Dillon Thieneman (4.35) all ran sub-4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash. The safety group averaged 4.55 seconds.
View photos of the defensive backs at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
North Carolina defensive back Marcus Allen (02) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Oregon defensive back Jadon Canady (03) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
South Carolina defensive back Brandon Cisse (04) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
TCU defensive back Bud Clark (33) participates in the Broad Jump at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (Gregory Payan/AP Content Services for NFL)
Washington defensive back Tacario Davis (05) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Stephen F. Austin defensive back Charles Demmings (07) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
North Carolina defensive back Thaddeus Dixon (08) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Georgia defensive back Daylen Everette (09) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Southern California defensive back Bishop Fitzgerald (35) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Toledo defensive back Andre Fuller (10) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
LSU defensive back A.J. Haulcy (36) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Tennessee defensive back Colton Hood (14) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Ohio State defensive back Davison Igbinosun (15) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Alabama defensive back Domani Jackson (16) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
San Diego State defensive back Chris Johnson (17) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Arizona defensive back Dalton Johnson (38) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
South Carolina defensive back Jalon Kilgore (39) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Texas A&M defensive back Will Lee III (18) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
California defensive back Hezekiah Masses (19) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Houston defensive back Latrell McCutchin Sr. (21) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Toledo defensive back Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (40) participates in the Broad Jump at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (Gregory Payan/AP Content Services for NFL)
Florida defensive back Devin Moore (22) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Indiana defensive back Louis Moore (41) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
SMU defensive back Ahmaad Moses (42) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Texas defensive back Malik Muhammad (23) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Arkansas defensive back Julian Neal (24) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Iowa defensive back Xavier Nwankpa (43) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Kansas State defensive back VJ Payne (44) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Indiana defensive back D'Angelo Ponds (25) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Missouri defensive back Toriano Pride Jr. (26) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Washington defensive back Ephesians Prysock (27) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Southern California defensive back Kamari Ramsey (45) participates in the Broad Jump at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (Gregory Payan/AP Content Services for NFL)
Duke defensive back Chandler Rivers (28) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Nebraska defensive back DeShon Singleton (46) participates in the Broad Jump at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (Gregory Payan/AP Content Services for NFL)
Toledo defensive back Avery Smith (30) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Arizona defensive back Genesis Smith (47) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Oklahoma defensive back Robert Spears-Jennings (48) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Arizona defensive back Treydan Stukes (49) participates in the Broad Jump at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (Gregory Payan/AP Content Services for NFL)
Ohio State defensive back Lorenzo Styles Jr. (50) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Texas defensive back Michael Taaffe (51) prepares to run the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Clemson defensive back Avieon Terrell (31) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman (52) runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Miami defensive back Jakobe Thomas (53) goes through drills and testing at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Penn State defensive back Zakee Wheatley (54) participates in the Broad Jump at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Indianapolis. (Gregory Payan/AP Content Services for NFL)
Stanford defensive back Collin Wright (32) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
First-round conversation: Ohio State's Caleb Downs and Toledo's Emmanuel McNeil-Warren were both considered first-round locks in April's draft coming into the week. One of the question marks was would a third safety from a pretty deep class work himself into the first-round conversation? Thieneman just might have done it.
Thieneman was expected to perform well, and he did not disappoint. He started with a 41-inch vertical and 10-foot-5 broad jump. Then he ran a 4.35 40 with a 1.52 second 10-yard split at 6-foot, 201 pounds. He was smooth in drills, and now that the athletic traits fit the tape, he could easily work himself into the first-round conversation.
Yoga benefits: Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling is big into yoga with his mother being a Yoga instructor. I asked him Saturday how yoga helps his football game.
"Really helps with injury prevention," he said. "I think it's huge on getting comfortable in compromising positions and just being flexible. Also, the mindfulness part. I think being mindful of your body and how you feel is really important on how you stay twitchy and play fast on the football field."
