The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is now in the books, and with that, a ton of players got a huge chance to show off their skills and abilities. The combine being over also takes us one step closer to the beginning of NFL Free Agency.
Free agency is one of the more aggressive and active times of the NFL calendar year, as teams are making major moves left and right to try and improve their respective rosters. What can't be filled in free agency is typically filled in the NFL Draft.
And with the 2026 NFL Draft slowly but surely approaching, let's dive into the three big winners from the NFL Scouting Combine.
3 biggest winners from the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine
Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
Jacob Rodriguez, a top linebacker prospect, made himself some money with his NFL Combine performance, showing off great reaction and athleticism skills despite not being the most physically imposing player at the position.
Mike Washington Jr,. RB, Arkansas
Mike Washington Jr. is another player who did himself a ton of favors at the NFL Combine. Standing at 6-1 and weighing just under 225 pounds, Washington is an ideally-built running back prospect who was probably someone who was likely going in the third or fourth round, but that might change. Washington ran a blazing 4.33 40-yard dash, which is incredible with his size. He also added a 39-inch vertical jump and a 10' 8" broad jump.
Washington didn't have great collegiate production, but he did break the 1,000-yard mark in 2025 and averaged a solid 6.4 yards per carry. Washington actually made stops at three different schools. With 51 games of collegiate experience and a strong combine performance, Washington might be able to find immediate success in the NFL.
Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
Maybe the most athletic tight end we've seen at the NFL Combine, Eli Stowers jumped over 45 inches in the vertical, which was a record for tight ends. He added a strong 4.51 40-yard dash and jumped just over 11 feet in the broad jump.
Stowers is like many collegiate tight ends - the upside as a receiver is obvious, and Stowers could become a day one redzone threat, but the run blocking just isn't present. However, we have seen NFL teams using multiple tight ends frequently, and that does allow the players in the room to perform based on their strengths.
The Vanderbilt tight end raised some eyebrows at the NFL Combine, performing exceptionally well at what he does the best.