This week’s NFL scouting combine won’t be as consequential for some draft prospects as it is for others.
Heisman-winning Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, for example, is the consensus choice to be drafted No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders, and that isn’t likely to change based on anything that happens over the coming days in Indianapolis.
Mendoza, who just led the Hoosiers to a national championship, doesn’t even plan to throw Saturday during the quarterback workouts.
“At the combine, you’re throwing to different receivers. It’s a whole different thing,” Mendoza said on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” this month. “I want to make sure I give my guys the best chance. I want to throw at pro day with my guys, with my running backs, and be there with the boys.”
But the combine figures to be much more significant for other draft hopefuls.
Whether a prospect has a polarizing draft stock, is returning from an injury, or simply isn’t fully on the radar of NFL evaluators, the combine can be an important step in determining a player’s value.
Here are some of the most interesting players at this year’s combine:
Ty Simpson
Perhaps no player stands to benefit more from a strong combine than Simpson, whose inexperience and uneven play make the Alabama quarterback a big question mark.
Simpson is the No. 2 quarterback on most analysts’ draft boards, yet that doesn’t mean he will be a first-round pick in what’s considered a weak QB draft.
The 23-year-old Simpson plans to throw Saturday to showcase his ability, and NFL teams will be similarly interested in his measurables. Alabama listed Simpson at 6-2, 208 pounds — not exactly hulking for a pro quarterback — while his 15 collegiate starts are fewer than what NFL teams desire.
But if Simpson impresses this week, he could find himself in the mix for the Jets at No. 16 or the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21.
Drew Allar
Coming into the 2025 season, the big-armed Allar was a contender to be the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft.
Listed at 6-5 and 235 pounds, Allar looks the part of a franchise QB, and he started parts of three seasons at Penn State.
But Allar didn’t play well in six games as a senior, struggling with inconsistency and aggressiveness. He suffered a season-ending broken ankle in October, further complicating his draft stock.
Allar’s impressive talent makes him an intriguing prospect, but NFL teams will want an update this week on how he’s doing physically less than five months after surgery.
It’s unclear how much Allar will do at the combine, but he’s currently in a crowded mix to be the third quarterback drafted – possibly as a Day 2 selection.
Jermod McCoy
If it weren’t for a torn ACL that cost him the entire 2025 season, McCoy would have a good chance at being a top-10 pick.
But Tennessee’s ball-hawking cover cornerback must now convince teams that his knee is in good shape and that he’s still worthy of being a first-round selection.
If everything checks out and McCoy delivers a strong workout — either this week or at next month’s pro day — he could be one of the first two cornerbacks taken.
Spencer Fano
Seemingly every year, there is a high-end offensive lineman whose arm length comes under scrutiny.
This year, it’s Utah tackle Spencer Fano, whose arms are listed at 33 inches, according to a Yahoo Sports draft profile.
NFL evaluators consider 33 inches to be the baseline for offensive tackles. Anything less than that often leads to a move to guard.
There are exceptions, of course.
Last year, the New England Patriots drafted left tackle Will Campbell with the No. 4 pick, despite his arms measuring 32 5/8 inches at the combine. And while Campbell struggled mightily during the Patriots’ Super Bowl loss, some attributed his issues to his footwork.
Fano’s hand size was also notably small at 8 3/4 inches, according to Yahoo.
How Fano officially measures at the combine could help determine whether he or Miami’s Francis Mauigoa is the first offensive lineman taken.
Rueben Bain Jr.
More measurables to keep an eye on are those of Rueben Bain Jr., the Miami pass rusher whom some scouts believe may be destined for a position change.
That’s because Bain — listed by Miami at 6-3 and 270 pounds — is both shorter and heavier than the average first-round edge rusher from the past five drafts.
Although Bain dominated with 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss last season, his non-traditional body type makes him a candidate to become an interior defensive lineman at the next level.
Bain’s combine measurements and workout should add some clarity about his future position — and where he might land in the draft order.
Peter Woods
The concerns around Woods are the opposite of those facing Bain.
Listed at 6-3 and 315 pounds, the ultra-athletic Woods is the prototype for a game-wrecking defensive tackle.
But Woods managed just 2.0 sacks and 3.0 tackles for a loss as a junior at Clemson last season, down from the 3.0 sacks and 8.5 TFL he totaled in 2024.
Last offseason, Woods seemed destined to become a top-five pick, but now he’s not even certain to go in the first round.
Woods will surely be grilled about his lack of production during his combine meetings with NFL teams.
Brenen Thompson
Here’s a fun one.
Thompson is listed at just 5-9 and 170 pounds, yet the Mississippi State speedster led the SEC with 1,054 receiving yards and averaged 18.5 yards per catch.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler picked Thompson to run the fastest 40-yard dash of any player at the combine, predicting him to finish in a blazing 4.28 seconds.
Should he finish at or around that mark, Thompson could solidify himself as a Day 2 pick, despite his small stature.
