2026 NFL Combine Day 1 Quick Hits: Biggest Risers & Lingering Questions (DL/EDGE/LB)

The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine wrapped up Day 1 (DL/EDGE/LB) in Indianapolis, and it immediately delivered two themes that will echo through the weekend: elite linebacker athleticism is back on the menu, and measurements still matter—especially for edge rushers living near historical thresholds.

Below is a quick-hits recap built around biggest risers and biggest questions, organized by position group. (This post reflects the DL/EDGE/LB day you shared; we’ll keep the same format as DB/TE, skill positions, and OL follow.)

Defensive Tackle (DT)

Biggest risers

Caleb Banks, FloridaBanks looked like the prototype “traits bet” teams love to make early: 6-foot-6¼, 327 pounds, a 32-inch vertical and a 5.04–5.05 in the 40 after missing most of last season with a foot injury. The headline isn’t just the numbers—it’s what they imply: if the medicals check out, the ceiling is first-round.

Zane Durant, Penn State Durant’s testing screamed disruption: 4.75 in the 40 at 290 pounds, plus a 33.5-inch vertical and a 9-foot-4 broad jump. He came in viewed more like an early Day 3 name; he left Indy with a real argument to be a top-100 pick.

Gracen Halton, OklahomaA rare DT explosion profile: a 36.5-inch vertical (third-best vertical for a DT in combine history), a 4.82 40 at 293 pounds, and a 9-foot-6 broad jump. Add in production (26 pressures in 2025) and the “wrestler leverage” play style, and Halton’s trending toward the top 100 conversation.

Kaleb Proctor, SE LouisianaSmall-school momentum stayed hot: a 4.79 40 and a 33-inch vertical at 291 pounds. Scouts already had the LSU game circled; the workout helps him look like a legitimate mid-round 3-tech swing.

Biggest questions

How much do teams forgive “non-elite” explosion?Lee Hunter (Texas Tech) drew attention for a 21.5-inch vertical and an 8-foot-4 broad jump. He’s not purely an explosion-based player, but those numbers force teams to re-check whether his highs (like the Oregon playoff flashes) can be consistent enough to justify a premium pick.

Where does “nose-only” start to cap value?Kayden McDonald (Ohio State) didn’t run and had uneven footing in drills, though the power showed. If you’re projecting him as the first true nose off the board, teams will want cleaner movement confirmation—likely at the pro day.

Edge Rusher (EDGE)

Biggest risers

David Bailey, Texas TechParticipation mattered—and then he backed it up. Bailey posted the fastest DL 40 at 4.50, plus a 35-inch vertical and a 10-foot-9 broad jump. For a player already flirting with the very top of the draft, this was a reminder that the “rare” label is earned.

Malachi Lawrence, UCFLawrence’s workout matched the “juice” on tape: a 4.52 40 and smooth positional work. With 60 pressures over two seasons and multiple 7+ sack years, he’s pushing into Round 2 territory and could be the first Shrine Bowl player drafted.

Cashius Howell, Texas A&MThe arm length is the story (more on that below), but Howell’s speed is real: a 4.60 with a 1.59 10-yard split. Even leaving drills with a leg injury, the testing likely keeps him in the late Round 1 mix.

T.J. Parker, ClemsonAfter a down final season, Parker’s pre-draft rebound continued: a 4.68 40 and a 34-inch vertical at 263 pounds. Not a “blow the doors off” profile, but enough to keep the late Round 1 conversation alive after a strong Senior Bowl.

Biggest questions

Arm length: will teams bet against the threshold?This is the debate that won’t die. Teams obsess over the ~31–32 inch arm-length range for edge rushers, and prospects measuring below that line (including Rueben Bain Jr. and Howell) will get the “outlier” treatment in some rooms. The historical trend is real enough to matter—teams just have to decide whether the player is the exception.

How do you grade a “great traits, uneven tape” edge?Keldric Faulk (Auburn) didn’t run but looked controlled in drills (especially “run the hoop”). The evaluation tension remains: he’s big, young, high-character, and a ready run defender—yet teams will keep asking why the disruption didn’t consistently match the tools last season.

Can a player win without the 40?Zion Young (Missouri) skipped the 40 but was clean in drills, showing quick feet and body control at 6-foot-6, 262. For some teams, that’s enough; for others, the missing speed number keeps the grade from climbing.

Linebacker (LB)

Biggest risers

Sonny Styles, Ohio StateStyles didn’t just test well—he tested historically: a 4.46 40, a 43.5-inch vertical (best LB mark since 2003 per ESPN Research), and an 11-foot-2 broad jump at 6-foot-5, 244. He came in as a top-10 type; after this, it’s fair to wonder if he even makes it past the top five.

Arvell Reese, Ohio State (Edge/LB)Reese ran 4.46 (right there with Styles) and looked explosive and bendy in drills. The “mini competition” with his teammate only amplified the buzz. If teams see him as a true pressure-and-space chess piece, he’s going to be tied to the very top of the board in team-fit chatter.

Kyle Louis, PittLouis is building one of the cleanest “Senior Bowl to combine” runs: a 39.5-inch vertical, a 10-foot-9 broad jump, and a mid-4.5s 40 at 200 pounds. Teams are already talking about immediate weakside impact; he’s trending as a top-100 player.

Jake Golday, Cincinnati / Anthony Hill Jr., TexasBoth were already viewed as high-end prospects, and the workout day reinforced the theme: this LB class has real depth, and the “expected standouts” delivered.

Biggest questions

Is this a great LB class—or a great testing class?The numbers were loud. The next question is how teams separate the top tier: instincts, block deconstruction, and coverage processing don’t show up the same way in a controlled workout.

Where do hybrids get drafted?Louis (LB/S) and Reese (Edge/LB) highlight the modern problem: defenses love versatility, but draft rooms still need a clean label to justify a pick. The more a player can credibly do, the higher the ceiling—but the evaluation is rarely unanimous.

The Combine Meta-Story (So Far)

Participation is changing—and teams get it

This year continues the trend toward selective participation. For many top prospects, the film already establishes their range, and the risk/reward math of a full workout is different than it used to be.

The weekend’s big swing factor: “verified” vs. “projected”

Day 1 already created a clear split:

• Players like Banks, Durant, Halton, Styles turned projection into verification.

• Players like Bain/Howell turned film grades into a debate about thresholds and outlier bets.

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