The NFL Scouting Combine is the ultimate job interview. Prospects partake in medical testing, interviews, and on-field drills as the league decision makers critique their every word and movement. These aspects of the process are secondary to their game tape, but carry just as much weight in the moment. A good or bad Combine week can advance or plummet a prospect’s draft stock, earning or losing them millions of dollars in mere minutes (or even tenths of seconds).
These are five prospects I believe have a chance to significantly improve their draft position.
Max Iheanachor
OT | Arizona State | 6’5″ | 325 pounds (unofficial)
Max Iheanachor moved to the United States from Nigeria when he was 13. As a soccer and basketball player in high school, Iheanachor’s football career did not begin until his freshman year at East Los Angeles College, where he spent two seasons. After transferring to Arizona State in 2024, he started 5 games as a Junior before becoming a full-time starter in ’25 and earning Second-Team All-Big 12 honors as a senior.
He enters the draft process as a raw prospect. He appears to have an elite build for an NFL offensive tackle. Tall, strong, but twitchy, and with long arms. At the combine, his measurables such as official height, weight, and arm length should impress. I expect him to be a smooth mover for his size in drills, which will force a deeper look from evaluators.
Iheanachor has the highest ceiling of any offensive tackle in the 2026 draft, but it will take the right staff to help him reach his full potential. With a great showing, he could improve his stock to an early 2nd or late 1st round pick.
Brandon Cisse
CB | South Carolina | 6’0″ | 190 pounds (unofficial)
A native of South Carolina, Cisse initially traveled north to play football at NC State, where he spent two years, then eventually transferred to the South Carolina Gamecocks for the 2025 season. As a Junior, and only 20 years old, Brandon Cisse then declared for the NFL Draft.
Cisse appears taller than 6’0″, mostly due to his lean frame and long arms. He’s a gifted mover, especially in transition. He has elite hips and feet, displaying the ability to seamlessly transition from a backpedal to chase. He shows good instincts to read and react, but that won’t serve him at the combine.
In Indianapolis, his movement ability will be on display, and he’s likely to show as the smoothest defensive back in the entire class, at only 20 years old. He should post an impressive 40-yard dash, vertical, and long jump – all of which will help his draft stock considerably.
Currently, Cisse is viewed as a late 2nd round pick, but I believe he could work his way into the 1st round with an impressive showing.
Ty Simpson
QB | Alabama | 6’2″ | 208 pounds (unofficial)
After receiving offers from Tennessee, Ole Miss, and Clemson, Ty Simpson eventually committed to Alabama, where he started his college football career in 2022. He patiently waited until 2025 for his chance to start and never looked back. Simpson led the Crimson Tide to an 11-4 season, where they lost to the eventual National Champion Indiana Hoosiers.
In 2025, he completed 305/473 passes (64.5%) for 3,567 yards and 28 TDs with 5 INTs. His impressive lone season starting has earned him 1st round consideration, but many remain skeptical. His lack of ideal NFL QB size, average arm talent, and minimal starting experience raise red flags for organizations to spend such a valuable draft pick on him.
The combine is an excellent opportunity for Ty Simpson to begin showing team decision makers that he is worthy of their high selection. Top QB, Fernando Mendoza, will decline the throwing portion of the combine workouts – putting all eyes on Simpson. He has an opportunity to show that his arm talent is NFL level, along with his attitude and work ethic.
What happens behind the scenes in Indianapolis is just as important as what happens on the field – doubly so for quarterbacks. He’ll meet with coaches, general managers, and even owners who will do whatever is necessary to get a feel for his personality, attitude, and work ethic. These meetings can make or break a prospect. They can certainly turn skeptics into believers, especially teams desperate to find their franchise QB.
I currently have a 2nd round grade attached to Simpson, and many believe he could fall that far, but he’ll impress in interviews and throughout the draft process, which should ultimately solidify him as a 1st round pick.
Omar Cooper Jr.
WR | Indiana | 6’0″ | 204 pounds (unofficial)
Omar Cooper Jr. is a lifelong Hoosier, having been born there, attending high school, and eventually college in Indiana. He committed to Indiana in 2022, before Curt Cignetti brought the program into prominence, but Cooper was a large part of their success.
Cooper started all 16 games of their 2025 championship run, catching 69 passes for 937 yards and 13 TDs. A dominant season, but had to share touches with a bevvy of talented skill position players at Fernando Mendoza’s disposal. He possesses all the traits of a high-volume NFL contributor, but is still considered a 2nd-round talent.
The scouting combine will serve as a proving ground for Cooper, who is a fluid mover and a natural catcher of the football. I believe he will appear thicker than most anticipate, which should impress coaches and general managers in person. There’s a lot of debate on who heads up the second tier of wide receivers in this draft class. I believe Omar Cooper Jr. has the tools to firmly plant himself at the top of the conversation.
NFLDraftBuzz.com projects Cooper as a 3rd round pick, but I believe he can raise his stock to be selected high in the 2nd round, or even low in the 1st.
Connor Lew
C | Auburn | 6’3″ | 302 pounds (unofficial)
An undersized recruit, Connor Lew has handled the rigors of SEC competition without issue, being a starter since his freshman year at Auburn. He entered college football with a 4.0 GPA as a 4-star recruit and has not looked back.
Lew’s 6’3″, 302 body type is rare for a center entering the NFL, but his athleticism and sharp football IQ allowed him to succeed at the college football level, though some NFL scouts will have reservations. His style is certainly not that of a dominating people mover, but of a naturally gifted mover himself.
On-field drills will greatly benefit Lew, as he should be one of the smoothest movers of all the offensive linemen in attendance. Outside zone and screen-heavy teams will covet his skills, where he can use his athleticism to shield defenders and block into the second and third levels with ease.
Projected as a 3rd round pick, I believe being one of the top centers of the class, combined with his combine performance, could move him firmly into the 2nd round – as the first center selected.
