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SEC winners, letdowns from 2026 NFL Combine

Mar 2, 2026 | 2:00 PM
Monroe Freeling

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

By Chris Marler

The 2026 Winter Olympics were fun and all, but the annual Underwear Olympics that takes place in Indianapolis every year is way more exciting for football junkies and NFL Draft enthusiasts. 

This year’s NFL Combine was not short on storylines or incredible performances. Here’s a look at the biggest winners and losers from last week’s 2026 NFL Combine.

Biggest Winners

UGA OL Monroe Freeling 

Freeling went to Indy and left as a household name among NFL Draft talking heads. He put up one of best all-around combines for an offensive lineman in the history of the event. His measurements were exactly what a prototypical left tackle should look like – 6-foot-7, 315 pounds with 34.75-inch arms. He excelled in the on-field events, as well as with a 33.5-inch vertical and a 1.71 ten yard split that ranked second at the position this year. 

His overall RAS score was No. 2 all-time out of 1512 offensive tackles in the last 40 years of the combine. 

Arkansas RB Mike Washington Jr 

A large part of an incredible Saturday performance was two players from 2-10 Arkansas. Mike Washington Jr. was one of those players. After his 40-yard dash Washington was seen in tears on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium. They were tears of happiness. 

That’s what happens when you put together the best RAS score in the history of the running back position at the combine. Washington’s 4.33 was by far the fastest of the running back group, and his 39-inch vertical and 10-foot-8 broad jump also set him apart. No one made themselves more money this weekend than Washington Jr. did.  

Alabama WR Germie Bernard 

Bernard is not a player that will ever blow you away with his size or freakish athleticism. He just continues to be one of the most consistent prospects in the draft. He wasn’t one of the fastest wideouts at the event, but he did register a 4.48 40-yard dash, which was great. His 6.71 3-cone drill was not just the fastest for any player at this year’s combine, it was the fastest by .15 seconds. His 4.31 shuttle was the fourth fastest among wide receivers, and the production he put up while in college stands out. He placed himself firmly in the Round 2 discussion for April’s draft. 

Tennessee WR Chris Brazzell II 

Brazzell was one of the more subtle performers in this year’s combine, but he flashed in Indy, nonetheless. He was expected to run under a 4.5 second 40, but him running a sub 4.4 was a shock. Not only did he run a 4.37, he did so at 6-foot-4 and nearly 200 pounds. His combination of size and speed separates him in a deep wide receiver class. 

Arkansas QB Taylen Green

An absolute physical unicorn. That’s what Green has been since he first stepped on the field at Boise State. That was also on full display in Fayetteville where he started at quarterback for Arkansas over the last two years. Green is a limited passer, and has more turnovers than a bakery, but the athleticism is off the charts. I will never tell a player that’s played quarterback for as long as Green has that he should switch positions. 

That being said – buddy, you have to at least give it some consideration. Green is 6-foot-6 and nearly 230 pounds. He ran the second fastest 40 time for a quarterback ever at 4.36 and jumped out of the building with a 43.5-inch vertical. Not only was that the best ever for his position, but it was basically equivalent to one Diego Pavia. 

Honorable Mention 

Biggest Losers 

Admittedly, I just think it’s in bad taste to say anyone that is chasing their NFL dreams is a “loser” after on-field workouts. There’s still plenty of time before the NFL Draft, and sometimes the actual in-person interviews weigh considerably more in a player’s evaluation than any drills. So, allow me to reframe who the biggest losers were this week. 

Strength 

There were an exceptionally weak group of participants this year at the combine. Only four players put up over 30 reps on the bench press. Statistically speaking, it was the fewest number of players to record over 30 reps in the last four years. It’s been a growing trend for the last several years. Maybe it’s a new trend in strength training, or a lack of participation, but it’s a huge drop off from years like 2019 when 12 players made the 30+ rep club. 

Ohio State 

For years, I heard people argue about Alabama underachieving in years they didn’t win a national title and still had a boat load of draft picks. Having four first rounders and double digit draft picks in a year where you were runner-up, or missed the playoff entirely, felt like a massive underachievement. 

This year’s Ohio State team may be a bigger offender than any of those Alabama teams. 

Ohio State had the third most Combine invites in 2026 with 11 players. Guys like Sonny Styles Jr. put on absolute shows at the event and potentially landed themselves in the mix to be a top ten overall pick in April. After Indianapolis, Ohio State not only has five players consistently in the consensus first round of NFL mock drafts, but they could have four players in the top ten. 

That team got dog walked by Miami in the playoff and ended their season 0-2 after beginning it 12-0.  

LSU’s 2025 coaching staff

I refuse to put “the LSU 2025 wide receiver room” on here, however this weekend was once again a reminder that LSU was absolutely loaded with talent last season. The 7-6 record and lack of offensive firepower will be something that will make me scratch my head for years. I’m not sure whose to blame, but offensive coordinator Joe Sloan is certainly a good place to start. On top of that, former quarterback Garrett Nussmeier revealed that the obvious injury that hampered him all season long was not only very real, but it happened on day two of fall camp. 

Chris Marler

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