Published: Feb 28, 2026 at 02:13 PM Updated: Feb 28, 2026 at 08:25 PM
INDIANAPOLIS -- On Saturday at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, offensive linemen appeared in front of the media, while quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs took center stage for on-field workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Tune in to NFL Network and NFL+ for live coverage of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
1) Washington savors speedy triumph. Arkansas' Mike Washington Jr. set the pace for the running backs in the 40-yard dash at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, running an official time of 4.33 seconds. After completing his 40, Washington appeared overwhelmed by the moment:
NFL Network's Stacey Dales caught up with Washington after he ran, and he shared his feelings after the terrific time.
"I'm so emotional, man," Washington said, via Dales. "I've worked my whole life for this."
Washington not only had the fastest 40 time among the running backs, besting Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love's time of 4.36 seconds, but he also had the best 10-yard split at 1.51 seconds.
That Washington ran the time he did at 6-foot-1 and 223 pounds is even more impressive. The seven faster 40s at the combine were all run by lighter players, six of whom weigh in at 205 pounds or less.
Washington also turned in eye-opening numbers in the vertical leap (39 inches) and broad jump (10-foot-8).
It has been quite the journey for Washington, who started his college career as a part-time reserve at Buffalo and New Mexico State before transferring to Arkansas, where he racked up a career-best 1,070 rushing yards, along with eight rushing TDs. Now, following a solid Senior Bowl showing, Washington has entered the mix to be RB3 in the 2026 NFL Draft and a possible Day 2 selection.
For a player who was hardly a household name not long ago, Washington has made the most of his pre-draft process so far.
2) QB's testing numbers jump off the page. If quarterbacks were strictly graded on athletic traits, Arkansas' Taylen Green would be a top-10 pick.
Green put on a show Saturday in the athletic testing portion of the combine, setting new event bests for a QB (since at least 2003) in both jumping drills and running the second-fastest 40 time at the position in that same span.
Green's 43.5-inch vertical is the second-best mark at this year's combine so far, behind Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers, and it was a full three inches better than the previous QB-best mark over the past 23 years, set by Anthony Richardson in 2023.
At 11-foot-2, Green's broad jump is tied for the second-best number at this year's event, regardless of position (behind Stowers, again), and a full five inches better than Richardson's previous high-water mark of 10-foot-9 among combine QBs since 2003.
Texas A&M's Reggie McNeal (4.35, in 2006) is the only combine quarterback since 2003 to run a faster 40 than Green's 4.37 seconds.
You won't find too many better athletes for a man Green's size (6-5 7/8 and 227 pounds). Throw in his 34 3/4-inch arms and 83 3/4-inch wingspan, and Green's accomplishments are even more absurd.
When it comes to his overall performance as a quarterback, Green had some moments the past few seasons at both Boise State and Arkansas, including a big showing in the 2024 Liberty Bowl. But he was a career 60-percent passer and struggled at times with recognition and processing defenses.
As with elite physical specimens like Joe Milton III, Green likely will get every chance to be a developmental QB at the next level. Per NFL Network's Charles Davis, Green does not want to change positions, and teams did not ask to see him at receiver. That said, if quarterbacking ultimately doesn't work out, Green is the kind of athlete who -- like converted tight end Feleipe Franks -- could have a second NFL life at a different spot.
3) Love not satisfied with impressive 40 run. Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash on Saturday, the second-fastest time among RBs at this year's combine. But Love told NFL Network's Stacey Dales he was a little disappointed with the result and had hoped to post a time in the 4.2s.
"Didn't get there, but 4.3 is good," he said. "Excellent speed. So, I'm OK with it. I want it better but put in a lot of work and 4.3 is just fine with me."
Love didn't have a lot to gain by competing at the combine -- he's already No. 2 in Daniel Jeremiah's ranking of the draft’s top 50 prospects -- but he still did well for himself in the 40 and during drills.
Saturday might have been the last chance we get to see Love work out before he enters the NFL, as he told Dales he does not intend to participate in drills at Notre Dame's pro day.
4) 2026 combine 40 king emerges. Xavier Worthy's NFL Scouting Combine 40-yard dash record of 4.21 seconds, set in 2024, is safe for at least one more year.
Mississippi State WR Brenen Thompson ran a 4.26-second 40 on Saturday, the fastest time of the 2026 combine. Offensive linemen are the only players who have yet to run the 40 at this year's event -- they will run on Sunday -- so it's safe to say Thompson's hold on first place is secure.
My colleague Eric Edholm had Thompson atop his list of the leading candidates to earn the title of speediest player at this year's combine, and Thompson didn't disappoint, tying for the fifth-fastest combine 40 time since 2003.
Finishing in second place in the 40 was Ohio State safety Lorenzo Styles Jr., who ran a 4.27 on Friday. There was one other player who ran a sub-4.3 40 this year: LSU WR Zavion Thomas, who clocked a 4.28 on Saturday.
5) Will Tate's 40 time limit his draft ceiling? Ohio State WR Carnell Tate's hopes of landing in the top 10 of the 2026 NFL Draft might have just became a little more complicated.
The 6-2 1/4, 192-pounder ran an official 40-yard dash time of 4.53 seconds on Saturday at the combine. The 40 isn't the end-all-be-all metric for the position, and we've seen several players succeed despite logging disappointing times. But as for being selected with a top-10 draft pick? That could be a steep climb now, especially with Tate weighing less than 200 pounds.
Most recent top-10 receivers have run the 40 at 4.5 seconds or faster -- including several receivers bigger than Tate. Yes, we're talking hundredths of a second here, but every one of them counts.
Last year, the 6-4, 218-pound Tetairoa McMillan (picked eighth overall by Carolina) logged the same time as Tate at his pro day after skipping the combine run, but he's 26 pounds heavier. Likewise, the 6-foot, 200-pound Malik Nabers (picked sixth overall by the Giants in 2024) skipped running at the combine but clocked an unofficial 4.35 at LSU's pro day. The 6-3, 214-pound Rome Odunze (ninth overall by the Bears in 2024) clocked a 40 of 4.45 seconds in Indy. The 6-3, 209-pound Marvin Harrison Jr. (fourth overall in 2024) never ran a 40, either at the combine or at Ohio State's pro day, and it didn't cost him, although Harrison had much more production to his name than Tate (plus Hall of Fame bloodlines).
History suggests Tate might need something in the 4.4s at Ohio State's pro day in order to help his chances, assuming Tate wants another crack at the 40. Consider what happened with a comparable physical specimen, CeeDee Lamb; Lamb ran a 4.5 flat at 6-2 and 198 pounds and went to the Cowboys 17th overall in 2020. In other words, Tate might have some work to do to ensure a top-10 slot, even in a year where the top of the draft feels a little thinner than normal.
6) Beck weathers hostile crowd; Simpson looks solid. One of the stranger developments of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine was when Miami QB Carson Beck stepped up to throw in Indy. The Hoosier State fans booed him. They did it again on Beck's second round of throws. And this third, and fourth and so on ...
Beck smiled briefly after one round of booing, acknowledging the Indiana fans who watched their team beat Beck and the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football National Championship, then continued on with his throwing.
And Beck did well. There are still questions about his projection to the NFL, and Beck won't be for everyone, even in a draft class that appears lacking in QB depth and overall talent. But he brushed off the unexpected disruption of the usually sanitized combine environment and handled his business in the early Saturday session.
In the later session, Alabama's Ty Simpson didn't blow minds, but he probably fared the best of the lot. Simpson started strong before fading a bit -- especially during the fade-pattern portion of the throwing -- but his performance might have been good enough to solidify QB2 status behind expected No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza in this class.
Could Beck be QB3? It's certainly possible. Every quarterback in this year's crop has noticeable warts, but with Simpson and Beck turning in solid days and no other quarterback burning up Lucas Oil Stadium with their throwing session, they probably helped their respective draft causes on Saturday.
1) Draft's top guard reveals hidden talent. Penn State's Olaivavega Ioane is one of the top offensive linemen in the 2026 NFL Draft, and he's apparently no slouch in the kitchen, either.
When the 6-foot-4, 336-pound guard was asked on Saturday to name his superpower off the field, he didn't hesitate.
"I can bake, man," Ioane said. "I got into baking a little bit. I can make a mean banana bread."
