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Español6 prospects who shined on Day 1 of the 2026 NFL combine
Business picked up on Thursday at the 2026 NFL combine in Indianapolis. After a few days of interviews and weigh-ins, we finally saw some action as the defensive linemen and linebackers participated in workouts and on-field drills.
Several of them put on a show, including a couple of prospects in play for the Washington Commanders with the No. 7 overall pick. The Commanders need plenty of defensive help at all three levels, with edge rusher being the most pressing need. You can't rule out a wide receiver or Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love either.
Outside of projected No. 1 overall pick, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the top half of the 2026 NFL Draft could be as unpredictable as ever. So, the combine could be important for some players to separate themselves from the pack.
Here's a look at six players who shined on Day of the NFL combine.
Ohio State LB Sonny Styles
Sonny Styles profile...
— Underdog (@Underdog) February 27, 2026
6'5" ➡️ same as Calvin Johnson
244lbs ➡️ three pounds lighter than Derrick Henry
43.5" vert ➡️ same as Nate Robinson's max vert
4.46s forty ➡️ same as Bijan Robinson
135" broad jump ➡️ same as Julio Jones
FREAK ATHLETE pic.twitter.com/mFx13ywggF
Sonny Styles didn't need the NFL combine to show he was a first-round pick. It's all over his college tape. But when you add in his size, measurables and bloodlines, Styles is almost a perfect prospect. He arrived in Indianapolis as a surefire top-15 pick, but he may leave as a potential top-five pick.
Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey
David Bailey at the 2026 Combine…
— NFL Researcher (@NFL_Researcher) February 26, 2026
▫️Faster than Antonio Cromartie
▫️Quicker than Davante Adams
▫️Jumps higher than A.J. Green
▫️More explosive than Adrian Peterson
▫️Heavier than Von Miller#NFLCombine2026pic.twitter.com/EIrK6YIhXH
While much of the talk centered around Styles, don't forget about Bailey. The All-American was a top-10 lock before Indianapolis, with a ceiling as high as No. 2 to the New York Jets. He did nothing to discourage the hype. Bailey's size, speed, explosiveness and short-area quickness match his tape. The Commanders already knew there was a good chance Bailey wouldn't make it to No. 7. It's doubtful now.
Ohio State EDGE/LB Arvell Reese
Sheeeeeesh.@OhioStateFB LB Arvell Reese with a 4.47u
— NFL (@NFL) February 27, 2026
2026 NFL Combine on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/j74Yd3XQCw
Reese performed as expected. He and Styles were on another planet. However, they are different players. Reese played some at edge rusher and off-ball linebacker with the Buckeyes. He can do about everything, even though there are some questions about where to play him at the next level. It's really quite simple: don't box him into one spot. Reese is a top-five lock.
Florida DT Caleb Banks
.@GatorsFB DT Caleb Banks put on an unreal performance today:
— NFL (@NFL) February 26, 2026
- 6'6", 327 pounds
- 5.04 40-yard dash
- 32" vertical jump
- 9'6" broad jump@nflnetwork | @Accenturepic.twitter.com/FLWDdfKUUn
Caleb Banks is a prospect who could use the combine as a way to shoot up draft boards. The talent is there. The size and athleticism are unreal. A foot injury cost him much of the 2025 season, so there were some who believed he could fall too early in the second round. That's not happening. Don't be shocked if Banks ends up going somewhere in the top 15-20 picks. Teams love to bet on upside. Banks has that and then some. He's also versatile enough to move around on the offensive line.
Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez
Jacob Rodriguez reached a top speed of 18.43 mph during the Backpedal & React Drill, the fastest by any linebacker over the last four years.
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) February 27, 2026
Rodriguez traveled nearly a full mile per hour faster than the next-closest linebacker (Arvell Reese, 17.49 mph). pic.twitter.com/ELC3LQm1pQ
Despite a decorated college career that saw him win the Chuck Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, Lombardi Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy, no one really discussed Rodriguez as a first or second-round pick. There were concerns about his size, and some questioned his athleticism. Rodriguez, who has elite tape at Texas Tech, put those concerns to rest on Thursday, leading the linebackers in the 20-yard shuttle and 3-cone drills, proving his explosiveness. Rodriguez will be drafted in the second round when all is said and done.
Pittsburgh LB Kyle Louis
Pitt LB Kyle Louis | 2026 Combine Results:
— PFF College (@PFF_College) February 27, 2026
🔵 40 Yard Dash: 4.53 (5th)
🔵 10 Yard Split: 1.58 (3rd)
🔵 Vertical Jump: 39.50” (4th)
🔵 Broad Jump: 10’9” (2nd)@Pitt_FBpic.twitter.com/YlHU4uY7Zi
Kyle Louis was an excellent player at Pitt. However, size concerns had him pegged for the middle rounds. Louis showed his ability at the Senior Bowl last month. He was everywhere. NFL teams fell in love with him. On Thursday, he backed up what you see on the field with elite testing numbers. Louis is a player who probably would've struggled to make it 10-15 years ago just because of size. Now, he's a positionless weapon. He can play linebacker, safety, big nickel, etc. Defensive coordinators will want his speed on the field. For a team that wants to be "younger and faster," like the Commanders do, it's players like Louis who get coaches excited.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: 2026 NFL combine: 6 players who shined on Day 1
Horner's Tearful Sacking Scene Revealed
The emotional kitchen table moment was captured in the latest season of Netflix's Drive to Survive, showing former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner sharing the difficult news of his dismissal with his wife Geri Halliwell.
The scene reveals the personal side of the high-profile F1 controversy, with Halliwell's reaction captured on camera before she reportedly called Horner a 't**t' for his antics afterwards.
Jackson State visits Texas Southern after Mortle's 33-point outing
Jackson State Tigers (9-19, 8-7 SWAC) at Texas Southern Tigers (11-16, 9-7 SWAC)
Houston; Saturday, 5 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Texas Southern hosts Jackson State after Zytarious Mortle scored 33 points in Texas Southern's 92-87 overtime victory over the Alcorn State Braves.
The Texas Southern Tigers have gone 8-4 in home games. Texas Southern gives up 78.8 points and has been outscored by 3.4 points per game.
The Jackson State Tigers are 8-7 against SWAC opponents. Jackson State has a 2-1 record in one-possession games.
Texas Southern is shooting 45.6% from the field this season, 0.6 percentage points lower than the 46.2% Jackson State allows to opponents. Jackson State averages 70.3 points per game, 8.5 fewer points than the 78.8 Texas Southern gives up.
The teams play for the second time this season in SWAC play. Jackson State won the last matchup 94-89 on Jan. 20. Bryce Roberts scored 26 points points to help lead the Tigers to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jaylen Wysinger is averaging 9.8 points and 1.6 steals for the Texas Southern Tigers. Troy Hupstead is averaging 12.2 points over the last 10 games.
Daeshun Ruffin is scoring 23.6 points per game with 2.7 rebounds and 5.6 assists for the Jackson State Tigers. Jayme Mitchell is averaging 15.4 points and 6.3 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Texas Southern Tigers: 7-3, averaging 79.6 points, 33.7 rebounds, 11.5 assists, 7.7 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 73.4 points per game.
Jackson State Tigers: 4-6, averaging 74.3 points, 34.5 rebounds, 10.1 assists, 5.1 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 39.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 79.4 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
‘We want to show fear to the opposition’: Tilak Varma’s bold message after India’s do-or-die triumph
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Coming in at number six in a high-pressure encounter, Tilak smashed an unbeaten 44 off just 16 balls, striking at a staggering 275.00. The knock, laced with three fours and four sixes, helped India post their highest total of this T20 World Cup — 256/4 — and kept their semifinal hopes alive.
Designated as India’s number three for much of the tournament, Tilak had endured a lean patch. With a strike rate hovering around 118 in his previous five innings and visible struggles against spin on sluggish surfaces, questions had begun to surface over his role. But at Chepauk, he flipped the narrative in style.
“I always say that whatever team needs, I am up for it,” Tilak said at the post-match press conference. “I have done the same role for the last four years in IPL for Mumbai Indians, switching between stabiliser and hitter. I have done it in a few games for India as well. According to the situation, I can adjust.”
He added, “As I said before, I was just waiting for one innings. I am really grateful to God for that. I am pretty confident now that, going forward, I can win games for the team.”
India’s aggressive template was evident from the start. “Sanju started brilliantly this evening,” Tilak noted, praising the openers for setting the tone. “We discussed that whatever the situation is — even if we lose three or four wickets in the powerplay — we will bat with the same rhythm. We want to show the fear to the opposition that these guys are ready to hit each and every ball.”
Tilak admitted the team closely followed South Africa’s dominant win over West Indies in Ahmedabad, knowing net run rate scenarios could come into play. “We were all watching the match. But as individuals and as a team, we felt it was important for us to win,” he said.
“If you play good cricket, the run rate will automatically improve. We needed our cricket to be good. If our cricket is good, then God will help us in the tournament.”
Man Utd could pay £16m to sack Amorim
Manchester United could face a significant financial penalty of nearly £16m if they decide to sack manager Ruben Amorim, according to reports from Yahoo Sports Canada. The potential payout highlights the financial risks associated with managerial changes at the club.
The figure represents the compensation package that might need to be paid to Amorim and his staff if the club decides to part ways with the Portuguese manager before the end of his contract.