The book is now closed on the 2026 NFL Combine, as the league has left Indianapolis. Next up are free agency and pro-day workouts. Yet just like every other combine the past 40-plus years, players gave NFL teams something to think about that will impact April’s draft. Here are a few observations.

TY SIMPSON IMPRESSED BUT IS STILL A RISK

Simpson made a brilliant strategic decision by throwing at the combine, as it suited his skills perfectly. He’s an accurate passer with a strong arm, which he displayed throughout the workout. He was the best quarterback on the field during Saturday’s workout and was impressive from start to finish. And as I reported, the talk was that he’s going to be drafted earlier than expected, but buyer beware.

Putting his shallow body of work aside for a second, as Simpson was just a one-year starter at Alabama, the biggest issues in his game are the propensity to stare down targets and often times react adversely under pressure. These are skills and intangibles that no combine workout will ever reveal, and it’s something teams will have to grapple with when deciding where Simpson fits in the draft.

JEREMIYAH LOVE PROVES HE’S A WINNER

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People will talk about Jeremiyah Love’s great combine workout, as they should, but his performance ran deeper for teams considering him in the early part of the draft. The fact that Love ran the 40, then participated in running-back drills, and hung around to take part in alternate position drills at receiver when he really didn’t have to was telling. Teams believe that other than being a great running-back prospect and one of the best players in this draft, Love leads by example, which is what they want at the position and in someone who will be selected at the top of the draft.

DON’T BUY THE KERFUFFLE OVER CARNELL TATE’S 40 TIMES

The headlines have been all over social media: Carnell Tate’s official combine time in the 40 was 4.53 seconds, though some scouts clocked him at 4.45 seconds. Oh, the humanity!!!

The fact is, this happens all the time.

NIC, who runs the combine, has an electronic timing gadget set up to time the 40 as well as 10- and 20-yard splits to record the times of each player who runs. They also have four scouts with stopwatches at each interval for timing purposes. Meanwhile, teams also have coaches and scouts in the stands doing the same.

Differing times in the 40s are nothing new; they are the norm every single combine. There are also wild swings in 40 times during pro days for the players who run. Teams always look at the results of the master report, the 25-page document they receive just days after the combine’s conclusion that lists all the measurements and marks of every player on hand, yet the times for players that their scouts had on stopwatches are the ones they use in the final evaluation.

SPENCER FANO’S ARM LENGTH COULD SHAPE THE TOP OF THE DRAFT

Arm length is important for an offensive tackle, as teams want players protecting the edge to come in at 33 inches or better. When Spencer Fano’s arms measured just 32 1/8 inches, that set off warning bells. As I mentioned on Twitter before the offensive linemen worked out Sunday, many of the arm measurements at the combine are unusually short.

Max Iheanachor of Arizona State had an arm length of 33 7/8 inches at the Combine after measuring 34 ½ inches during the Senior Bowl. One year ago, Will Campbell’s arm length was measured at 32 5/8 inches at the combine before he hit 33 inches even during his pro day.

While Fano’s arm length will undoubtedly be longer during pro day, I doubt it’s going to be 7/8 of an inch better, so he won’t hit the 33-inch mark. This means some teams will move him from their tackle board to the guard position, and his draft stock will drop, leaving Francis Mauigoa as the only offensive lineman who projects as a top-10 pick.

WHERE WAS DANI DENNIS-SUTTON LAST SEASON?

Much was expected from Dani Dennis-Sutton last season after a terrific campaign in 2024, yet he failed to deliver. Rather than displaying weekly dominance every Saturday as scouts expected, he flashed ability and played inconsistently. His production was almost identical the past two seasons, and Dennis-Sutton did not take hold of the opportunity afforded him.

Then he killed it at the combine last week, timing 4.63 seconds in the 40 and 6.9 seconds in the three-cone and touching 39.5 inches in the vertical jump, all incredible marks. This further frustrates, if not infuriates, scouts, as it proves Dennis-Sutton should’ve been much better on the field last season.

So now what?

Teams will have to decide what type of prospect they are getting in Dennis-Sutton: a guy who wants to play to his level of ability on each snap, or someone who will make an occasional big play and then dance around or flex for the crowd while the action is still ongoing?

TACARIO DAVIS WILL BE A SNEAKY RISER

Early in his career, when he played for Arizona, many believed defensive back Tacario Davis was a first-round prospect. Yet an uninspired junior season in 2024, followed by an injury-plagued campaign last year, resulted in his draft stock tumbling.

But Davis was brilliant during the combine, measuring 6-foot-4 and 194 pounds, then timing 4.41 in the 40 and hitting 37 inches in the vertical jump. His position drills were also outstanding, as Davis was fluid and fast-moving in reverse while also displaying a lot of agility and athleticism.

Some like him as a zone cornerback, while others believe he’s better inside at safety. Whatever the end result may be, the athleticism Davis showed at the combine, coupled with his play early in college, will help move Davis into the middle part of Day 3 in the draft.