Nfl Combine Schedule: On-field Workouts Kick Off for DL and LB as Indianapolis Hosts 2026 Showcase
The 2026 nfl combine schedule centers on a week of interviews, measurements and on-field drills that offer late-stage opportunities for draft prospects to change their stock. Live updates will follow throughout the event with news, rumors and standout performances that could alter the draft landscape.
Nfl Combine Schedule: Dates, venue and broadcast notes
The full event runs Feb. 23 through March 2, with on-field workouts listed from Feb. 26 through March 1. The combine takes place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. A published daily schedule also lists on-field workout sessions with 3: 00 PM start times (ET) for several days of position groups. Coverage and live updates are being provided during the week, and broader league news will be tracked alongside drill results.
Daily on-field workout breakdown and the competing schedules
One schedule identifies the position windows this way: Thursday begins on-field workouts for kickers, defensive linemen and linebackers; Friday is designated for tight ends and defensive backs; Saturday hosts quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs; and Sunday is reserved for offensive linemen. A separate published itinerary adds a Wednesday start for kickers, with the following listed 3: 00 PM (ET) sessions:
- Wednesday, Feb. 25 — On-field workouts (3: 00 PM ET): Kickers
- Thursday, Feb. 26 — Measurements/On-field workout (3: 00 PM ET): Defensive linemen/Linebackers
- Friday, Feb. 27 — Measurements/On-field workout (3: 00 PM ET): Defensive backs/Tight ends
- Saturday, Feb. 28 — Measurements/On-field workout (3: 00 PM ET): Running backs/Quarterbacks/Wideouts
- Sunday, March 1 — Measurements/On-field workout (3: 00 PM ET): Offensive linemen
Note: Published schedules list both a multi-day event frame and a narrower on-field window; organizers list on-field workouts as Feb. 26–March 1 in one summary while a day-by-day grid shows activity beginning Feb. 25. That discrepancy is unclear in the provided context.
On-field standouts and measurements to watch
Several notable measurements and on-field results have emerged in Indianapolis. Penn State defensive tackle Zane Durant recorded an unofficial 40-yard dash time of 4. 76 seconds on his first attempt and posted a 10-yard split of 1. 66 seconds; those marks were highlighted alongside his listed size of 6-foot-1 and 290 pounds. An Oklahoma defensive tackle, Gracen Halton, registered a 36. 50-inch vertical jump, noted as the third-best ever by a defensive tackle at the combine. Miami edge defender Rueben Bain Jr. drew attention for an arm length measurement of 30 7/8 inches. These physical results are the kind of displays that can elevate a prospect’s draft profile during the event.
Colts and Anthony Richardson: mutual decision to explore trade options
In a separate development tied to the combine period, the Indianapolis Colts and quarterback Anthony Richardson have mutually agreed to seek a trade. Team representatives met with Richardson’s agent and concluded that examining trade options was best for both sides. That decision follows a quarterback competition in which Richardson lost the starting job to Daniel Jones and a season in which Richardson battled injuries. Richardson is 23 years old and has made 15 starts in 17 games since being selected with the No. 4 pick in 2023. The trade-seeking decision was reported in the context of contemporaneous discussion about an extension for Daniel Jones.
North Carolina invitees: five former Tar Heel State players at the combine
The combine list includes five participants who hail from North Carolina high schools. They are presented in the order used by the compiling ranking noted in the original roster publication; last year, 13 Tar Heel State natives were invited, while this year the number is five.
| No. | Name | High School (City) | Position | Height | Weight | HS Class | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | KC Concepcion | Chambers High School (Charlotte, N. C. ) | WR | 5-11 | 190 | 2023 | Texas A& M |
| 176 | Vincent Anthony Jr. | Jordan High School (Durham, N. C. ) | EDGE | 6-6 | 250 | 2022 | Duke |
| 215 | J'Mari Taylor | West Mecklenburg High School (Charlotte, N. C. ) | RB | 5-9 | 200 | 2020 | Virginia |
| 220 | Nick Barrett | Eastern Wayne High School (Goldsboro, N. C. ) | DT | 6-3 | 320 | 2021 | South Carolina |
| 272 | Diego Pounds | Millbrook High School (Raleigh, N. C. ) | OT | 6-6 | 340 | 2021 | Ole Miss |
Prospects at the combine participate in an orientation, team interviews, medical exams, media press conferences, body measurements, on-field workouts and a bench press session. The event officially kicked off with team interviews on Monday in the published timeline for the week.
What to watch next
The combine remains a final, concentrated chance for prospects to influence draft evaluations. Some players enter the week as virtual locks to be drafted; others can dramatically improve their standing with a standout physical performance. Fans and evaluators will watch positional workout windows closely — particularly the early defensive line and linebacker sessions — for measurable plays that can shift evaluations ahead of the draft.
