Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is now in the books, and the defensive portion of the event has officially come to an end.
Cornerbacks and safeties worked out at the combine on Friday, and plenty of standouts emerged. The safety group was particularly strong, featuring the fastest 40-yard dash of the combine so far and excellent outings from a couple of fringe, first-round selections – Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
Later in the day, tight ends kicked off the offensive portion of the combine. During that, Kenyon Sadiq and Eli Stowers took turns breaking or tying records in the athletic testing drills while leaving NFL talent evaluators salivating about their next-level potential.
Here’s a run-down of the biggest winners and losers from Friday’s action at the NFL combine in Indianapolis.
NFL combine Day 2 winners
TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Sadiq was expected to thrive at the NFL combine, and he didn’t disappoint. The Oregon ran the fastest-ever 40-yard dash by a tight end, completing it in 4.39 seconds to beat the 4.4-second record previously shared by Vernon Davis and Dorin Dickerson.
Additionally, Sadiq thrived in the jumping drills, logging a mark of 43.5 inches in the vertical jump and an impressive 11-1 in the broad jump.
The only question after Sadiq’s stellar showing is about how early he will be selected come April.
TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
Sadiq wasn’t the only tight end to thrive in the combine’s athletic testing. Stowers jumped out of the gym, logging a tight-end record 45.5-inch vertical to go with a position-leading mark of 11-3 in the broad jump.
Stowers also ran the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds, tied for the second-fastest at the position with RJ Maryland, and measured in at 6-4, 239 pounds. The Vanderbilt product may have cemented his Day 2 status with his performance and made a strong case to be the second tight end chosen behind Sadiq.
CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State
With top cornerbacks Mansoor Delane and Jermod McCoy opting not to work out at the 2026 NFL Combine, many other top prospects at the position got a chance to prove themselves.
Johnson was among those who best took advantage of the opportunity. The San Diego State product put together an excellent all-around day, looking fluid in the on-field drills and completing the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds – tied for third-best among cornerbacks.
Johnson’s performance will help to reaffirm his status as a fringe, first-round prospect. He may not ultimately be selected on the first night of the draft, but he doesn’t figure to last long on Day 2.
S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
Thieneman may have cemented his status as a first-round pick with his stellar showing at the 2026 NFL combine. The Oregon product posted absurd athletic testing numbers, running the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds while logging a 41-inch vertical, the second-best among safeties behind only Genesis Smith.
Thieneman had top-tier production across three seasons as a starter with the Ducks, so he well may end up being the second safety off the board in 2026 behind only Caleb Downs.
S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
At the beginning of the day, it felt like McNeil-Warren might end up being a loser, as his athletic testing numbers were solid, but they weren’t spectacular. His 4.52-second 40-yard dash was tied for the slowest among 14 safeties to run, while he finished in the bottom five in the jumping metrics as well.
However, McNeil-Warren put together a stellar showing in the on-field drills. He highlighted his smooth movement skills and ball skills, which will be enough to keep him in the running with Thieneman to be the second safety selected in the draft.
S Lorenzo Styles Jr., Ohio State
Just a day after his brother dominated the linebacker drills and testing at the combine, Styles shined during his workout. The Ohio State safety ran the first, sub-4.3 40-yard dash at the 2026 NFL combine, blazing the drill in 4.27 seconds.
Styles added an impressive 1.49-second 10-yard split during the drill and also generated a 39-inch vertical – fourth-best among safeties – during the testing. His athleticism and experience playing both receiver and cornerback collegiately should help him get drafted as a potential special-teams contributor.
NFL combine Day 2 losers
Teams looking to evaluate Jermod McCoy
McCoy suffered a torn ACL during an offseason workout in January 2025 and wasn’t able to play the ensuing college football season as a result. Many expected the Tennessee product to return to the field to work out at the NFL combine, but he opted to wait until his pro day.
McCoy’s decision wasn’t a significant surprise. Many top-tier prospects have chosen to skip drills at the NFL combine in recent seasons, so it’s hard to fault the consensus first-round prospect for taking extra time to get back to full strength.
Still, NFL teams hoping to get a look at McCoy on the field will have to be disappointed by the decision. The silver lining is many had the opportunity to put him through medical evaluations to see where he is in his recovery from the knee injury.
TE Oscar Delp, Georgia
Delp was hoping to work out at the 2026 NFL combine, but a routine X-ray revealed he had a foot fracture, per WSB’s Zach Klein. As a result, Delp wasn’t allowed to participate in the combine – despite wanting to – because of ‘liability issues.’
Delp’s plight was no fault of his own, as he had no previous knowledge of the injury. However, it will take away an opportunity for the 6-5 playmaker to show off his straight-line speed, which was expected to be among the best among those in attendance at the combine.
TE Khalil Dinkins, Penn State
Many expected Dinkins’ explosive athleticism and speed would show up in workouts at the combine. Instead, his 4.73-second 40-yard dash ranked third-slowest among tight ends while his 32.5-inch vertical ranked last among the group.
Dinkins’ performance will have scouts re-evaluating his tape to see if there’s reason for the disconnect between his perceived speed on tape and the numbers he posted at the combine. It could also just be that Dinkins had a tough day in Indianapolis, but that will put an increased emphasis on seeing how much the 6-4, 251-pounder can improve his metrics at his pro day.
