INDIANAPOLIS — The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine's televised workouts began Thursday with defensive linemen and linebackers taking center stage at Lucas Oil Stadium. Several top prospects dominated on the field, while a parade of media availabilities offered fresh intel on draft stock trajectories heading into April.

Reuben Bain Jr.'s Short Arms Can't Overshadow Elite Resume

Miami edge rusher Reuben Bain Jr. now has an official measurement for what scouts have whispered about all offseason: 30?-inch arms — the shortest for any first-round edge rusher since at least 1999, according to Mock Draftable data.

The concern is legitimate. Yet NFL circles remain convinced Bain's future is bright. His power, technical polish, and pass-rush repertoire jump off the tape. Last season as the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, he registered 83 pressures, 9.5 sacks, and 15.5 tackles for loss.

"Shorter arms or not, he'll find a way to factor in games," a high-ranking AFC executive told me.

The Tennessee Titans, owners of the No. 4 pick, publicly endorsed him this week. Coach Robert Saleh said:

"His tape is undeniable. He is an unbelievable football player. He plays with great violence. His football IQ is off the charts. There are certain things he'll have to adjust to like all these rookies will, but I think he's a kid that is going to have a lot of success in this league."

Still, Bain's official measurement raises a critical question: Will teams now view his arms as too short? A consensus top-five pick could realistically slide into the teens.

Bain brushed off the discourse. "I really don't give the time of day for it," he said Wednesday. "That's all stuff I feel like you see on social media. None of the teams had concerns, so I'm not too concerned."

The draft will reveal teams' true feelings.

Styles, Bailey, and Reese Emerge as Combine Winners

Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles stole the show Thursday, posting a 43.5-inch vertical jump — the best ever recorded by a linebacker at the combine — along with a 4.46-second 40-yard dash on his 6-foot-5, 244-pound frame. Already projected to go in the top half of Round 1, his rare athleticism could vault him into the top five.

Styles recorded 82 tackles, 6.5 for loss, three pass breakups, an interception, and a forced fumble for the Buckeyes this past season.

Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey also impressed with a 4.50-second 40-yard dash, reaching 22.91 miles per hour — the third-fastest top speed by any edge prospect at the combine in the last four years, per Next Gen Stats. Bailey led the FBS with 14.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss this season. His performance could make him the first edge rusher selected in April, competing with Ohio State's Arvell Reese and Miami's Bain Jr. for that distinction.

The Jets, reportedly trading former first-round edge rusher Jermaine Johnson to the Titans for defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat, hold the No. 2 pick and could target an edge rusher there.

Arvell Reese ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash Thursday, but the Ohio State safety has received less attention than his pedigree warrants. When NFL executives and scouts polled at the combine were asked to name the top overall prospect, Reese tied Indiana's Fernando Mendoza for first place. Yet the "generational" label hasn't generated the buzz expected for such a highly regarded player.

When asked if he's the best defender in the draft, Reese answered without hesitation: "I feel confident every time I step on the field. If I would say I stepped on the field and thought anybody was better than me, yeah, that's not true."

Reese is on track to be the highest-drafted safety since 2017, when Jamal Adams went No. 6 to the Jets. A top-five selection is realistic.

His value lies in versatility. This past season, Reese logged more than 140 snaps at three different positions: 241 in the box, 240 at free safety, and 146 at slot corner, per Pro Football Focus. He also played 44 snaps on the defensive line and nine at outside cornerback — a skill set comparable to Ravens All-Pro Kyle Hamilton.

"It's not really positional value. It's who affects the game. If you affect the game in a lot of ways, that's what is most important," Reese said. "At the end of the day, my film is what it is."

His film shows a premium player, even if he doesn't play a premium position.

Kenyon Sadiq's Combine Test Could Reshape His Draft Range

Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, the draft's top at his position, made his intentions clear Thursday.

"I want to make a statement and have a dominant combine performance. One of the best to do it," he said.

At just 6-foot-3 — an inch shorter than his NFL comp, Trey McBride — Sadiq must prove his athleticism with impressive testing numbers this weekend. The difference between landing at Ravens No. 14 overall (worth $23.3 million) versus Broncos No. 30 (worth $16.9 million) is substantial.

"The versatility I bring, explosive pass game. I'm going to go run a great 40 and all those things tomorrow. Just showing how explosive I am in the pass game, but in the run game as well, so I can help a team all around," Sadiq told reporters.

If he delivers on those promises, he could crack the top half of the first round.

The Curt Cignetti Story Worth Repeating

Indiana tight end Riley Nowakowski provided one of the day's best moments, sharing a memorable anecdote about Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti.

During a blowout win this past season, backup quarterback Alberto Mendoza (Fernando's younger brother) repeatedly pulled the ball on zone reads. On the fourth attempt — a terrible read that lost two yards — Cignetti had enough.

"[Cignetti] tells a coach, 'Get Bert over here! Get Bert over here!' So Bert's like, 'what? It's the middle of the game. What are you doing?'" Nowakowski explained through laughter.

"He runs over to the sideline, bro. [Cignetti] goes, 'we're not paying you to run the ball! Hand the ball off!' We're up like 70 points. He's pissed off, yelling at Bert."

"Then he just turned back at me and gave me one of his little smiles, bro. He was just like, 'You like that?'"