4 Takeaways From Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Scouting Mix

[ad_1] INDIANAPOLIS — Measurements! Testing! On-field drills!

These are a number of the important speaking factors in Indianapolis because the 2026 NFL Scouting Mix rolled on Thursday with the beginning of televised exercises. Defensive linemen and linebackers took the sector at Lucas Oil Stadium, and some of the highest prospects on this 12 months's draft class dominated. However the day additionally introduced us a number of extra media availabilities with high draft prospects.

Listed here are 5 takeaways from Day 3 of the mix:

1. NFL personnel excessive on Rueben Bain Jr. regardless of quick arms Miami (Fla.) edge rusher Reuben Bain Jr.’s suboptimal arm size was one of many greatest speaking factors of this 12 months’s draft coming into mix week. We now have an official measurement for it after Thursday: 30 ⅞ inches.

At that arm size, the Miami star would have the shortest arms for an edge rusher drafted within the first spherical since a minimum of 1999, in accordance with information obtainable by Mock Draftable.

Regardless of that, there does appear to be a robust feeling in league circles that Bain has a shiny future as a professional. His energy, polish and pass-rush repertoire leap out on tape.

The reigning ACC Defensive Participant of the 12 months registered 83 pressures (!), 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss final season.

"Shorter arms or not," a high-ranking AFC govt informed me, "he’ll discover a option to think about video games."

The Titans, who've the No. 4 decide, are one of many groups who’ve publicly spoken glowingly of Bain, too.

Miami (Fla.) edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. did not partcipate in on-field exercises on the mix on Thursday, however his measurements might trigger be a trigger for concern. (Picture by Justin Casterline/Getty Photos)

"His tape is plain," coach Robert Saleh informed Titans media this week. "He's an unbelievable soccer participant. He performs with nice violence. His soccer IQ is off the charts. … There are specific issues he’ll have to regulate to love all these rookies will, however I feel he’s a child that's going to have a variety of success on this league."

I do surprise, although, what having an official measurement for Bain’s arm size might do for his draft inventory.

League personnel have identified his arms had been quick, however do they now turn into too quick? Might he doubtlessly slide into the kids in Spherical 1, after being a consensus top-five man?

"I actually don’t give the time of day for it," Bain stated Wednesday on the discourse about his arms. "That’s all stuff I really feel such as you see on social media. Not one of the groups had issues, so I’m not too involved."

We’ll see the true feeling of groups on the primary evening of the draft.

2. Ohio State's Sonny Kinds, Texas Tech's David Bailey had been huge winners from mix exercises. Arvell Reese impressed, too. Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Kinds, a consensus first-round decide, stole the present Thursday after posting a 43.5-inch vertical and a 4.46-second 40-yard sprint together with his 6-foot-5, 244-pound body. That vertical is definitely the most effective mark ever for a linebacker on the mix. He'd already been projected to go within the high half of the primary spherical, however the uncommon athleticism he displayed might thrust him into the highest 5 or simply exterior of it.

Kinds had 82 tackles (6.5 for loss), three move breakups, an interception and a pressured fumble for Ohio State this previous season.

Texas Tech star edge rusher David Bailey additionally impressed with an official 4.50-second 40-yard sprint. Bailey reached 22.91 miles per hour, which is the third-fastest high pace within the 40 by any edge prospect on the mix over the past 4 years, in accordance with Subsequent Gen Stats.

The displaying might make Bailey the primary edge rusher taken in April's draft. He is been in competition for that chance with Ohio State's Arvell Reese and Miami's Rueben Bain Jr.

The primary edge rusher might go as excessive as No. 2 to the Jets, who're reportedly buying and selling former first-round decide and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson to the Titans for defensive sort out T'Vondre Sweat.

Bailey tied for first within the FBS this previous season with 14.5 sacks and second with 19.5 tackles for loss.

Reese additionally had his second on Thursday when he ran a 4.47 within the 40-yard sprint that was later bumped as much as a 4.46.

3. Think about if Caleb Downs performed a premium place … The hype can be nuts, proper?

Regardless of being a security, the famous person out of Ohio State tied Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza for first place once we polled a small group of NFL executives and scouts on the mix earlier this week and requested them to call the highest total prospect within the draft. However there hasn’t been vital hoopla with him, a minimum of not the sort you’d anticipate for a prospect who’s been given a "generational" label by draft pundits.

Downs answered within the affirmative when requested if he’s the most effective defender on this 12 months’s draft on Thursday.

"I really feel assured each time I step on the sector," he stated on the podium. "If I'd say I stepped on the sector and thought anyone was higher than me, yeah, that’s not true."

Downs is on monitor to be the highest-drafted security since 2017, when Jamal Adams went No. 6 total to the Jets. He has a sensible likelihood of going high 5.

And when you think about all that he can do, he ought to be. He’s been a flexible, high-impact chess piece within the Buckeyes’ protection the final couple of years.

Downs performed greater than 140 snaps at three totally different positions this previous season: within the field (241), free security (240) and slot nook (146), per Professional Soccer Focus. He additionally performed 44 snaps on the defensive position and 9 at exterior cornerback. His versatility as a security is much like Ravens All-Professional Kyle Hamilton.

"It’s not likely positional worth. It’s who impacts the sport," Downs stated. "In case you have an effect on the sport in a variety of methods, that’s what's most necessary. That’s actually all I can fear about. … On the finish of the day, my movie is what it's."

It exhibits a premium participant, even when he’s not at a premium place.

4. Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq’s mix efficiency is uniquely useful It was becoming that Sadiq, the draft’s high tight finish, made certain to inform reporters that he was going to benefit from this weekend in Indianapolis.

"I need to make a press release and have a dominant mix efficiency," he stated Thursday. "Among the best to do it."

He seems to be a powerful athlete, however as a result of he’s simply 6-foot-3 — and an inch shorter than his NFL comp, Trey McBride — it’s of the utmost significance that Sadiq confirms his athleticism with spectacular testing numbers over the course of the weekend in Indianapolis.

"The flexibility, I feel I carry, explosive move recreation. I'll go run an amazing 40 and all these issues tomorrow," Sadiq informed reporters. "Simply displaying how explosive I'm within the move recreation, however within the run recreation as effectively, so I will help a workforce throughout."

Sadiq looks as if a transparent Spherical 1 prospect. However the distinction between the Ravens at 14th total (with a $23.3 million deal) and the Broncos at 30 (with a $16.9 million deal) is appreciable.

If he can do what he’s saying, there’s an opportunity he breaks into the highest half of the primary spherical.

4 ½. A Curt Cignetti story to depart you with Among the best moments of the day got here from Indiana tight finish Riley Nowakowski, who was discussing Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti.

By means of laughter, the tight finish prospect defined a memorable second throughout one of many workforce’s blowout victories this previous season.

Backup quarterback Alberto Mendoza, Fernando’s youthful brother, was within the recreation. And the sophomore had pulled the ball on a zone learn a number of instances in a row.

"Then after like, the fourth time of it, it was a horrible learn. He ought to’ve given the (play up) after he misplaced like two yards," Nowakowski defined. "[Cignetti] tells a coach, ‘Get Bert over right here! Get Bert over right here!’ So Bert’s like, ‘what? It’s the center of the sport. What are you doing?’

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