The NFL announced 319 players invited to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. One of the most important aspects of the draft process, the combine is vital to NFL organizations for gathering medical reports, meeting with prospects, verifying measurements and gauging their athleticism. The most appreciated aspect of the testing results is that it provides an apples-to-apples comparison, in terms of players competing on the same surface, drills are conducted by the same coaches, and players are all on the same schedule, it is the ultimate litmus test. For players not invited to the combine, they will have to wait until their official school pro day workout for an opportunity to perform in front of NFL scouts.
A breakdown of this year’s invites reveals that the SEC is still the top conference for churning out NFL talent, with 114 players invited to Indy (36% of all combine invites). Next is the Big Ten with 84 invites (26%), followed by the ACC with 50 invites (15%) and the Big 12 with 45 invites (14%). Including Notre Dame (six invites), the ‘Power Four’ accounted for 94% of all combine invites in 2026. For those curious, a total of just six FCS players received an invite, while the HBCU was shut out entirely. The schools with the most combine invites are as follows: Texas A&M (12), Alabama (11), LSU and Ohio State (11), Georgia, Miami and Oklahoma (10).
Below, we examine the offensive players invited to the NFL combine and how the Patriots could view potential prospects headed into the event. The biggest area of strength on offense in this year’s draft would be the wide receiver class, which is loaded with immediate impact players and quality depth that should last into the middle rounds–one area of need for the Patriots. Other positions that New England could seek to address via the draft include the offensive line, where there are questions entering the offseason surrounding both the interior and exterior spots.
QUARTERBACKS
Entering Indianapolis, beyond Fernando Mendoza of Indiana, who is a near-lock to be the number one overall selection, the quarterback pecking order beyond that remains unsettled. Alabama signal-caller Ty Simpson, LSU gunslinger Garrett Nussmeier, and North Dakota State dual-threat Cole Payton figure to be jockeying for position as the number two quarterback in the draft. Since Simpson and Payton are both one-year starters, Indianapolis carries a little more weight for their two draft outlooks, while Nussmeier is a seasoned vet and son of a coach (New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier). The combine is a stage where Vanderbilt enigma Diego Pavia should thrive in, as he can really drive the ball and should generate positive results in terms of ball velocity and RPM. However, major concerns about his size are sure to be a talking point in Indy. While New England doesn’t neccesarily need a quarterback, de facto GM Eliot Wolf could look for a developmental prospect late in the draft such as Joe Fagnano of UConn. The Huskies dart-thrower possesses pin-point accuracy and enjoyed a career year with an impressive 28:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 2025.
- Joey Aguilar, Tennessee
- Drew Allar, Penn State
- Luke Altmyer, Illinois
- Carson Beck, Miami
- Jalon Daniels, Kansas
- Joe Fagnano, UConn
- Taylen Green, Arkansas
- Haynes King, Georgia Tech
- Cade Klubnik, Clemson
- Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
- Behren Morton, Texas Tech
- Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
- Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
- Cole Payton, North Dakota State
- Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
- Ty Simpson, Alabama
RUNNING BACK
One of the top-rated offensive prospects is Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, whose size, vision, burst and production projects to what could be a franchise player. There is a significant drop-off to the second-tier of runners in this year’s class. Ironically enough, his backfield mate Jadarian Price is in contention to be the second runner off the board come April. Other backs who would appear to be top 100 candidates include Mike Washington of Aransas, Jonah Coleman of Washington and Emmett Johnson of Nebraska. While the Patriots' backfield was strong enough to carry them to the Super Bowl, rookie TreVeyon Henderson struggled with his vision, often choosing poor rush lanes, and it resulted in the team having to lean more on Rhamondre Stevenson when it mattered most. With New England investing a second-round pick on Henderson a year ago, it’s unlikely they will select a runner early. However, Navy weapon Eli Heidenrich is an intriguing late-round option who played running back and wideout for the Midshipmen and gives off Danny Woodhead vibes.
- Kaytron Allen, Penn State
- Max Bredeson, Michigan
- Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest
- Jonah Coleman, Washington
- CJ Donaldson, Ohio State
- Rahsul Faison, South Carolina
- Eli Heidenreich, Navy
- Roman Hemby, Indiana
- Robert Henry Jr., UTSA
- Emmett Johnson, Nebraska
- Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
- Seth McGowan, Kentucky
- Jam Miller, Alabama
- Le'Veon Moss, Texas A&M
- Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
- Adam Randall, Clemson
- Desmond Reid, Pittsburgh
- Nicholas Singleton, Penn State
- J'Mari Taylor, Virginia
- Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas
- Noah Whittington, Oregon
WIDE RECEIVER
The wide receiver class features some electric talents up top with the likes of Carnell Tate of Ohio State, Makai Lemon of USC and Jordyn Tyson of Arizona, all of whom are widely expected to be off the board by time the Patriots pick at No.32. One player to keep an eye on is Georgia speed-burner Zachariah Branch, who could look to challenge the fastest all-time combine forty-mark, set by John Ross (4.22) in 2017. Other track-meet challengers include Brenen Thompson of Mississippi State and Barion Brown of LSU. With a pair of veteran wideouts such as Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in tow, this is not a position of urgency for New England. However, when it came to their Super Bowl matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, the Patriots came up short on big plays, and adding another weapon for quarterback Drake Maye would help elevate the offense. New England has found late-round success identifying fits under Wolf, including Kayshon Boute and DeMario Douglas, both of whom were sixth-round selections. An intriguing Day 3 option is right in their own backyard, as