The NFL scouting combine will take place later this month allowing front office personnel to continue to build out their draft boards. The 2025 season is in the rearview mirror, and teams are now focused on what they’re building for 2026.
The East-West Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl provided a glimpse into some of the prospects available. The scouting combine will take that a step further with even more top players expected to attend.
Not every prospect will take part in all the drills. Some will opt to only work out at pro days on their various campuses. However, 319 prospects were sent invites on Wednesday.
The trenches rule heading into the combine on Feb. 23, which will run through March 2. In all, 62 defensive linemen and 57 offensive linemen were invited to Indianapolis.
10 Players Deserving Of A Spot At The NFL Scouting Combine
Even with that many players invited, there are still some deserving players who will not be able to participate. Here are 10 we think should have been considered when putting together the NFL combine invite list.
(in alphabetical order)
Cyrus Allen (Cincinnati, WR)
The receiver group is deep in the 2026 draft class, so it is not shocking that productive players were left off the combine invite list. Cyrus Allen is someone deserving of a chance to showcase his abilities in Indianapolis, however. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound inside receiver was tied for third among all FBS players with 13 touchdowns receiving in 2025. Allen had a touchdown in all but four games during his senior season with the Bearcats. He could be an intriguing late-round pick for an NFL team this spring. A noted route runner, Allen gained attention for his abilities as a Senior Bowl participant. He will now have to rely on what he showed in Alabama last month and his pro day to impress scouts.
Brent Austin (Cal, CB)
His teammate Hezekiah Masses earned All-American status and earned a spot on the combine invitation list. However, Brent Austin was equally as impressive during his 2025 season at Cal. Sometimes he even outshined his counterpart at cornerback. Austin tied Masses for second in the ACC with 13 pass breakups as a senior. It was his second consecutive season with double-digit pass breakups. He had 10 in 2024 while at South Florida. The California native began his career at James Madison playing under current Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti. He had several game-changing plays and ended the season with 42 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles. Austin participated in the Shrine Bowl following the season. Two former Cal defensive backs started in Super Bowl LX, so you think the school would be given some more consideration. Austin will instead have to focus on his pro day for now.
Shad Banks Jr. (UTSA, LB)
UTSA’s leading tackler has a lot of what NFL teams are looking for in a prospect. Shad Banks Jr. closed out his final season with the Roadrunners with 94 tackles to lead the team. That was 32 tackles more than the next player on the list. He also had 7.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions and 2 sacks in 2025. Stats don’t always equate to being a high-level draft prospect. Still, Banks put together a strong showing at the East-West Shrine Bowl and earned plenty of attention at the all-star event. His ability to make plays on special teams, against the run and in the passing game make him a potentially valuable piece late in the draft.
Kaelon Black (Indiana, RB)
The national champion Hoosiers were able to get nine players selected to participate in the combine. Their sixth-year running back was not one of them. Kaelon Black rushed for over 1,000 yards in the 2025 season and reached the end zone 10 times. In all, there were 21 running backs picked to attend the combine including Indiana teammate Roman Hemby. Black finished behind Hemby on the Big Ten rushing list but ranked inside the top 10 with 5.6 yards per attempt. The explosive back saved his best for last with five of his rushing touchdowns coming over the final five games. Black rushed for 310 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Big Ten Championship and three College Football Playoff games. He generated some buzz at the Senior Bowl but it wasn’t enough to earn him an invitation to Indianapolis.
Ethan Burke (Texas, EDGE)
Texas is always going to get attention from NFL scouts. It’s one of the top programs in the country and had early national championship buzz to begin the season. Still, there are some players who will slip through the cracks. The Longhorns had seven players invited to the combine, but it probably should have been eight. Ethan Burke played a ton during his time in Austin and was a starter at defensive end in 2025. The 6-foot-6, 270-pound EDGE tied for second with 7 tackles for loss to go with 3 sacks and 40 tackles in his senior season. He will now hope his Shrine Bowl performance and pro day will attract enough attention to land him a spot in the draft.
Mark Gronowski (Iowa, QB)
The quarterback group will be examined quite a bit in the coming weeks and months. Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza is the consensus pick to top the list, but then it gets a bit murky. Dante Moore deciding to return to Oregon certainly changed the outlook at quarterback in the draft class. Iowa’s Mark Gronowski is trying to push himself up the list but will have to do so without a combine invite. The Shrine Bowl MVP has garnered plenty of attention already, so it is a setback that he won’t be able to perform in Indianapolis. Gronowski is a winner with 58 career victories in his collegiate career. He is also a versatile quarterback with 15 rushing touchdowns during the 2025 season. He passed for 1,741 yards and 10 scores through the air. Gronowski started his career at South Dakota State and heads into the draft process with 12,071 yards passing yards.
Mikail Kamara (Indiana, DL)
You cannot talk about Indiana’s championship without mentioning Mikail Kamara. The 6-foot-1, 265-pound defensive lineman came up with one of the most memorable plays of the Hoosiers’ championship run. His blocked punt against Miami ultimately helped Indiana secure its title game win. Kamara saw his stats dip in 2025, but he has put together a productive career at James Madison and Indiana. He collected 10 sacks during the 2024 season and that was coming off a season in which he had 7.5. He had 6 forced fumbled those two years as well. Though he only had 2 sacks in 2025, Kamara led the Big Ten in quarterback pressures.
Tyren Montgomery (John Carroll, WR)
In a year where 46 receivers are making the trip to Indianapolis, you simply can’t invite everyone. Still, Division III receiver Tyren Montgomery should be included among that sizable group headed to the combine. The John Carroll University product was a late addition to the Senior Bowl roster but left onlookers impressed by his playmaking ability and speed. Montgomery hauled in 119 passes for 1,528 yards receiving and 15 touchdowns in 2025. There are plenty of stories in the NFL of receivers who came from small schools only to have a lengthy career. Montgomery certainly looks like a player worthy of consideration, but he’ll have to bank on his Senior Bowl showing to help him get there.
Jaydn Ott (Oklahoma, RB)
Injuries have been part of the story for running back Jaydn Ott. He shined at Cal early in his career and looked like he would become the face of the program at one point. Like Mendoza, Ott looked for a new home after spending most of his career in the Bay Area and landed at Oklahoma where it looked like he could take his career to a new level. Instead, he was limited because of injury again in 2025 leading to his least productive season. In 2023, Ott led the Pac-12 in all-purpose yards and was a game-changer at the running back position. He could be a valuable pickup late in the draft, but he should have at least been able to make the cut for the combine. In all, 21 running backs were invited to Indianapolis in what is being viewed as a year without a ton of depth at the position.
Landon Robinson (Navy, DL)
When you’re talking about players who are getting overlooked for combine invites, it means they have potential to be a value pick late in the draft. The defensive line group is deep, so it’s not shocking a 5-foot-11 defensive tackle didn’t make the cut. Landon Robinson is a bit different, though. He has earned the title of being an athletic “freak” while playing for the Midshipmen. Robinson has a 33-inch vertical leap and can bench press 465 pounds and squat 665 pounds. Navy also has clocked him at 20 miles per hour during his time with the team. He showcased his abilities at the Shrine Bowl to gain some more attention coming off a strong 2025 season. Robinson was fifth on the team with 64 tackles while leading Navy with 8.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He’s exactly the type of player who could generate buzz in Indianapolis but won’t get that opportunity.
