NFL Scouting Combine Sleepers: Ted Hurst, Jalon Daniels and More
Gene Clemons uncovered sleepers who could perform well at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, including Jalon Daniels and Ted Hurst.
Wake up, wake up, WAKE UP!!!
It's almost time for the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, a place where there are no football games played, but prospects rise up and down draft boards based on what they do in shorts and T-shirts. If it sounds ridiculous on its surface, that is because it is. After all, why would a football player be able to improve their draft status without playing football?
Well the dirty little secret about football and more specifically football prospect evaluation is that athleticism matters more than skill does. Outside of quarterback, football is primarily based on physical traits. At every position scouts are looking for players who are bigger, faster and stronger. At the NFL Combine people are hyperfocused on the bigger and faster. Every season some little-known prospect emerges and raises their profile based on the numbers they produced at the combine.
Last year, current Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden emerged from the shadows of two other University of Texas teammates who had much higher profiles when he ran a 4.29 40-yard dash time. It propelled him from a projected Day 2 selection to a bona fide first-round pick, the first receiver the Packers have selected in the first round in 23 years when they took Florida State receiver Javon Walker in 2002.
Who has the chance of following in the footsteps of Golden, Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori, and Buffalo Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston to significantly raise their profile with stellar combine performances that nobody sees coming. Let's take a look at a few guys who many may be sleeping on who could light up the combine and potentially be fantasy breakouts as rookies.
NFL Scouting Combine 2026 Sleepers
Jalon Daniels | QB | Kansas
Daniels is a rare find as a collegiate quarterback: someone who spent six seasons in college, all at the same school. He has not had an easy road of it. He has had to prove himself at every turn under multiple head coaches in multiple offenses. The most underrated aspect of his game is his ability to run, which should be on full display at the combine. He has three seasons of over 400 rushing yards. If he can flash elite-level athleticism in his 6-foot, 220-pound frame it will go a long way toward propelling him into early Day 3 or even Day 2 discussions in a weak quarterback class.
Premium
Go FantasyLife+
Your league is unique. Your advice should be too. Get personalized tools, rankings, and projections tailored to your fantasy football league settings.
Cole Payton | QB | North Dakota State
Everyone will be salivating over Arkansas's Taylen Green's athleticism, and for good reason. He is a physical freak, but the other size/athleticism guy at the combine will be Cole Payton. After waiting forever behind former Bison and current Miami Dolphins backup quarterback Cam Miller he was fully unleashed in 2025 and delivered over 2,700 passing yards and 777 rushing yards. He's a 6-foot-2, 230-pound horse who has demoralized defenses with his legs long before he had a chance to carve them up with his arm. He will show his 1% athleticism at the combine and get scouts thinking.
Ted Hurst I WR | Georgia State
If you're talking about a rare athlete, Hurst is the guy. This is a young man who in high school started at wide receiver and cornerback. He was a starter on the basketball team and averaged 16 points and 8 rebounds a game. He also finished second in the state in the long jump at over 22 feet. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound receiver is well documented for his speed and explosiveness in game, averaging 15.5 yards per reception. He could potentially put on a show at the combine, especially in the explosion drills.
Barion Brown | WR | LSU
Brown's production was minimized after transferring to LSU from Kentucky because his quarterback dealt with injuries all season. Make no mistake, Brown is a burner and look for no other evidence than his 6 career kickoff return touchdowns. Slow players do not return kickoffs for touchdowns in today's college football. At 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, Brown will likely light up the track when he runs his 40 and it will send onlookers running for their laptops to update his potential at the next level.
Mike Washington Jr. | RB | Arkansas
Washington is a big, strong grinder at running back. At 6-foot and nearly 230 pounds, standing in the way of him running is a business decision for most defenders. At the combine he will have a chance to show legit explosive play ability to go with that size and power. This past season at Arkansas he produced a run of 20 or more yards in nine of his 11 games. His breakaway speed in the open field is an underrated aspect of his game, but it will become a focus if he tests well in Indy, which seems to be something nobody is discussing.
Nicholas Singleton | RB | Penn State
Nicholas Singleton's 2025 season was not what he expected it to be. He lost his quarterback and his head coach while watching his teammate dominate the carries. But Singleton has a 6-foot, 220-pound frame and elite-level explosiveness that's intriguing to any scout who watches him play. Although there are many talented backs in this draft, the No. 2 spot behind Jeremiah Love is still wide open. If Nicholas Singleton goes out and runs a fast time in the 40, as well as puts up impressive numbers in the vertical and broad jump, he could find his name right underneath Love's in the pecking order.
John Michael Gyllenborg | TE | Wyoming
Gyllenborg is 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds. Many believe he could be the most athletic tight end in the draft class. He has pedestrian numbers, but just like a former Wyoming alum Josh Allen, his team was outmatched a lot. Plus, Gyllenbord did not have the best passers. Still, he had long receptions of 63 and 89 yards, respectively, signaling that he has an ability to take it the distance. While all of the talk will be centered on Kenyon Sadiq and Michael Trigg, the former Cowboy could steal the spotlight with a standout performance in testing.
Nate Boerkircher | TE | Texas A&M
Because his statistics are pedestrian, he really has a lot to gain from a great day testing. He is not the biggest tight end at only 6-foot-4 and 247 pounds, but he is an aggressive, willing blocker who has shown ability in-line, which many of today's modern collegiate tight ends do not offer. It feels as if he is more athletic than he has been able to show on the field and his production in the NFL could dwarf that of his collegiate numbers. He could be a real sneaky breakout at the combine.
Join Our Newsletter
Trusted by 400,000+ fantasy football players. Get access to Fantasy Life's free award winning newsletter and tools, all in one step.
By registering or logging in, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
