Uncover the Sleeper Stars Poised to Dominate the NFL Combine and Shake Up the Draft!

With the NFL Combine looming just days away, the air in Indianapolis is already electric — a frenzy of hopefuls ready to showcase their talents in what’s arguably the most intense career audition out there . Every scout, coach, and exec will be laser-focused on this event, weighing raw athleticism, untapped potential, and intangibles that stats alone can’t capture . Among the swarm, certain names are beginning to bubble to the surface, players who might just catch the Jacksonville Jaguars’ sharp-eyed front office off guard . Will these prospects fit the Jags’ blueprint or add new sparks to their roster? Strap in, because we’re about to dive deep into the athletes turning heads ahead of the big week — and who’s making waves as possible targets for Jacksonville’s next draft haul . LEARN MORE

The NFL Combine is less than a week away. With the NFL world descending on Lucas Oil Stadium for the annual meat market, who are the prospects that could make a big impression in the biggest job interview of their lives? And could any be on the radar of the Jacksonville Jaguars? Let’s take a look:

Jonah Coleman is RB2 in the class and it’s not close based on film + statistics:

– Creative when play shuts down
– Vision, feet, movement in sync
– Best RB after contact in class

He’s very good at pressing the LOS.

Creative runner that turns a lot of these type of plays into… pic.twitter.com/wsR0QKU60W

— Snoog’s Fantasy HQ (@FFSnoog) February 13, 2026

With the combine focusing on raw measurables, Jonah Coleman has every opportunity to push himself into the same tier as Jeremiyah Love next week. Coleman isn’t expected to be the quickest running back in the room; he’s a short, dense ‘bowling ball’ style back whose physical style of running has made him a consistent contributor for the Huskies over three seasons. What Coleman needs to show is that he’s fast enough, and a 4.5 second forty time at his size and play strength will certainly turn heads.

With Travis Etienne’s future in Jacksonville still unsure, running back may be a target position for the Jaguars in the draft. Coleman’s 4.29 yards after contact average (in the 97th percentile at his position) will appeal to James Gladstone, whose selection of Bhayshul Tuten last year shows his penchant for pinball wizards in the backfield.

Life in Starkville has been tough the past few seasons. But wide receiver Brenen Thompson made a wise decision leaving Oklahoma for Mississippi State last year, enjoying a breakout campaign that saw him break 1,000 yards receiving. Key to that production was his unparalleled speed, with many expecting him to challenge Matthew Golden’s 4.29 second forty from last season. Thompson’s average depth of target (aDOT) last season was an outrageous 18.4 yards – for context, the NFL average is around 11.0.

At 5’9” and 170lbs, there’ll be concerns about Thompson’s longevity in the NFL. But athleticism grabs the headlines at the combine. I’m not sure if it’s a profile the Jaguars front office will be interested in, but with rumors persisting about Brian Thomas being traded, adding to the position group is a distinct possibility.

If you’re looking for a physical freak with unreasonable athleticism, Iheanachor might be your guy. Starring at the Senior Bowl, the former Sun Devil has already elevated his stock through the early part of draft season. And if scouts want to go and check the tape, they’ll see a prospect who allowed zero sacks on almost 500 pass-blocking snaps in 2025.

Standing at 6’6”, weighing 330lbs and having ludicrous 34.5” arms, Iheanachor is a mountain of a man. But it’s a mountain that can move, with him expected to run somewhere in the region of a 5.15 second forty and show off his lateral agility in the other tests. Iheanachor might have pushed himself into day one contention, but if he’s still there on Friday, could the Jags be interested in bolstering their offensive line?

#SouthCarolina CB Brandon Cisse is one of the best athletes in the 2026 drafts CB class.

Twitched up defender with elite speed and fluidity, very sticky in man coverage and has a ton of versatility. Top-50 player on my Big Board. pic.twitter.com/Vq1bmHJ97X

— Andy (@AndyyNFL) December 12, 2025

The secondary is a big need for the Jaguars this offseason, and I would be surprised if they didn’t at least partially address it in free agency. But should they be looking for someone who can start on the outside as a rookie, then perhaps Brandon Cisse is on their radar…

Cisse has elite athleticism across the board; expectations of a forty inch vertical jump and a sub-four second 20-yard shuttle demonstrate his explosiveness. At approximately 6’0” and 195lbs he’s got the measurables, and he showed a big improvement on his career numbers during his one year as a Gamecock. 19 solo tackles tells you he can be left on an island, and his proficiency in press man coverage could appeal to Gladstone. With his stock about to explode, it would likely take a trade back into the first round to make him a Jaguar.

One of the coolest names in the draft also belongs to one of the most productive players in this year’s class. Red Murdock has dominated for the Bulls the last two seasons, racking up 298 tackles, 30 TFL’s and seven sacks during that time. Murdock is expected to perform extremely well in the shuttle and mirror drills at the combine, whose monstrous stats have often been attributed to his sideline to sideline speed and read-and-chase ability.

If Devin Lloyd leaves town during free agency, a huge chunk of the Jaguars’ turnovers from last season leaves with him. In that regard Murdock could be the perfect replacement; the former Buffalo linebacker set an FBS record with 17 career forced fumbles, all in the past three seasons. Murdock is likely to still be on the board on Day 3, even with a strong performance in Indy. Value like that might be too hard for this front office to ignore.