The NFL Scouting Combine is one of the last official things that happen before free agency kicks off in March. That is to say, take draft position changes for players with a grain of salt.
Still, we can definitely talk about it with that understanding. NFL teams are more likely to leave the Combine with questions than answers to anything. Players who looked extra athletic or even guys who looked less than will be reevaluated with the tape to see if it matches.
Here are the winners and losers from the NFL
Scouting Combine that could be Bengals targets.
Winners
Ohio State LB Sonny Styles:
It is rare to see a player put up a 10 out of 10 RAS (Relative Athletic Score). Seeing him do it at 6’5 and 240ish lbs. is something you see very, very rarely. Styles has definitely helped his stock, putting up a 4.46-second 40-yard dash, 43.5-inch vertical jump, and 11-foot-2-inch broad jump.
He entered the day with many questioning whether he was worth a top-10 pick. Now it is whether he makes it out of the top 5.
Florida DT Caleb Banks:
Banks was a player who missed most of 2025 after a spectacular 2024. He passed the test well, showing he has recovered and is ready to go. This is also following dominant looking Senior Bowl week.
Banks put up some impressive athletic numbers for coming in at 6’6, 320ish lbs., and with 35-inch long arms. Certainly looks the part of an NFL defensive tackle.
Clemson DT Demonte Capeheart:
Capeheart is more of a Day 3 target, but he showed some serious explosiveness that will certainly have scouts taking a second look at him. A 4.85 40-yard dash and 33.5-inch vertical jump certainly show there may be more to Peter Woods’ running mate.
Oregon S Dillion Thienman:
Outside of Styles, it is hard to argue that anyone had a better Combine than Thienman. 4.35-second 40-yard dash with a 1.52-second 10-yard split and a 41-inch vertical confirmed what you saw on the field from the safety. He flew around the field and was always Johny on the spot. Thienman may not be in play at pick No. 10, but if they trade back, he would be on a very short list of players they’d like to have fall in their laps.
Losers
Miami DT Reuben Bain:
It seemed like everyone expected Bain’s arms to be short. Coming in at 30 7/8 inches and under that 31 inch mark really does hurt a bit. He is a guy that many expected to be one of the first few picks. He had a dominant season with 12 sacks and 68 hurries (that led the FBS), but now will teams overthink this? It actually means Bain may fall right in the Bengals’ range.
Texas A&M EDGE Cashius Howell:
Another prospect taking a hit to their stock because of short arms is Howell. His came in at 30 1/4 inches. He had 11.5 sacks last year off 27 pressures. Howell is projected to the first round, but this may slip him to Day 2 with plenty of EDGE players in that tier that fall off after Bain and Ohio State’s Arvell Reese.
Toledo S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren:
McNeil Warren has been the draft crush of plenty of evaluators. Some have even been sneaking him in the first round. However, he registered a 4.52-second 40-yard dash. That was the second slowest among safeties when plenty of other players in his tier looked extremely athletic.
Ironically enough, just like Bain, this may stick him firmly in the Bengals’ range in the second round of the draft if they so choose.
Texas Tech DT Lee Hunter:
This one is a bit more intriguing. Hunter is considered to be a top 50 player in this draft. He wasn’t exactly someone many have been mocking to Cincinnati at any point because he is mostly considered a nose tackle and run stuffer. The Bengals simply need more pass rush inside than anything else.
Hunter’s Combine performance has squared him up as simply a nose tackle with no real upside. He lacks explosiveness as he was either near or at the bottom with a 21.5-inch vertical, 8-foot-4 broad jump, and only a 5.18-second 40-yard dash. He might still be a fine player, but he isn’t worth a premium pick for what Cincinnati needs.
