With the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in the rear-view mirror and free agency set to start next week, new questions are being asked regarding this draft class after some stellar performances. Coming out of the combine, here are four questions I’m seeking answers to in the lead-up to the 2026 NFL Draft that will have fantasy football implications.
2026 NFL Draft Burning Questions
What is Sonny Styles’ Floor?
Styles blew the roof off the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium with a 4.46 40-yard dash at 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds. He also posted a 1.56 10-yard split, 43.5-inch vertical jump, and 11-foot-2 broad jump.
Those numbers are ridiculously explosive.
So, where does he go now? The “issue” with Styles is that he’s an off-ball linebacker.
Some recent high picks that come to mind are Jack Campbell (No. 18 overall in 2023), Devin White (No. 5 overall in 2019), and Roquan Smith (No. 8 overall in 2018).
Going down the list, I think he could very well go No. 4 overall to the Tennessee Titans and new head coach Robert Saleh to get his Fred Warner-like linebacker.
If they pass, the New York Giants and Washington Commanders are also two teams that would take him despite the position he plays being viewed as “less valuable.”
Where Will Ty Simpson Be Drafted?
Simpson is a unique prospect because he’s been in college football for a long time, only started this last year, and while he started great, he got injured and then began having issues with pressure.
Under pressure, Simpson completed just 48.7% of his passes for 703 yards, 5.9 yards per attempt, four touchdowns, one interception, and 12 turnover-worthy plays.
While the NFL Scouting Combine is only a sliver of the full picture, I thought he looked great, throwing to receivers he’s never worked with before and throwing accurately.
I’ve come around on Simpson, and now I believe he’ll go between picks No. 16 and No. 32. This feels like Jaxson Dart with a team coming back into the first round to get him and a fifth-year option.
How Many Wide Receivers Will Be Drafted Round 1?
In addition to the “Big 3” receivers of this draft in Jordyn Tyson, Makai Lemon, and Carnell Tate, some other popular receivers with first-round buzz are K.C. Concepcion, Denzel Boston, Malachi Fields, and now, coming out of the combine, Omar Cooper Jr.
In Daniel Jeremiah’s latest mock draft before the combine, he had six receivers going, including all of those mentioned, except for Cooper Jr.
Now, coming out of the combine, I’d still place the over/under at about 5.5 receivers, and I also believe Cooper Jr. could be the No. 4 wide receiver taken.
What Will the Arizona Cardinals Do At No. 3 Overall?
The Cardinals are in an interesting spot because they need a right tackle, and one of them, Spencer Fano, measured in with shorter arms than Will Campbell. That doesn’t immediately disqualify him, but it makes Francis Mauigoa, who has a 33 1/4-inch arms, so much more attractive.
That said, there are a lot of players gaining steam draft capital-wise, including Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, and David Bailey.
This could provide an opportunity for the Cardinals to trade down, accumulate more assets, and potentially still get a right tackle option later.
If they stick and pick, Mauigoa makes sense from a needs perspective, but it could be hard to pass up on a Styles, Reese, or Bailey.
Then there’s also the trade angle, in case a team wants to trade assets to move up and get one of those defensive studs, or perhaps land a receiver like Carnell Tate, who appears poised to go inside the top-10.
This is going to be a situation to watch, likely up until when the Cardinals are on the clock in April.
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