Similar to how the NFL Scouting Combine can help players' draft stock, it can also be a detriment to prospects' draft hopes. Whether it's bad interviews, poor on-field workouts, or different measurables than originally expected, there are plenty of ways the combine can hurt a player's draft stock. We have identified nine prospects who are worse off after the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.

Offense

Diego Pavia. Quarterback, Vanderbilt.

Pavia is one of the most polarizing prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft because of serious character concerns. He didn't do himself any favors after lashing out at members of the media when he finished second in Heisman Trophy voting. The hope was that Pavia could use the Scouting Combine to change the narrative about his attitude, but that didn't happen. Pavia told reporters that he doesn't "care what people think," while calling criticisms of his character "clickbait." It also doesn't help that he measured two inches shorter than what he was listed at on the Vanderbilt University website. With behavioral concerns and unimpressive measurables, Pavia probably went from a potential third-rounder to a Day Three draft pick.

Emmett Johnson. Running back, Nebraska.

The 22-year-old halfback had one of the worst weeks of any prospect, even though he participated in every major on-field drill. Despite ranking fourth amongst 2026 running back prospects in terms of production, he tested out as the 20th-ranked back at the combine from an athleticism standpoint. Johnson had the slowest 40-yard dash of all running backs to participate in the drill (4.56 seconds). Out of ten running back prospects who did on-field workouts, he was tied for sixth in vertical jump (35.5 inches) and tied for eighth in broad jump (10'). Johnson also recorded only 16 bench press reps, which could negatively impact his perception as a pass blocker. Maybe he just had an off day, but he was one of the biggest fallers at the 2026 Scouting Combine.

Malachi Fields. Wide receiver, Notre Dame.

The only person who was hurt more than Johnson by their combine performance was Fields. He ran the second-slowest 40-yard dash out of all wideouts who participated in the drill (4.61 seconds). He also dropped some passes during the gauntlet exercise, which raises worries about his concentration. On top of that, his broad jump ranked 19th out of 25 (10'4") while his vertical jump was tied for 11th out of 30 wide receivers (38 inches). He looked like a Day Two prospect on paper, but after the combine, he'll probably be a Day Three pick.

Makai Lemon. Wide receiver, USC.

It's not often that a guy hurts his draft stock despite not participating in any workouts, but Makai Lemon left fans and executives scratching their heads after the interview portion of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. He didn't say anything too bad, persay, but the interview just felt really weird. Lemon was doing strange things with his eyes and kept swaying back and forth for some reason. ESPN even went so far as to make a meme TikTok about the interview. He's still worth a top-50 pick, but teams that were on the fence about him probably will err on the side of caution after his interview antics.

Defense

Cashius Howell. Edge rusher, Texas A&M.

You wouldn't think that arm length would be such a major talking point surrounding NFL draft prospects, but this measurement is very important for offensive and defensive linemen. Unfortunately for Howell, his arms were only 30.25 inches long, which is troubling. To put that measurement into perspective, 96% of all scouting combine prospects in NFL history have longer arms than Cashius Howell. Considering long arms allow pass rushers to better attack offensive linemen, Howell's short arms could hinder his pass rushing abiltity at the pro level.

LT Overton. Edge rusher, Alabama.

For a guy who spent almost his entire college career as an edge defender, he did not test well when compared to other prospects playing that position. He had the third-slowest 40-yard dash of all edge rushers at the combine (4.87 seconds). Overton also had the second-worst 10-yard split of all edge defenders (1.7 seconds). He currently finds himself in no-man's land as a prospect. He tested too slow to be an effective defensive end, and he's too small to be a difference maker as an interior defensive lineman. I'm not sure what he'll be in the NFL.

Peter Woods. Defensive tackle, Clemson.

In a draft that seems to be lacking top-flight defensive tackle prospects, Woods felt like a player who could've been the first DT taken off the board, even if he didn't participate in combine drills. Now, that no longer feels like the case after he measured under what's expected for defensive tackles. Woods came in at 6'2.5" and weighed in at 298 lbs., which means he would be an undersized interior defender at the pro level. Factor in the excellent measurables and combine performance of fellow DT prospect Caleb Banks, and it seems like Peter Woods will no longer be the first defensive tackle taken in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Jermod McCoy. Cornerback, Tennessee.

Cornerbacks usually use the combine to demonstrate their speed and knack for being ball hawks. That's why it was strange that the only workout McCoy participated in was the bench press, where he put up 14 reps, the fourth-fewest amongst all prospects at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. For a guy who has been recovering from a serious knee injury, teams would've liked to have seen how fast he can run. Even if he hasn’t completely recovered from his torn ACL, NFL executives would’ve gotten an idea of where he’s at in his recovery process. Instead, his progress remains a mystery, which will likely cause him to slide in the draft.

Caleb Downs. Safety, Ohio State.

Downs, who is viewed as one of the best defensive prospects in the Class of 2026, is dealing with rumors about a potentially disastrous knee issue. According to Daft on Draft's Cory Kinnan, Downs was flagged at the combine for "a partially torn meniscus" as well as "a potentially degenerative ACL." However, on the March 3rd edition of The Pat McAfee Show, McAfee explained that of the NFL teams that the program spoke with, "there wasn’t one that said anything was wrong." Maybe these are unfounded rumors. Then again, there could be some truth to this story. Either way, a report like this will cause teams to pause for a second and think twice before using their first-round draft pick on Downs, which could potentially cost him millions of dollars.