What to Watch for as Former Oklahoma Standouts Arrive at NFL Scouting Combine

Of the 319 players that received invites to the NFL Scouting Combine, 10 of them finished their college football careers with the Sooners.

Oklahoma defensive linemen Damonic Williams and Gracen Halton. | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

A crop of former OU standouts will have the chance to impress scouts over the next week.

Ten players from Oklahoma’s 2025 squad — wide receiver Deion Burks, tight end Jaren Kanak, offensive lineman Febechi Nwaiwu, defensive linemen R Mason Thomas, Gracen Halton, Marvin Jones Jr. and Damonic Williams, linebackers Kendal Daniels and Owen Heinecke and defensive back Robert Spears-Jennings — will participate in the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, held in Indianapolis from Feb. 23 to March 2.

Combine schedule

The NFL sent invites to 319 draft-eligible players in January.

The eight-day combine week will be staggered by position group. Placekickers, defensive linemen and linebackers will begin their combines on Monday before defensive backs and tight ends start on Tuesday. Running backs, quarterbacks and wideouts will first participate on Wednesday, and offensive linemen will begin their weeks on Thursday.

While the schedule is staggered, the various position groups will follow similar schedules — and the physical portion of the combine doesn’t begin until later in the week.

On Day 1, players will go through registration, a pre-exam, orientation and team interviews. Day 2 will consist of a medical exam, pre-ordered studies and more team interviews before players have media and team interviews on the third day, as well as an orthopedic exam.

Finally, on the fourth day, players will take measurements and undergo an on-field workout. Prospective draft picks will then wrap up the combine with the bench press on the last day.

State of the Sooners

Here is where the Sooners’ 10 combine representatives currently rank in Pro Football Focus’ 2026 NFL Draft big board:

DE R Mason Thomas: No. 38
WR Deion Burks: No. 90
DL Gracen Halton: No. 130
DB Robert Spears-Jennings: No. 201
LB Owen Heinecke: No. 220
TE Jaren Kanak: No. 271
DL Damonic Williams: No. 289
OL Febechi Nwaiwu: No. 343
LB Kendal Daniels: No. 360
DE Marvin Jones Jr.: No. 374

Thomas, Oklahoma’s star defensive end for the past two seasons, is widely considered the Sooners’ top draft prospect.

As a senior, Thomas logged 26 total tackles, 18 solo tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and a defensive touchdown on his way to earning First Team All-SEC honors. His outstanding final year in Norman followed his breakout 2024 season in which he notched 12.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks.

With a good combine, it’s possible that Thomas moves into first-round territory. But it’s more likely that the edge rusher hears his name called in the second or third round.

---

Read More Oklahoma Sooners

How Oklahoma Transfer RB Benjamin McCreary Adds Depth to Ground Game
Several Oklahoma Commits, Priority Targets Set Dates for Official Visits
Blue-Chip Wide Receiver Chooses Big Ten School over Oklahoma, Others

---

Thomas is one of four defensive linemen who will be in Indianapolis, as the other three — Halton, Williams and Jones — hope to perform well at the combine and put themselves in a position to be selected.

Heinecke is another player to watch both this week and for the next few months.

As a former lacrosse player who walked onto OU’s football team, Heinecke didn’t become a key player on the Sooners’ defense until 2025, meaning he doesn’t have much tape. But he was one of the SEC’s best linebackers last year, ranking second on Oklahoma’s roster with 74 tackles. With a strong combine, Heinecke could hear his name called on Day 3 of the NFL Draft.

It’s also worth noting that running back Jaydn Ott — a one-year Sooner who rushed for only 68 yards in 2025 — is Oklahoma’s fourth-ranked NFL Draft prospect, per PFF (No. 131). Ott rushed for a touchdown at the Senior Bowl in January, but that wasn’t enough for him to earn an invite to the combine.

Pittsburgh will host the 2026 NFL Draft from April 23-25. Only two Sooners — linebacker Danny Stutsman and defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. — were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.