Ram Digest

1 Downside of the 2026 NFL Draft Combine for Rams

The Los Angeles Rams had plenty of reason to be highly invested in the 2026 NFL Draft Combine, but one member had to come away a little disappointed.
Andy Quach|
Nov 9, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; A Los Angeles Rams helmet is seen on the sideline prior to the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Nov 9, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; A Los Angeles Rams helmet is seen on the sideline prior to the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

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Los Angeles Rams

Fans who aren't familiar with Sean McVay's process might have been a bit alarmed to hear that he wasn't present at the 2026 NFL Draft Combine. However, there's no real reason to fear. After all, he and General Manager Les Snead have made it common practice to skip the event, with other teams around the league starting to follow suit.

McVay believes that the combine and its results can actually be detrimental to the scouting process, due to the mania of the week. Skipping it altogether hasn't stopped him and Snead from identifying talents like Puka Nacua, Jared Verse, and Byron Young. Even though they weren't physically present, the Rams' top brass will certainly take into account the measurements and testing results from the combine.

NFL Draft Combine, Los Angeles Rams, Terrance Ferguson
Feb 28, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson (TE08) participates in drills during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Terrance Ferguson doesn't seem as special anymore

One player having a stellar combine can dramatically change their draft stock. What happens when an entire class excels in the drills, though? That's a question that we might learn the answer to this year, after the performances at the 2026 NFL Draft Combine.

Last year, the Los Angeles Rams took a swing on tight end Terrance Ferguson in the second round. That pick was seen as a significant reach by many, including Pro Football Focus, which had Ferguson ranked as the 85th prospect on their board. Part of LA's infatuation with him likely stemmed from his strong performance at the combine, where he registered a 4.63-second 40-yard dash, a 39-inch vertical, and a 10-foot, 2-inch broad jump, all of which were dominant numbers at tight end.

He actually measured as the fastest player at his position in the class. It wasn't long before his incredible day was overshadowed, though. Just one year later, Ferguson's combine no longer seems like an outlier. It might be the new standard. His 40-yard dash time would have placed him 11th among tight ends this year, his vertical at third, and his broad jump at sixth. His direct successor with the Oregon Ducks, Kenyon Sadiq, might have been the single greatest beneficiary from this year's combine, clocking in with a positional-record 4.39-second 40, 43.5-inch vertical, and 11-foot, 1-inch broad jump.

In retrospect, it might seem like the Rams jumped the gun a bit by taking Ferguson in the second round last year. However, LA isn't regretting its decision too much after he caught 11 balls for 231 yards and three touchdowns on just 218 passing snaps while playing behind Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen, and Tyler Higbee. It's on Ferguson to prove in 2026 that he is, in fact, still built different.

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Andy Quach
ANDY QUACH

Andy Quach is a journalism graduate from Florida Gulf Coast University with extensive experience covering the NFL, NBA, and college sports. He is the assistant beat writer for the Jacksonville Jaguars Om SI, and also serves as the fantasy sports and betting reporter for four NFL teams.