The full list of 2026 NFL Combine invitations has been issued, with 319 players in all heading to Indianapolis later this month. Not all players invited to the NFL Draft are drafted; there are only 257 selections. However, participating in the NFL Combine is a huge opportunity to showcase skills in front of several NFL decision-makers and media.
Here are 10 combine-worthy players who will not be at the event but whom we believe warranted an invitation.
Mark Gronowski, QB, Iowa
Outside the 319 players heading to Indy, Gronowski, 24, is a shock miss. He started his college career at South Dakota State before transferring to Iowa before the 2025 season.
While at South Dakota State, he earned numerous awards, including being a two-time FCS national champion (2022 and 2023), a first-team FCS All-American (2023), and the Walter Payton Award in 2023.
At Iowa, he started all 14 games, going 9-4, while throwing for 1,741 yards and rushing for a career high 545 yards on 130 attempts. He also scored 16 rushing touchdowns, which was a career record.
At the East-West Shrine Bowl last month, the quarterback won Offensive MVP honors and drew attention in NFL circles. In addition, his 58 career wins make him the winningest QB in NCAA history.
Tyren Montgomery, WR, John Carroll
Montgomery, 24, took a very unconventional path to become a prospect in the NFL draft. He was a former high school basketball standout and briefly enrolled at LSU.
After the pandemic reshaped his plans, Montgomery turned his focus fully to football, making stops in Houston and Las Vegas to compete in a flag football tournament, and later joining Nicholls State.
He started five games in 2023 before an ankle injury slowed his momentum, then transferred to Division III John Carroll, where he had a fantastic season and in 2024, he recorded 57 catches for 1,071 yards and 17 touchdowns, then followed it up with a dominant 2025 campaign that included 119 receptions for 1,528 yards and 15 scores while leading John Carroll to the national semifinals.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound wideout impressed evaluators at the Senior Bowl with his explosiveness and ability to win contested catches.
Noah Thomas, WR, Georgia
Thomas, 22, is another snub who should still get looks at getting drafted in April. His prototypical NFL size (6-foot-5, 205 pounds) makes the decision to exclude him questionable. The wide receiver began his career at Texas A&M, where he increased his production each season.
After playing in 11 games as a freshman in 2022, he broke out as a sophomore with 29 catches for 359 yards and five touchdowns, including a three-touchdown performance in the season opener.
In 2024, he set career highs with 39 receptions for 574 yards and eight touchdowns, showcasing his ability to stretch the field and win in the red zone. Thomas transferred to Georgia ahead of the 2025 season. In the SEC, he was limited to just seven games and four receptions. He is the nephew of former NFL linebacker Broderick Thomas and the great nephew of Hall of Famer Mike Singletary.
Dan Villari, TE, Syracuse
Villari, 23, had another really untraditional path to where he’s at now, starting his college career as a quarterback at Michigan before transferring to Syracuse and converting to tight end ahead of the 2022 season.
After making three starts in 2022, Villari emerged as one of the most versatile offensive weapons in the ACC during the 2023 season. He ended his breakout campaign, hauling in 20 passes and scoring three touchdowns, rushing for 326 yards and two scores on 55 carries.
However, it was in 2025 that he had his most productive season as a tight end. He finished the 2025 season with 39 receptions for 412 yards. Also, he was used in short-yardage and red-zone packages as a quarterback in a wildcat formation at times. Villari should have been seriously considered for an invitation to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
Nolan Rucci, OL, Penn State
Rucci, 23, was a five-star prospect out of High School, ranking as the No. 5 offensive tackle and the No. 14 overall player in the 2021 class. He committed to Wisconsin but had offers from Clemson, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Penn State.
He redshirted in 2021 and played only a limited number of games in 2022 and 2023, getting on the field three times each season. Following the 2023 season, he entered the transfer portal and signed with Penn State.
With the Nittany Lions, he brought elite size to the offensive line and played much better in their offense. Rucci is the son of former NFL offensive lineman Todd Rucci.
Ethan Onianwa, OL, Ohio State
Onianwa, 22, quietly put together a really impressive few years before joining a Big 10 powerhouse with the Ohio State Buckeyes. He started his college career at Rice, recording 25 starts over three seasons and becoming a reliable right tackle before moving to the left side in 2024.
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Standing 6-foot-6, his size is hard to miss on the field, but he also brings plenty of experience all over the offensive line. He switched positions and stayed healthy throughout this time in college. After starting nine games at left tackle in 2024, he entered the transfer portal and headed to Columbus, where he exceeded expectations.
James Brockermeyer, Center, Miami
Brockermeyer, 23, started out as a four-star recruit at Alabama, developing in one of the country’s top offensive line groups. He transferred to TCU in 2024 and started all 12 games, then moved to the Miami Hurricanes, where he had his best season in 2025.
He earned first-team All-American and third-team All-ACC honors as Miami’s starting center. The center brings plenty of experience and has shown his ability to play in multiple football systems. He also comes from a family with a strong football background as the son of former NFL lineman Blake Brockermeyer.
Kaelon Black, RB, Indiana
Black, 24, started his college football career at James Madison and overcame early injuries, becoming a dependable backfield player. In 2023, he rushed for 637 yards and showed he could contribute as both a runner and receiver.
In the backfield, he also has experience blocking edge rushers and linebackers. After entering the transfer portal, he followed coach Curt Cignetti to the Indiana Hoosiers.
In 2024, he didn’t have a huge role because he still dealt with injuries, but by 2025, he was a key part of one of the country’s top backfields with Roman Hemby. Black came through in important moments during Indiana’s championship run and had multiple touchdowns in playoff games, ending up as a National Champion.
Landon Robinson, DL, Navy
Robinson, 23, has been the leader of the Navy’s defensive line and one of the top defenders in the American Athletic Conference over the last two seasons. He didn’t play as a freshman in 2022, but broke out in 2023 with four sacks and played even better in 2024.
That season, he finished with 61 tackles, five and a half tackles for loss, four sacks, and two forced fumbles, earning First Team All-AAC honors.
Then again, during the 2025 season, he excelled, winning American Defensive Player of the Year and being named a consensus First Team All-American. His standout performance in the Army-Navy Game was when he made 13 tackles.
Isaiah Nwokobia, Safety, SMU
Nwokobia, 23, has been at SMU since arriving as a three-star recruit out of High School. As a freshman, he showed plenty of potential in 2021 with two interceptions and a sack, then battled injuries in 2022 before becoming a full-time starter.
In 2023, he started 10 games and played a key role in SMU’s conference title run. He followed that up with a breakout 2024 season, starting all 14 games and tallying 100 tackles with three interceptions, earning First Team All-ACC recognition.
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place Thursday, April 23, 2026 – Saturday, April 25, 2026, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Create your own mock draft now with the PFSN Mock Draft Simulator before the draft starts.
