Saturday at the 2026 NFL Combine is the day every quarterback-needy front office has been circling since Fernando Mendoza announced he would not throw in on-field drills, choosing instead to wait until his April 1 pro day.
With the consensus top QB in the class, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and national champion, keeping his arm holstered, the floor at Lucas Oil Stadium Saturday afternoon becomes a genuine opportunity for someone to grab the steering wheel of this draft’s most scrutinized position group.
Saturday’s 2026 NFL Combine Schedule and How to Watch
Workouts for quarterbacks, wide receivers, and running backs begin at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, Feb. 28, and run through 8 p.m. ET on NFL Network. The event takes place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. You can also stream the full session on NFL+ and on platforms including Fubo and Hulu with Live TV.
- Date: Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026
- On-field workouts start: 1 p.m. ET
- Coverage ends: 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
- TV channel: NFL Network
- Streaming: NFL+, Fubo, Hulu with Live TV, DirecTV
While QBs, WRs, and RBs take the field, offensive linemen spend the day in media availability at the Indiana Convention Center. Sunday, March 1, is the final day of on-field workouts, with O-linemen going at 1 p.m. ET.
Fans can attend Saturday’s session free of charge by registering through the NFL OnePass app.
The full Combine on-field workout schedule this week:
- Thursday, Feb. 26 (3–8 p.m. ET): Defensive linemen, linebackers, placekickers
- Friday, Feb. 27 (3–8 p.m. ET): Defensive backs, tight ends
- Saturday, Feb. 28 (1–8 p.m. ET): Quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs
- Sunday, March 1 (1–5 p.m. ET): Offensive linemen
Players To Watch Out for on Saturday
Mendoza is physically present in Indianapolis, participating in team interviews and media availability throughout the week, but has chosen not to throw in drills, pushing that evaluation window to his April 1 pro day. Someone has to fill the void on the big board.
Alabama’s Ty Simpson is expected to throw. LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Miami’s Carson Beck, Penn State’s Drew Allar, and Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia, the Heisman runner-up, are also slated to work out. Pavia brings an unusual profile, a dual-threat who revealed at Combine media availability this week that he has been getting advice from Johnny Manziel during the pre-draft process, and carries genuine upside as a mid-round wild card.
Beck, after a challenging year at Miami, has legitimate first-round tools but needs a clean, commanding showing to reset the conversation.
The wide receiver group is where the most first-round movement could actually happen Saturday. USC’s Makai Lemon arrives as a projected first-rounder. Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., who spoke to the media this week, is generating interest from teams searching for proven production at the college level. The receiver class is deep enough that a blazing 40 time can vault a player two or three spots in a board, and teams with early picks know it.
On the running back side, Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love has been mentioned repeatedly by evaluators as the most complete offensive difference-maker in the class. Love’s testing numbers will carry weight, since teams increasingly look for backs who can contribute as receivers and in pass protection, and his combine showing gives them a formal baseline before pro days scatter the evaluation calendar.
The first two days of workouts set a high bar. Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles delivered a historic performance Thursday, and his brother, Ohio State safety Lorenzo Styles Jr., posted a 4.27 40-yard dash on Friday. Saturday’s group has the household names and the storylines. Whether it delivers performances to match is the question worth watching for.
