The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine has exceeded expectations. Between the Styles brothers bringing the house down and each position group setting event records for the fastest times in Combine history, the last few days have been lots of fun.
Even so, the NFL Combine isn’t what it once was. Part of that is a lack of coverage for certain drills (only the 40-yard dash and position drills are televised). More importantly, prospects have grown more cautious about the Combine. A bad weekend often does more damage than its reciprocal, giving prospects fewer reasons to risk their draft stock and subsequent rookie contract.
That is overtly obvious at running back, where there has been a substantial decline in participation in Indianapolis. Take the three-cone drill, for example, which is expected to be all but barren on Saturday.
Why aren’t running backs doing the 3-cone drill?
Naturally, all eyes will be on Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love. He’s the runaway RB1, the best back in the country, and a potential top-10 pick at a position that demands heavy consternation.
He’ll be a point of contention throughout the draft cycle. Fortunately, squabbling over a Combine no-show isn’t on the table. Love is at the Combine, and he confirmed that he will be running the 40-yard dash and doing the position drills, helping scratch that competitive itch on the path to draft day.
“Just to showcase my skills,” Love said, via ESPN. “I’m not afraid to go out there and just be myself. I feel like I’m very fast, I feel like I’ve got some good moves in my bag, so why not go out there and run the 40, do some position drills.”
Running the 40 should give fans a good estimate of his speed, and it’s easily the most anticipated run from the position group. It’ll be interesting to see how he stacks up to the “generational” prospects that came before him.
That group consists of Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson, and Ashton Jeanty. Barkley and Robinson both ran the 40-yard dash and did most of the athletic tests; Jeanty was a top-10 pick without running or jumping in Indianapolis.
MORE: Why is Jordyn Tyson skipping Combine workouts?
Each of them was taken in the top 10. None of them ran the three-cone drill.
The three-cone drill is notoriously difficult. And at the most scrutinized position (in terms of positional value), there’s no reason to give teams an extra reason to pivot. Even strong athletes and elusive runners can struggle with the drill, meaning Love, Barkley, Robinson, and Jeanty would not be locks to top the leaderboard.
Subsequently, Love’s NFL Combine approach should be appreciated, especially in this era of participation. Merely running the 40-yard dash is enough to give fans a reason to tune in for Day 3 of drills, and working out with the other running backs during position drills should help set the bar for what open-field agility and footwork should look like.
Don’t be scared of Love’s lack of testing. He’s making the best decision for himself, and it’s a path that running backs continue to follow to the first half of Round 1.
