Utes, Cougars Heading To Indy: Utah Sends Five, BYU Two to 2026 NFL Combine
Feb 11, 2026, 11:14 AM | Updated: Feb 12, 2026, 9:49 am
SALT LAKE CITY— The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis is one of college football’s major proving grounds of draft season. Locally, both Utah and BYU have players who have been invited.
As part of a Big 12 contingent that will include roughly 45 players from 13 different programs, the slate of combine invitees reflects not just individual accomplishment, but the depth and competitiveness of the conference as a whole.
Powerhouse units from Texas Tech, TCU, and Utah headline the league’s volume of talent headed to Indianapolis, ensuring that teams will be poring over film and measurables for weeks after drills wrap. For the BYU standouts, the focus will be put up numbers, answer the right questions, and start climbing draft boards.
Utah football will send five to the NFL Combine
For the Utah Utes, this year’s combine push was all about opportunity and production. A notable cadre of Utes accepted invites, headlined by tight end offensive linemen Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu. Both are projected first round talents and the combine will be a valuable checkpoint in solidifying their draft stock.
Dallen Bentley — whose breakout senior season earned him a coveted spot in Indianapolis. A late bloomer turned game-changer who carved out a significant role in the Utes’ offense this past season.
Lander Barton earning an invite to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is the culmination of an incredibly productive Utah career and a testament to his rare blend of instincts, size, and football IQ. Barton racked up over 200 tackles, multiple interceptions, sacks, and turnovers during his tenure.
Similarly, Logan Fano’s invitation reflects the perseverance and disruptive potential he showed at Utah, especially after overcoming early injuries in his collegiate career. Fano’s ability gives him a chance to validate his physical tools against the very best in the class.
Watching these Utes run drills and answer questions in Indy isn’t just about individual futures; it’s a barometer of how Utah’s talent pipeline is translating to the next level — something Utes fans are keenly tracking as the program stakes its claim as one of the West’s most consistent NFL-producing factories.
BYU sending two leaders to Indianapolis
The Brigham Young Cougars are sending two to Indianapolis — receiver Chase Roberts and linebacker Jack Kelly. Working through drills and interviews in Indianapolis gives Roberts and Kelly the platform to back up the tape with athletic testing and character interviews that NFL teams value.
Roberts’s invitation to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine is a big moment for a player whose blend of size, catch radius, and production put him on NFL radars. The senior from American Fork turned plenty of heads with his downfield playmaking and big-play ability.
Likewise, Kelly’s combine invite reflects the strides he’s made after transferring to BYU’s program and flowing into a key leadership role on defense. A first-team All-Big 12 linebacker in 2025, Kelly has a physical play style and instincts that NFL scouts will want to test against elite competition.
Big 12 Representation: Depth Meets Diversity
Zooming out to the Big 12 as a whole, the 2026 combine invite list reflects the conference’s influence in the draft. The Big 12 will have a total of 45 players from 13 different programs represent the league in Indianapolis.
- Texas Tech led the Big 12 with nine players invited to the combine. Among the Red Raiders invited are edge David Bailey, defensive tackle Lee Hunter, and linebacker Jacob Rodriquez.
- TCU sent a solid contingent of draft prospects, including impact players on both sides of the ball — from WR Eric McAlister to secondary standout Bud Clark.
- Other Big 12 schools are peppered throughout the full combine list, spanning offensive skill weapons, disruptive defenders, and high-ceiling offensive linemen.
The Big 12’s broad footprint — from established CFP contenders to gritty, up-and-coming squads — proved out again: depth of talent matters, and NFL executives are taking note, flocking to Indy to vet this crop.
The Bottom Line
The 2026 Combine is a showcase but it’s a crucial step for draft hopes that will either be forged or forgotten. For the Utes’ quintet — a mix of high-end talent, production, and potential — and BYU’s duo of leaders who’ve proven themselves against Big 12 competition, Indianapolis offers a rare chance to validate talent in front of every NFL decision-maker.
The Big 12’s representation underscores the conference’s ability to produce pro talent. When the lights hit Lucas Oil Stadium and the drills start, all that matters for Utah and BYU prospects is that this is where off-season narratives take shape and draft hopes solidify into draft stock.
