From SLC To Indy: Utah’s Combine Crew, Their Draft Stakes
Feb 23, 2026, 3:42 PM | Updated: 3:43 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine has arrived in Indianapolis, running Feb. 23 through March 2, and once again Utah football figures prominently among this year’s invited prospects.
A total of 319 draft-eligible players were invited to participate in drills, medical evaluations, interviews and on-field testing that will shape draft boards ahead of April’s NFL Draft.
For Utah, five former Utes have earned invitations to the week-long event — a strong showing that reflects both individual performance and the program’s continued development of NFL prospects.
𝐒𝐋𝐂 🛫 𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐘
5️⃣ future #ProUtes are headed to the #NFLCombine this week‼️
𝗢𝗻-𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀:
⏱️ FEB 26 – DL & LB
⏱️ FEB 27 – TE
⏱️ MAR 1 – OL#GoUtes | 📺 @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/PNxbYuJfiZ— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) February 23, 2026
Spencer Fano — Offensive Tackle
Fano is one of the country’s elite tackle prospects. He’s a big, athletic lineman who has played both left and right tackle at a high level and earned unanimous All-American honors. Scouts paint him as a pro-ready blocker with an excellent blend of movement skills and football IQ, especially in wide-zone and outside-zone schemes where his ability to climb and reach second-level defenders is a real weapon for NFL run games.
He moves the way modern offensive linemen need to and plays the game with tenacity. Fano ranks among the top offensive tackle prospects in the class, praised for run blocking, lateral movement, and versatility. A strong Combine would cement his early first-round status and reassure teams about his role in multiple OL schemes.
Stakes: Firmly in the first-round conversation. A clean, fluid workout could lock him into the top 15 — possibly higher depending on team needs.
Caleb Lomu — Offensive Tackle
Lomu developed into one of country’s most reliable edge protectors. He’s not as decorated nationally as Fano, but NFL teams value steadiness — and his film is steady. Lomu is a fluid tackle with prototypical size and impressive mobility for his frame.
After redshirting in 2023, he stepped in and held down the left tackle spot effectively, showing good footwork, balance, and ability to mirror edge rushers. NFL evaluators like that he can climb to the second level and handle athletic defenders, traits that jump off film.
Lomu has real movement tools that NFL scouts covet. Combine results that back that up (quick feet, fluid motion) will push his draft stock upward and validate scouts’ evaluation of his transition to pro tackle.
Stakes: Projected as a late first, early second rounder, Lomu’s combine performance could help solidify his status.
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Logan Fano — Defensive End
After overcoming early injuries in his career, Logan Fano turned into a disruptive edge presence. Fano earned All-Big 12 recognition. He offers a strong combination of size and length with good production when healthy, and his positional versatility makes him intriguing to pro scouts. High motor, physical hands, and scheme versatility. He wins with effort and power more than pure twitch.
Currently a mid-to-late round projection. Fano is a classic “productive college defender” whose Combine testing could be the defining piece of his draft profile — especially for teams looking for edge depth on Day 3.
Stakes: If his burst tests well, he could push into the middle rounds comfortably. If not, he remains a developmental rotational edge.
Lander Barton — Linebacker
Barton comes from a family of high-level football talent and built a productive Utah career marked by physicality, instincts, and versatility. A multi-dimensional defender with size and range, Barton competes downhill and can make plays in coverage — traits NFL teams prize. Despite an injury that cut his 2023 season short and impacted his ’24 campaign, his college production reflects consistency and leadership more than flash.
Stakes: Seen as a middle-to-late round target, Barton’s Combine track record could help define whether he’s a coverage-plus linebacker or a run-centric defender with limited range.
Dallen Bentley — Tight End
Bentley carved out a key role in Utah’s offense, particularly as a red-zone and chain-moving option. Reliable hands, willing blocker, understands spacing. Bentley’s inviting to the Combine came on the heels of a career year in which he showed reliable hands, contested catch ability, and Red Zone utility. He finished second on Utah in receiving and earned All-Big 12 honors, making it clear he’s more than just a role player.
Stakes: While currently viewed as a late-round or priority free agent prospect, Bentley could entice teams with athletic testing that shows he’s more than a matchup fix — a real contributor in pro offenses.
The Bottom Line
The Combine isn’t just a showcase — it’s a draft board catalyst where context, whether through interviews or testing, helps to solidify stock. The measurable traits meet film and where Utah’s 2026 hopefuls can turn buzz into real draft capital.
For each of these Utes, Combine week isn’t just another appearance — it’s a chance to cement draft projections with measurable data, on-field drills and face-to-face interactions with NFL personnel. The way scouts parse standardized results against film can have a big impact on where a prospect lands in April’s draft.
And for Utah’s roster back in Salt Lake City, the Combine also offers a window into the future — a reminder of how the program’s developmental pipeline keeps feeding NFL opportunity.
