Rams, Chargers, Raiders, 49ers should keep eye on these defensive players who stood out at NFL combine

INDIANAPOLIS — The top defensive prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft showcased their talents over the first two days of the on-field work at the NFL scouting combine.

Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, Wisconsin defensive end Mason Reiger, Missouri cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. and Texas Tech defensive end David Bailey were among the biggest standouts.

But they weren’t the only ones who helped themselves.

Here are five other players who opened eyes in Indianapolis, along with a breakdown on how they might fit in the Rams, Chargers, Raiders or 49ers draft plans.

 Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State

The Aztecs’ second-team All-American may have solidified himself as a first-round pick with the blistering 4.4 40-yard dash he posted, the third-best time among cornerbacks. He also had a 1.54 10-yard split, which tied for third, and had a solid 38-inch vertical leap.

Measuring in at 6-0 ⅜ and 193 pounds, he has the necessary size to play inside or outside, and as he showed last year at San Diego State by registering 49 tackles and four interceptions — including two for touchdowns — to go along with nine pass breakups, he is a strong fit in multiple schemes. Johnson has a chance to be a Day 1 starter at a premium position, so don’t be surprised if he ends up getting selected in the first round.

Best fit: The Chargers hold the 22nd pick in the first round, which could be a bit too high for Johnson. Plus, they have more pressing needs to address at that point in the draft. The 49ers (No. 27) and Rams (No. 29) are potential landing spots. The 49ers’ needs at wide receiver and defensive line could trump a cornerback at that spot in the draft, but with no guarantees that a first-round-worthy edge rusher or wideout is available when their turn in the first round arrives, keep an eye on Johnson.

Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon

Heading into the combine, the incredibly productive three-year starter — two seasons at Purdue and one at Oregon — was hanging around at the back end of the first round and a solid pick in the second.

But then Thieneman put on an athletic show Friday, running a 4.35 40, registering a 41-inch vertical jump and looking smooth and nimble in his on-field drills.

All of which backed up the production, which was off the charts during his three-season college career, when he registered 306 tackles and eight interceptions and showed top-notch coverage skills, a nose for the football and football savvy.

The film and the athletic profile should decisively vault him into the first round, with the only real question being how high his combine helium balloon ultimately takes him.

Best fit: Depending on what happens in free agency, the Rams could have a big need at safety. Kamren Curl is a pending free agent, and if he prices himself out of the Rams’ plans, they will have a hole to fill. The 2026 draft is considered solid at this position, but it would be hard to imagine Les Snead and the Rams passing on such a polished, productive player like Thieneman if he is still on the board at No. 29.

Malachi Lawrence, Edge, Central Florida

Lawrence needed a big week to improve his draft status, and that is exactly what he did by putting his athletic ability on display. Lawrence finished second among his peers with a 4.52 40, a 1.59 10-yard split, a 40-inch vertical and a 10-10 broad jump.

The 6-foot-4, 253-pound Lawrence had 20 career sacks during his college career and consistently made plays behind the line of scrimmage with 28 tackles for loss. He has to fix some technical issues, but he got better every year, capped off by an elite season in 2025, and it’s fair to expect that trajectory to keep pointing up in the NFL.

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Best fit: Lawrence was considered a solid top-110 prospect entering the week, with his name more likely to be called on Day 3. That may have all changed after wowing everyone with his athletic ability.

The Chargers and 49ers, who pick at No. 86 and 92, respectively, in the third round, both need edge rushers, and the ascending Lawrence would represent tremendous value at those spots in the draft. The Raiders, who have the second pick in the fourth round, would welcome him with open arms if he fell to them.

Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech

Despite his off-the-charts college production — back-to-back seasons of 127 or more tackles and double-digit tackles behind the line of scrimmage — there was some skepticism about how Rodriguez’s athletic ability projected to the next level.

As a result, he was predicted to land anywhere from the end of the second round to late in the third.

Well, you can pretty much forget about Rodriguez falling out of the second round after he shut up the naysayers by running a 4.57 40, producing a 38.5 vertical jump and recording a 10-1 broad jump.

Among his linebacker peers, he posted a top-3 cone time at 6.90 and tied for the top mark in the short shuttle at 4.19.

The 6-1, 231-pound Rodriguez solidified himself as one of the best linebacker athletes in the class and can help an NFL defense immediately.

Best fit: The Chargers, Rams and Raiders all have linebacker needs. The Raiders hold the 36th pick overall in the second round, which might be a bit too high for Rodriguez. If they take a linebacker at that spot, Texas’ Anthony Hill or Cincinnati’s Jake Golday might offer more value. The Chargers and Rams, who pick at No. 55 and No. 61 in the second round, could be landing spots for Rodriguez.

DeMonte Capehart, DT, Clemson

The draft isn’t always about the first two days, and the great organizations always figure out a way to find value beyond the third round.

Capehart could be someone to keep an eye on at that range in the draft. His numbers at Clemson aren’t going to bowl anyone over, finishing with 78 tackles, including 13.5 behind the line of scrimmage during his six-year career.

But he has ideal size at 6-5 and 315 pounds, and the necessary play strength to line up in the interior in multiple schemes, including at nose tackle in a 3-4 alignment, and the athletic ability he showed in Indianapolis proves he has the type of agility and burst to succeed at the next level.

According to RAS Football, the 9.97 relative athletic score Capehart posted this week ranked eighth of 2,047 defensive tackles from 1987 to 2026. That was a big deal with a prospect trying to make a case for himself.

Best fits: The Raiders are moving to a 3-4 base defense and need to beef up their interior defensive line depth. With so many roster needs, they may have to wait until Day 3 to beef up that room, and Capehart would represent good value in the fourth or fifth round.

Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com