Every year at the NFL Combine, there's always a moment that feels like a stock market opening bell. Slept on prospects fly into Indianapolis to perform under the lights of Lucas Oil Stadium with projected values attached to their names — fringe first-rounder, late Day 2 pick, or mid-round depth piece. Then the testing starts, and stopwatches start to click
Unexpected events began to occur, such as a soaring vertical jump or broad jumps that stretched farther than expected. A blazing 40-yard dash time flashes across the screen, and suddenly the room shifts. This results in position coaches beginning to lean forward, as scouts start to whisper. A player who was once penciled in as "solid" now looks explosive. A guy who was previously labeled "stiff" on tape now suddenly moves fluidly in cone drills.
These things, along with other specific happenings, are seen up close, and that's when perception begins to change. Then, before you know it, by the end of the week, the board rarely looks the same. Those numbers turn into buzz, buzz turns into belief, and that belief flips the script for certain teams. For Alabama's football 2026 prospects, that shift was very real over the past four days.
There were several things to like about all 12 of the Crimson Tide's draft hopefuls after seeing their performances in front of representatives from all 32 NFL franchises from this past Thursday to Sunday. But to me, there were a couple of specific names that stood out the most after coming into the week severely underrated. That is why I've highlighted 4 exact Alabama players who boosted their stocks the most with their combine showings ahead of April's 2026 NFL Draft.
4 Alabama players who sent their stock soaring at the 2026 NFL Combine
1. RB Jam Miller
When dissecting all of Alabama's combine invites and their individual performances, starting out with an underrated prospect like Jam Miller felt appropriate for several reasons.
No, the former Crimson Tide tailback didn't have the senior campaign many hoped for after injuries, and the team's struggles on its offensive front limited his consistency, averaging just 3.9 yards per carry, totaling 504 yards and three touchdowns on 130 carries across 11 games. But you wouldn't have guessed that production after seeing the show he put on Saturday.
Miller immediately turned heads by displaying a burst speed that most didn't think he had, posting the fourth fastest 40-yard dash time of all running backs at this year's combine by clocking an official time of 4.43 seconds.
Beyond the stopwatch, Miller also showed off his football IQ in on-field drills when successfully holding his own in pass protection reps and displaying his versatility as a serviceable pass catcher out of the backfield. This performance has now generated buzz around the Texas natives name, with some analysts and scouts raising Miller's draft projection from a mid-round Day 3 pick to a potential Day 2 selection for an NFL team looking for a complementary runner to strengthen its backfield rotation.
2. WR Germie Bernard
For me, and I think many of the Alabama fanbase who watched Bernard be the smooth catalyst that he was during his two seasons in Tuscaloosa, his performance on Saturday in Indianapolis wasn't surprising at all. The senior wide receiver was aware of the doubts many made around his player profile regarding his speed, telling reporters beforehand, "A lot of people doubt my speed, but they gon' see tomorrow.”
And sure enough, the Las Vegas native did just what he set out to do, clocking an impressive 4.49 time in his forty. Bernard also showed off his crispy route-running ability and sticky hands in the receiving drills, making things look routine per usual. The Alabama standout also topped all WRs in the 3-cone drill when running a sub 7.00 and recording a time of 6.71 seconds. These marks now have scouts putting more respect on Bernard's name, labeling him as one of the biggest risers at his position. Many now are discussing Bernard as a high-value second-round selection who can be an immediate contributor to WR-needy franchises.
3. C Parker Brailsford
Much like Bernard, Brailsford has been a consistent contributor since following Kalen DeBoer from Washington to Tuscaloosa. After being the staple of Alabama's offensive line for the past two seasons, his talents shone bright in Indianapolis as well. This all started when Brailsford took a giant step forward in raising his stock when the big man turned heads with a 9'10" broad jump, tying him for 5th-best all-time at his position.
Brailsford later doubled down on his impressive Sunday outing when he clocked an official time of 4.95 seconds in the forty. This effort left the 6-foot-2, 289-pounder with the 7th fastest time in his position group among linemen. He scored an unofficial 8.47 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) out of a possible 10.00. That ranked 105 out of 679 centers from 1987 to 2026. With these efforts, Brailsford is now trending as one of the biggest risers upfront, having many considering him as a potential Day 2 selection with high upside ahead of April.
4. CB Domani Jackson
After a bumpy senior season, many did away with the idea that Jackson had what it took to be the next defensive back from Alabama to be a lockdown defender on Sundays in the pros. This disbelief has been shown in where the California native has been projected on the NFL board among other draft-eligible cornerbacks at his position, but after Jackson's performance this past weekend, some may be kicking the tires again on that notion. This reconsideration comes after the two-year Alabama starter did his best to switch up the narrative by posting the fourth fastest forty time of all CBs, clocking an official time 4.41 seconds.
Jackson also showed off his slick mechanics in on-field drills with his smooth back pedal and route recognition skills. He also measured in at 6-foot-1, with a 31 1/8 wingspan that gives NFL defensive coordinators a frame with speed and size to mold, if they so choose to do so.
These prominent traits now have scouts thinking of Jackson as one of the better corners with high upside in this draft for a team that needs depth at the position. His stock is still in the air, but arguments are now being made that Jackson could be an NFL starter down the road if he can land with the right franchise.
All in all, the NFL Combine isn't the end all be all. These four highlighted Alabama prospects, along with the 8 others, still have the opportunity to raise their stocks even more with successful pro day performances this month, along with private workouts and formal meetings with professional teams all the way up until April. There's no doubt in my mind that all Alabama prospects can carve out careers at the next level. The question is now, will they? And what NFL franchise exactly will it be with?