Five Rebels Look to Shine in 2026 NFL Combine

OXFORD, Miss. — Coming off a historic season for Ole Miss, five former Rebels look to improve their draft stock as they head to Indianapolis for the NFL Draft Combine set for February 23 through March 2. Wide receivers De’Zhuan Stribling and Harrison “Trey” Wallace, along with tight end Dae’Quan Wright, offensive lineman Diego Pounds, and defensive lineman Zxavian Harris have all been invited.

Headed to Indy‼️@NFLDraft x #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/k2Un11N4lD

— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) February 11, 2026

With events like the 40-yard dash, the bench press, on field drills and much more, the combine is an important part of the NFL draft process. With interviews and teams getting to meet the players, there is truly no stone left unturned. Some drills matter more depending on the player’s position, while some are not taken into account. 

De’Zhaun Stribling, WR

Stribling, listed at six-foot-two and weighing 200 pounds, is a physically gifted wide receiver. He notched 811 yards and six touchdowns last season, which is a very deceiving statline. He was undoubtedly the number one receiver for Ole Miss last season, but the Rebel offense was one where the ball was spread around a lot. In clutch moments, quarterback Trinidad Chambliss would look his way, with his biggest moment coming in the Sugar Bowl against Georgia, where he caught a pass that would set up the game-winning field goal from Lucas Carneiro.

Stribling’s draft stock is currently in the day two or three range. This could very quickly change with an impressive combine. There are two drills that stick out as crucial for Stribling in the combine. The obvious one is the 40-yard dash. If Stribling can get a good time in his 40, he could improve his stock, as his size is impressive and if he has speed to match, he could become even more intriguing for NFL scouts. The other drill is the on the field work. If he looks good running routes and consistently catches the ball, like he did for a majority of the season, he could raise his draft stock even more. 

Harrison “Tre” Wallace III, WR

Wallace, listed at six-foot-one, weighing 195 pounds, is a very speedy player for his size. Wallace tallied 934 yards and added four touchdowns on top of that. For most of the season, if there was a big play down the field, Wallace was usually involved. There were multiple times throughout the year where he was open all alone down the field. He is an extremely good separator and route runner.

This combine is a big moment for Wallace. He increased his profile dramatically after his transfer to Ole Miss from Penn State, with his production skyrocketing. Currently, his draft stock is around the second round. He could sneak into the first round or very early second round if he performs to his potential at the combine. As with Stribling, the 40 and and the route tree drills are super important for Wallace. As a polished route runner, and with fairly good speed, Wallace should shine in these drills. He has a decent shot of being the highest Rebel drafted in this year’s draft class. 

Dae’Quan Wright, TE

 Wright, a six-foot-four, 255 pound tight end, is a physical specimen who is coming off of a 635-yard, five-touchdown year, a very respectable end to a good career. Wright was the safety valve for Chambliss for the entire season. Alongside Kewan Lacy, if there was a scramble and Chambliss had to get the ball away quickly, Wright was a target. He was also menacing in the endzone. Two-hundred, fifty-five pounds might be undershooting it, as Wright is a unit and certainly plays bigger than that. Like a power forward, Wright boxed out linebackers and dominated corners when he was matched up with them. He is also a decent blocker, but needs more development on that end.

For tight ends, the combine is intriguing. The route tree and 40 times don’t matter as much. The three-cone drill, and the blocking drill matter a lot more for them. Wright obviously has good hands, and is strong. He looks the part, but it will be intriguing to see his time for the three-cone drill. He is currently mocked as a day-three selection.

Diego Pounds, OL

Pounds is an intriguing prospect. The six-foot-six, 340-pound tackle is a good prospect. Pounds was very consistent, never having any bad moments, but also not having an insane amount of highlights. He can be a very reliable tackle and potential starter at some point in his professional career.

His draft stock is currently at day three. The three-cone and bench press will be crucial for him. His arm length will also be important if he wants to stay at tackle, as the normal length NFL teams look for is 34 inches or greater. If he can showcase his agility and strength, he might move up some teams’ boards.

Zxavian Harris, DT

Harris is a monster of a man. Standing a six-foot-seven, weighing 320 pounds, he is one of the bigger defensive tackles in this class. He is coming off of a 27-tackle, three sack, and one interception year. Harris’ main draw as a prospect is that he takes up a lot of space in the run game. There were moments in the year where he would take up almost two gaps, shutting those down for the running back and allowing other defenders to close in. Harris is best when there are other legitimate edge rushers around him, allowing him to be the big guy in the middle that wreaks havoc. 

Currently listed as a day three prospect, it will be interesting to see how agile he is with how big he is. His main draw is his size, but if he is agile along with the size to match, he could fly up some draft boards. It is a given that he will be strong, as a good bench press is almost guaranteed. His 40-yard time will be interesting as well, with the 10-yard split being important for his position. 

From February 23-March 2, you can watch these Rebels compete in the NFL Draft Combine on ESPN.