Rodriguez Dazzles at Combine, Broncos' Top Draft Target

0:00On February 27th, the Denver Broncos are eyeing linebacker help ahead of the 2026 draft, and Texas Tex Jacob Rodriguez just made, himself a prime candidate with a standout NFL Combine performance. The team needs depth there after a strong season that nearly landed them in the AFC championship, and Rodriguez dominated the early drills among top prospects. He led the group into three cone drill, with a blistering 6.90 seconds, well under the elite 7 second mark, and tied for the best. Short shuttle at 4.19 seconds. His athleticism popped even more in the backpedal and reactor row, hitting a top speed of 18.43 mph, the fastest four, any linebacker in the last four years. Scouts raved about his overall score, an unofficial 9.23 relative athletic score that ranks high historically for linebackers. In college last year, Rodriguez stuffed the stat sheet in just four games with 128 tackles, 11 for loss, 4 picks, and a nation leading 7 forced fumbles.

1:05Rodriguez already visited the Broncos and called their program smooth and aligned, saying he'd love to play in Denver. His versatile skill set matches exactly what the team lacks in linebacker, bringing instant production potential. With the draft still months away, expect Rodriguez high on Denver's board, possibly in round two, as they build toward another Super Bowl run.