NFL Combine explosion suddenly has Gracen Halton climbing draft boards

The NFL Draft stock for former Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton is starting to look like a mountain with no peak.

Halton seemed destined to be selected on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft in April, but after eye-popping showings at last week's NFL Scouting Combine and the Senior Bowl, the narrative has completely changed for Halton as he could hear his name called a lot earlier than anyone projected even just a few weeks ago.

ESPN mock draft has OU's Gracen Halton going Day 2 of 2026 NFL Draft

In his two-round mock draft after the NFL Combine, ESPN's Jordan Reid predicted Halton to go 59th overall in the second round to the Houston Texans. Reid also had the Carolina Panthers taking OU defensive end R Mason Thomas just a few picks before at No. 51, which was low compared to other recent projections.

"Halton's arrow is pointed upward, and he makes perfect sense for a Texans defense that needs interior help," Reid wrote.

Early mock drafts before the NFL Combine had Halton going anywhere between the fourth and sixth rounds. Other than a few team-specific sites, no one projected Halton to go in the first two days of the draft, which includes the second and third rounds. But then Halton showed off in front of NFL scouts for two weeks.

Halton was unreal at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. Listed at a massive 6-foot-3 and 293 pounds, Halton leapt for a vertical of 36.5 inches, which was best among all participating defensive tackles and better than the next mark by 2.5 inches. It was also the third-best vertical ever at the combine by a DT behind Northwestern's Adetomiwa Adebawore's 37.5" in 2023 and LSU's Al Woods' 37" in 2010.

The rest of Halton's numbers were also near the top of his position group. His 9'6" broad jump was tied for second among defensive tackles and his 4.82-second 40-yard dash time was third. Halton's other marks included a 1.70-second split (5th) and 4.79-second shuttle (4th).

Halton has another chance to impress scouts at OU's Pro Day on Thursday, March 12, and with the way he's been showing off, his draft stock should take yet another jump after that outing.