The national championship is in the books. Super Bowl X has already gone down in history. Now, college football and the NFL are set to merge in the coming months as preparations for the draft get into full swing. Earlier this week, the NFL announced the list of 319 draft prospects invited to the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
The combine will still be held in Indianapolis from February 23 to March 2, and these 319 rookies will showcase their speed, strength, athleticism and more in front of a large group of scouts. Conference USA won four representatives from the consortium, with three of its 14 member institutions represented. Here are the American prospects to watch in Indianapolis later this month:
Chris Adams, OT, Memphis
Adams was a full-time starter for three years in college, including two at Memphis. The 6-foot-5, 277-pound tackle started at Old Dominion in 2021 and was promoted to starter in 2022; however, a season-ending injury in the second game limited his playing time for the remainder of the season. But Adams recovered well enough to play every snap for Old Dominion in 2023, making four starts at right tackle before transitioning to left tackle midseason. After transferring to Memphis, he retained the starting left tackle role, paving the way for Old Dominion. The Tigers went 11-2 in 2024 and Adams received an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl in January, the first step in the offseason to prove himself.
Travis Burke, OT, Memphis
In 2025, Burke started 11 games for the Memphis Tigers at right tackle on the other side of the Memphis offensive line. His college journey was an eventful experience that included three stops. The 6-foot-9, 315-pound tackle spent his first two seasons (2021-22) at FCS Gardner-Webb before transferring to Florida International University. Burke continued his development for two years at Florida International University, earning 22 starts in 22 games for the Panthers. Including his year in Memphis, the Hollywood, Florida, native finished his college career with 33 starts, gaining a wealth of experience in different systems. He also earned an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl in January before he applied to the NFL Combine.
Eli Heidenreich, RB/WR, Navy
Heidenreich is one of the most unique players to ever wear a Navy uniform. While his position is typically listed as running back, he’s essentially a Swiss Army knife that fits any role. Heidenreich leaves the Midshipmen as the program’s all-time leading receiver — both from a career perspective (1,994 yards) and from a season perspective (941 yards in 2025). He once recorded 100 rushes and 100 receiving yards in the same game, showing off his versatility in Navy’s option-based offense, and he also set a Navy record with 243 receiving yards against Air Force in 2025. He is both an established deep threat and an explosive runner, with 1,157 rushing yards in three seasons and a 6.8 yardage average. The Pittsburgh native was clocked at over 20 mph on a GPS tracker, starred in the East-West Shrine Bowl and entered the combine as an interesting offensive prospect who can excel in a variety of roles.
Robert Henry Jr., RB, UTSA
Henry quickly made a name for himself during the 2025 season, rushing for over 140 yards in the first four games and at least one touchdown in each game. The 5-foot-9, 205-pound Roadrunner became the ultimate breakout running back, scoring five touchdowns of 74-plus yards in just those four games. He ended up with 1,045 yards on the season, the third-best total in UTSA history, and left San Antonio as the Roadrunners’ third-all-time leading rusher. Henry also shined in 2023 and 2024 with 588 yards. The talented running back totaled 27 rushing touchdowns in three years with 706 yards and an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl, becoming the seventh Roadrunner to qualify for the NFL Combine.
NFL combine snubbed
One of the most surprising omissions from the Conference USA combine invites is Navy defensive tackle Landon Robinson. Robinson won the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award, earned first-team AP All-America honors and impressed scouts at the East and West Shrine Bowls with his dominance in practices. Robinson not receiving an invitation was one of the biggest surprises not only from a Conference USA perspective, but from a national perspective.
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Other notable snubs include East Carolina wide receiver Anthony Smith, Tulsa running back Dominique Richardson and UTSA inside linebacker Shad Banks Jr. — all of whom played in the East-West Shrine Bowl.