Mel Kiper praises Oklahoma LB at NFL combine

The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine has come to a close in Indianapolis, and the Oklahoma Sooners were very well represented this year at the event . A total of 10 former Sooners were invited to the combine, as wide receiver Deion Burks , tight end Jaren Kanak, offensive lineman Febechi Nwaiwu, defensive linemen R Mason Thomas , Damonic Wiliams, Gracen Halton, and Marvin Jones Jr. , linebackers Kendal Daniels and Owen Heinecke, and defensive back Robert Spears-Jennings were all on hand for one of draft season's biggest checkpoints.

While other players may have had better measurables or had better performances in some of the events, there's one former Sooner that has caught the eye of a high-profile draft analyst for the way he played on the field in 2025.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has been covering the draft for a long time, and he gushed over what he saw out of Heinecke when he turned on the Oklahoma tape for this past season.

"He's been one of my 'just missed' off-ball linebackers for a lot of weeks there during the season," Kiper said. "He was just the guy, flew to the football. He went from point A to point B so fast."

Even on a strong Oklahoma defense that stifled opponents last season, it was Heinecke who was a big standout to Kiper for his ability at inside linebacker. He continued to heap praise on Heinecke, and speculated on where he could end up being selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.

"If he does test well you're talking, I think early Day 3 is a possibility for Heinecke, because he's gonna be a tremendous special teamer," Kiper said. "He's gonna be a guy that gives you, obviously when he's on the field, great instincts, awareness, tackler, attitude, approach, leadership, all those things, his intensity ... Yes, I think, because of all that, yeah, he has a nice NFL career, and I could see him going, like I said, I have a fourth-round grade on him right now."

It's quite the rise to prominence for Heinecke, who played 15 minutes of lacrosse at Ohio State in 2021, before walking on at OU and missing the entire 2022 season due to injury. A special teamer in 2023 and 2024, he broke onto the scene at inside linebacker in 2025, and now could find himself being taken in the fourth round of the draft if Kiper is correct.

Of course, Heinecke has exhausted his collegiate eligibility, after the NCAA denied his appeal for an extra year of eligibility last week. Despite only three years of college football, Heinecke was not granted permission to play for the Sooners in 2026.

Oklahoma general manager Jim Nagy told the Tulsa World that OU "would be remiss if we didn’t keep fighting" for an additional season of eligibility for Heinecke. If they want to keep fighting, the next step would be legal action - filing a lawsuit and seeking an an injunction or temporary restraining order against the NCAA. It's unclear at this time if Heinecke and Co. want to keep fighting for another year, or focus on his NFL prospects, which look to be getting stronger and stronger.

Barring a big change, Heinecke will be off to the NFL next season, and the Sooners will be replacing his production at linebacker . Despite being a contributor on defense for just one year in Norman, it looks like Heinecke has done enough to impress scouts and analysts at the next level, and he should hear his name called in late-April.

Oklahoma has six other players that are eligible for the draft that did not get invited to the combine in running back Jaydn Ott , wide receivers Keontez Lewis and Major Melson, tight end Will Huggins, offensive lineman Derek Simmons, and kicker Austin Welch.

The next step for the draft-hopeful Sooners is the pro day later this month. All 16 OU draft-eligible players can compete during the pro day if they choose, but some may decide their playing days have come to a close. For the second-straight season, each of OU's players hoping to get drafted had exhausted their college eligibility, and the Sooners did not have any early draft entrants again this year.

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This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: ESPN's Mel Kiper likes what he sees from this former Sooner