Ideal Broncos linebacker prospect just put on a show at the NFL Combine

The Denver Broncos need urgent help at a few positions. With the right offseason moves, Denver could be right back at the top of the AFC hierarchy in 2026 and primed for a Super Bowl push. This team was just some unlikely snowfall away from winning the AFC Championship Game without Bo Nix.

The team is trending in the right direction, but the front office has to get more aggressive about filling key roster needs, or else Denver is going to again just miss out on the goal. Fortunately, the 2026 NFL Draft is quite deep at positions that the Broncos need.

Tight end and linebacker stick out as being needs and being deep in talent in this year's class. Well, some of the top linebackers got the NFL Combine started on Thursday, and this ideal Broncos linebacker prospect truly put on a show.

Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez had himself quite the NFL Combine performance

Jacob Rodriguez is a top linebacker prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, and before we dive into his numbers, it's important (and awesome) to note that he already visited with the Broncos, and he had some glowing things to say about that visit.

Rodriguez led his entire group, which also included other top linebackers in Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese, and Jake Golday, in three-cone time. Anything under seven seconds is flat-out terrific:

Moreover, Rodriguez' RAS (relative athletic score) was quite good. He only got dinged for his height and weight. Rodriguez is 6-1 and about 230 pounds, so he's not the biggest, but that truly seems to be the only notable concern with his profile. His vertical jump, broad jump, and 40-yard dash metrics were all out of this world.

The athlecism is obvious with Rodriguez, and it gets even better:

We could be talking about one of the best overall athletes in the entire NFL Draft class, period. Lance Zierlein's NFL Draft profile on Rodriguez is also encouraging:

"Rodriguez arrived in college as an offensive “athlete” and leaves Texas Tech as a bigger-than-life, stat-stuffing linebacker. He’s uniquely productive, with elite tackle, interception and forced fumble production. He’ll occasionally bounce out of a run fit when chasing action, but he has the burst to race back inside and finish. He’s slippery working off blocks and navigating combo climbers. His lateral pursuit leaves the station on time and with a fast take-off. Rodriguez displays ballhawking instincts and outstanding hands but busted coverages were part of the package in 2025. His unbridled urgency and “make every play” mindset can inflate missed tackle totals, but the production should outweigh the occasional headaches. He projects as a long-term starting inside linebacker."

In 2025, Rodriguez did indeed fill the stat sheet in a major way. In just 4 games, he racked up 128 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, four interceptions, six passes defended, two fumble recoveries, and seven forced fumbles, which led the nation. Going in Round 1 might be a bit high for Rodriguez, but the Broncos should absolutely have him high on their boards, perhaps snagging him in Round 2.

Rodriguez fits what the Broncos are missing at the position. There's a lot to love with him as a prospect and the immediate production he could bring to the NFL.