2025 NFL scouting combine: Stock up, stock down for these 20 players in the NFL draft

Posted by author March 3, 2025 NFL

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There are less than two months until the 2025 NFL draft. The scouting combine in Indianapolis this past weekend gave lots of teams and their fans a chance to see some of the top talent in the draft class.

The four days of on-field action confirmed this draft has deep classes at running back, defensive line (both interior and at edge), tight end and interior offensive line. Each group had their time to shine in drills and testing to show why they should be part of the next crop of NFL stars.

Unfortunately, the weekend was thin on consensus top-five players and the top quarterbacks did not compete. For many teams, they’ll have to catch them at their pro days in March ahead of the draft. But that did give other players farther down the draft board a chance to show off with a bigger spotlight.

Some players exceeded expectations in a showing that will boost their draft stock come April. Others did not and may see less positivity coming out of the weekend. Here are 10 players whose stock is up after the weekend and 10 whose stock is down for the 2025 NFL draft.

2025 NFL combine: Stock up/stock down

Stock up: Texas WR Matthew Golden

Golden gained steam over the final months of the college football season with two 100-yard games in his final four contests. His skill set fits in with most offenses with very good route running and great contested catch ability.

He wasn’t known as a burner but went out and had the second-best 40-yard dash time of the weekend. At 4.29 seconds, he was the fastest wide receiver in Indianapolis. He was already viewed as a late first-round wide receiver. Now, he could be one of the first few off the board.

Stock down: Texas WR Isaiah Bond

As Golden rises, his teammate falls. Bond boasted he’d contend with fellow Longhorn Xavier Worthy’s record time in the 40-yard dash and fell well short of that with a 4.39-second time. His mixed production over the last two seasons caused some concern for evaluators but his speed was one of the best parts of his scouting report. Now that’s come into some question.

Stock up: Virginia Tech RB Bhayshul Tuten

Tuten entered the weekend as a likely Day 3 pick following a productive career at Virginia Tech. It was not for lack of talent; this year’s running back class is one of the deepest of the last 20 years.

He then went out and was the most athletic running back in the field. At 5-foot-9 and 206 pounds, Tuten had the best 40-yard dash time (4.32 seconds) and vertical jump (40 1/2 inches) of the position at the combine. He was tied for second in the broad jump at 10 feet, 10 inches as a fast and explosive back. He might remain a Day 3 pick but will probably hear his name called earlier than expected, potentially in Round 4 or 5.

Stock down: Missouri WR Luther Burden III

Burden III was considered one of the top three wide receivers in the draft entering the combine alongside Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona) and Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State). He was the only of the three to participate in on-field drills and ran an average 4.41 seconds in the 40-yard dash with a 1.54-second 10-yard split. For a player who was thought of as an explosive yards-after-catch threat, he didn’t run quite as well as hoped.

Stock up: Iowa State WR Jaylin Noel

Noel more than made his case as one of the top slot wide receivers in the class with his showing in Indianapolis. He ran a 4.39 40-yard dash with one of the best 10-yard splits in the class at 1.51 seconds. It wasn’t just speed, though. Noel tied for the best vertical jump in the group at 41 1/2 inches and set the best broad jump mark at 11 feet, 2 inches and the most bench press reps with 23. That mix of speed, explosion and strength could move him well into the top 50 players.

Stock down: Oregon WR Tez Johnson

Johnson had a confusing combine. He weighed in as the lightest wide receiver in the last 25 years of the combine at 154 pounds, and ran a pedestrian 4.51 seconds in the 40-yard dash. But he then ran the fastest 3-cone of any wide receiver at the combine at 6.65 seconds and had the fourth-best shuttle at 4.15 seconds.

The mixed results might give some teams pause about selecting Johnson. Many likely have him off the board entirely due to his historically small frame.

Stock up: Georgia C Jared Wilson

There aren’t many true centers in this draft class. Most of them are projections at this point with players who could translate well on the interior but haven’t played much there in college.

Wilson made the most of that with the fastest 40-yard dash among all offensive linemen. His 4.84-second mark is in the 98th percentile among all offensive linemen since 1999. He has good size at 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds with big hands and solid arm length. He has just one season of tape from his time with the Bulldogs so this showing should improve his standing.

Stock down: Oregon RB Jordan James

In a crowded class with lots of talent, running backs at the combine needed to separate themselves from the rest of the group. James built a reputation as a powerful runner with the Ducks but could’ve caught more attention from teams with a quicker-than-expected 40-yard time. Instead, he was one of the slower prospects and tied for the worst broad jump of the group.

Stock up: Oregon OL Josh Conerly Jr.

Conerly Jr. had a viral moment in the wrong way at the Senior Bowl. He came to the combine and proved to be much more than that.

He had a better-than-average 40-yard dash at 5.05 seconds but importantly had the best 10-yard split among all offensive linemen at 1.71 seconds, putting him in the 91st percentile among all offensive linemen since 1999. He posted the third-best vertical jump at 34 1/2 inches and measured in bigger than anticipated at 6-foot-5 and 311 pounds with 33 1/2 inch arms. That size and speed could see him potentially stick at tackle in the NFL.

Stock down: Bowling Green TE Harold Fannin Jr.

Fannin Jr. is a unique talent in a good tight end class who was used all over the formation at Bowling Green. There were some size questions but he measured in at a solid 6-foot-3 and 241 pounds. He posted one of the fastest 10-yard splits at the position but overall had an average 40-yard dash at 4.71 seconds. He was middle-of-the-pack as well in the vertical jump (34 inches) and broad jump (9 feet, 10 inches) but was one of the best in the 3-cone and shuttle. It’s a mixed performance that could see him drop in a competitive class.

Stock up: Georgia Tech DT Zeek Biggers

Biggers measured in as one of the biggest defensive tackles at the combine at a massive 6-foot-6 and 321 pounds with 34 7/8 inch arms. At that size, he still managed one of the fastest 10-yard splits at the position. Players of his size just don’t move that quickly. He entered the weekend as a late Day 3 prospect given his lack of production but could easily move up a round thanks to his performance.

Stock down: Alabama G Tyler Booker

Booker is considered the top pure guard prospect in the class whose game relies on play strength and attitude to bully defenders at 6-foot-5 and 321 pounds. His game in college wasn’t reliant on athleticism and he had a tough day on Sunday in Indianapolis.

He had the second-slowest 40-yard dash among all offensive linemen at 5.38 seconds but had by far the slowest 10-yard split at 1.96 seconds. No other prospect was slower than 1.90 seconds. He was the only offensive lineman not to clear eight feet in the broad jump. He’s still considered a plug-and-play starter at guard but that lack of athleticism may limit which teams would consider using a first- or second-round pick on him.

Stock up: Georgia DT Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins

Ingram-Dawkins was viewed as an athletic but inexperienced player on the inside. He didn’t start until his final year in Athens but played well with three sacks and eight tackles for loss in 2024. He’s a bit on the lighter side at 276 pounds but measured in at 6-foot-5 with long arms. He finished first among all defensive tackles in the vertical jump (36 inches), broad jump (10 feet, 4 inches), 3-cone (7.28 seconds) and shuttle (4.34 seconds). That’s a great tool kit for a team to develop.

Stock down: West Virginia OL Wyatt Milum

Milum spent his college career at tackle but concerns over his arm length would likely move him inside at the next level despite his athleticism. Those concerns panned out as Milum measured in with 32 1/8 inch arms but his athletic ability was slightly disappointing. He was the fifth-slowest offensive lineman in the 40-yard dash at 5.27 seconds. His 10-yard split was one of the slowest as well at 1.84 seconds. He’s now a lock to move inside and those numbers could move him down to Round 3.

Stock up: Cal LB Teddye Buchanan

Buchanan was seen as a late-round pick entering the combine, but showed out in a solid linebacker class. He measured in at 6-foot-2 and 233 pounds, roughly the standard size for a modern linebacker, with one of the faster 40-yard dash times at 4.60 seconds. He backed that up with a position-best vertical (40 inches) and tied for third in the broad jump (10 feet, 5 inches). That type of explosiveness could move him up on Day 3.

Stock down: Ole Miss DT JJ Pegues

Pegues was considered a raw but athletic prospect after transitioning from tight end to defensive tackle in college. That background led teams to request seeing him run fullback/tight end drills. He ran routes and caught the ball well for a 6-foot-2, 309-pound lineman but didn’t run as well as expected. He had one of the worst 10-yard splits at the position and a below-average vertical jump. Unless he runs better at his pro day, Pegues could fall down a round on Day 3.

Stock up: Kentucky CB Maxwell Hairston

Hairston missed time in 2024 due to a shoulder injury and, in a deep but not top-heavy cornerback class, had a chance to improve his stock in Indianapolis. He did so by posting the fastest 40-yard dash at the combine, the second-best vertical among cornerbacks and the third-best broad jump. Those speed and explosiveness numbers could quell concerns about his size at 5-foot-11 and 183 pounds.

Stock down: Boise State Edge Ahmed Hassanein

Hassanein was considered a Day 3 pick as a developmental edge player who could be a rotational pass rusher as he develops. That might still be the case but he could fall down the order after how he did in Indianapolis.

He measured in at 6-foot-2 and 267 pounds with shorter arms at 32 1/4 inches. He had a solid 40-yard dash at 4.77 seconds but the slowest 10-yard split among edge rushers. He also had one of the worst broad jumps at the position at 9 feet, 5 inches and a subpar vertical at 32 1/2 inches. Those numbers don’t translate well to tools for a developmental rusher off the edge.

Stock up: Tulane CB Caleb Ransaw

Hairston took the headlines with the fastest in the 40-yard dash but Ransaw wasn’t far behind. He hit 4.33 seconds in the 40-yard dash, 40 inches in the vertical (first at the position) and 10 feet, 9 inches in the broad jump (tied for third). He was considered an undrafted free agent but after that elite athletic performance could easily go on Day 3.

Stock down: LSU CB Zy Alexander

Alexander is a taller prospect at 6-foot-1 but measured in with shorter arms for his size at 31 inches. He finished tied for second-slowest among cornerbacks in the 40-yard dash at 4.56 seconds and second-worst in the vertical jump at 31 1/2 inches. His 10-yard split was better but teams may have concerns about his recovery speed given his shorter arms and slighter build (187 pounds). Teams may opt for a cornerback with more physical tools or ball skills late on Day 2 instead of going with Alexander.

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