Drills at the NFL combine continued Friday in Indianapolis, with the 2025 NFL draft‘s top defensive back and tight end prospects showcasing their skills in front of all 32 teams after the defensive linemen and linebackers started things off Thursday. Quarterbacks, running backs and receivers take the field at 1 p.m. ET Saturday. The workouts conclude Sunday with the offensive linemen at 1 p.m. ET.

Who ran well in the 40-yard dash? Who dominated in the rest of the on-field work? Draft experts Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Field Yates will recap all four days of the combine workouts, evaluating the top performances from every position, picking prospects who are rising (or potentially falling) and addressing notable under-the-radar showings.

Let’s get into it with a breakdown of all the action at Lucas Oil Stadium.

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DB/TE: Takeaways | Risers | Top names | Notes
DL/LB: Takeaways | Risers | Top names | Notes

DAY 2: DEFENSIVE BACKS, TIGHT ENDS

Notables who did not work out: Travis Hunter, Will Johnson, Tyler Warren, Colston Loveland, Elijah Arroyo

What are the biggest takeaways from Friday’s workouts?

Miller: The top cornerbacks in the class — Hunter and Johnson — chose to not work out at the combine, but the group of players earmarked as slot corners put on a show. Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky) ran the fastest 40 of the combine at 4.28 seconds before showing excellent hip flexibility and explosion during position drills. The same can be said for fellow slot candidates Jahdae Barron (Texas), Jacob Parrish (Kansas State) and Quincy Riley (Louisville), who each were strong during on-field work and testing. This isn’t a strong cornerback class at the top of Round 1, but this slot corner group could thrive early in their NFL careers.

Reid: While defensive line and running back have been praised as the strength of the 2025 class (and rightfully so), the talent in the safety group is underrated. Malaki Starks (Georgia) and Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina) are the headliners, but there’s a lot of depth on Day 2 and Day 3. That depth really shined Friday. Players such as Andrew Mukuba (Texas), Billy Bowman Jr. (Oklahoma) and Jonas Sanker (Virginia) could easily be selected inside the first four rounds. There aren’t a lot of surefire safeties at the top of the draft, but I believe that there are future starters who can be found outside of Round 2.

Yates: The absence of the top two tight ends in this year’s class — Warren (Penn State) and Loveland (Michigan) — was really felt in some of Friday’s athletic testing drills. While 40 time is not the only metric that matters, it should be noted that only two TEs, Terrance Ferguson (Oregon) and Joshua Simon (South Carolina), broke 4.7 seconds, down from eight in the 2024 class. That doesn’t change my overall view of this class (it’s very good and deep), but much like the cornerback drills without Hunter and Johnson, the top absences loomed large.

Who are the biggest risers from Day 2?

Trey Amos, CB, Ole Miss

One of the biggest questions surrounding Amos following a great season with the Rebels was his recovery speed in man coverage. Those questions were answered when Amos ran 4.44 in the 40. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Amos is a fringe first-rounder on my board but has had a fantastic predraft process, starting with a strong Senior Bowl week and culminating with the impressive run. — Miller

Billy Bowman Jr., S, Oklahoma

Few safeties find the football as frequently and effortlessly as Bowman, who has the body control and overall movement skills to play center field at the NFL level. He checked a lot of physical boxes, too, measuring in at 5-foot-10, 192 pounds while running a 4.42 40. I see the ball-hawking Bowman as someone who could sneak into the back end of Day 2, which he solidified with his performance Friday. — Yates

Terrance Ferguson, TE, Oregon

Many of the tight ends who worked out had disappointing 40 times, but Ferguson wasn’t one of them, registering a position-best 4.63 seconds. The 6-foot-5, 247-pounder also jumped 39 inches in the vertical. Ferguson routinely snatched the ball out of the air in multiple drills. I had Ferguson as my No. 6-ranked tight end with an early fourth-round grade, but he helped himself and is squarely in the third-round range due to his speed and ability in the pass game. — Reid

Thomas Fidone II, TE, Nebraska

I had Fidone as a Day 3 prospect entering the combine, and he followed up a good Senior Bowl week with a memorable combine performance, standing out in a tight end group that otherwise struggled. Fidone ran a 4.7 40 at 6-foot-5, 243 pounds — a solid time for an in-line tight end. He had explosive testing numbers, jumping 35½ inches in the vertical and 10-foot-6 in the broad jump. Fidone battled injuries at Nebraska after entering college as a highly regarded recruit, but he’s healthy and one of my favorite Day 3 tight end prospects. I’m bumping him up to Round 4 on my board. — Miller

Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky

Hairston was thought to be one of the most athletic corners in the 2025 class and backed that up Friday. He ran a 4.3 40-yard dash on his first attempt, then bettered that with a 4.28 on his second run, producing many “oohs” and “ahhs” from the Lucas Oil Stadium crowd. He also jumped 39½ inches in the vertical leap and 10-foot-9 in the broad jump. And he looked extremely fluid in positional drills, showing his ball skills by plucking it out of the air away from his frame.

I had Hairston as my No. 43 overall player and lumped into the cluster of early second-round corners. But his performance positioned him to be selected in Round 1. Teams in the back end of the first round such as the Commanders or Bills could be a landing spot for Hairston. — Reid

Robert Longerbeam, CB, Rutgers

Longerbeam’s standout Shrine Bowl week prompted me to review his tape prior to the combine. He continued to catch my eye in Indianapolis by being one of the best testers in the CB group. At 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, he ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash and performed well in the jumping events, leaping 11-foot-2 in the broad jump and 36½ inches in the vertical. Longerbeam was considered a mid-Day 3 prospect entering the combine, but he boosted his grade Friday. Don’t be surprised if he’s selected early on Day 3. — Reid

Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State

Porter might have helped himself more on Friday than any other corner. He measured in at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, then ran a 4.3-second 40. He also starred in the jumps, leaping 10-foot-11 in the broad jump and 36½ inches in the vertical. He started his college career as a wide receiver before moving to corner in 2022 and continues to improve. At 24 years old, Porter is on the older side but is ideal for a team that uses heavy zone coverage. He was considered a Round 3 guy entering the combine but might have risen into Round 2. — Reid

How did other top prospects look on Day 2?

Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

The No. 10 player in my rankings, Barron absolutely wowed with his 4.39-second 40-yard dash. He doesn’t have elite length, with 29⅝-inch arms, but Barron has NFL size for an outside cornerback at 5-foot-11 and 194 pounds. He opted to not participate in positional drills after the 40. Barron is higher on my board than what I’m hearing from NFL teams but displaying that level of speed shows he can hang with top-tier NFL receivers. He should be a top-20 pick. — Miller

Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

Emmanwori was hyped as someone who was expected to leave everyone speechless with his testing numbers, and he lived up to that billing. He started by jumping 11-foot-6 in the broad jump, then offered an even more impressive 43-inch vertical leap. Emmanwori capped the day with a 4.38-second 40 at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds. I have him ranked as my No. 2 safety, but there is an argument that he could beat out Malaki Starks as the first safety off the board. Scouts I’ve spoken with love his physicality and versatility, as Emmanwori can play multiple spots in the secondary. — Reid

Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

Starks is one of the most difficult evaluations, as his game tape was fantastic in 2023 but showed him struggling with timing and recovery speed this past season. Scouts hoped the combine could help fill in the gaps of those evaluations. The 6-foot-1, 197-pounder ran well (4.5 in the 40) but didn’t do great in the vertical jump (33 inches), mirroring the disconnect found on film. I have an early Round 2 grade on Starks, but I can see teams leaning more on his 2023 tape and valuing him higher. The combine neither helped nor hurt his stock. — Miller

Azareye’h Thomas, CB, Florida State

Thomas only participated in testing, displaying ability as a true press man corner. He had little wasted motion when redirecting and was able to easily transition and turn. Since he only had two career interceptions, the gauntlet drill was an important one for Thomas. He stepped up, catching each ball cleanly while running full speed and showing that he can catch balls outside his frame. Thomas is firmly in the late first-round mix, but some scouts believe his youth (he won’t turn 21 until July) gives him top-20 upside. — Reid

More notes, thoughts and things we heard and saw on Day 2

Miller

• Colorado’s Travis Hunter opted to not workout at the combine after a Heisman Trophy-winning season, but he did answer the biggest question that evaluators had about him by weighing in at 188 pounds at 6-foot. Rumors persisted among scouts that Hunter might weigh less than 180 pounds — which would put his desire to play both ways in the NFL into question. Checking in at 188 should comfort evaluators worried about his size.

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• Kansas State’s Jacob Parrish is one of my favorite slot corner prospects to watch on tape in the 2025 class thanks to his toughness and willingness to strike ball carriers. His combine workout was equally impactful. The 5-foot-11, 193-pound Parrish had a 10-foot-9 broad jump and hit 37½ inches on his vertical — two tests which show lower-body explosiveness. He also showcased speed with a 4.35-second 40. I currently have a middle Day 2 grade on Parrish, but he will be sliding up my board and the boards of teams that need inside cornerbacks.

Reid

• Western Kentucky’s Upton Stout is one of my favorite midround cornerbacks in this draft. At 5-foot-9, 181 pounds, he’s projected as a nickel corner. He allowed only three catches this season thanks to his movement skills, and what I saw on film was consistent with what he showed Friday. He can keep up with targets vertically but also has the lateral agility to stay attached from the slot. Stout is likely a Round 4 or 5 pick, but he has the upside to become a starter. He reminds me a lot of Lions cornerback Amik Robertson, who was a fourth-round pick in 2020.

• LSU tight end Mason Taylor had the best on-field drill performance of any player regardless of position Friday. His seemingly effortless movement skills were best seen during the gauntlet drill. He quickly moved through it, catching each ball that came within his vicinity. My No. 4-ranked tight end, Taylor had a mid-Day 2 grade, and now it shouldn’t come as a surprise if he’s drafted in the top 50.

Yates

• Jordan already ID’ed Maxwell Hairston as one of his winners of the day, a sentiment I support. Hairston was No. 23 overall in my most recent mock draft, as his excellent ball skills and speed are hallmarks of his game. It turns out Hairston has elite foresight, too. I caught up with Hairston at the Senior Bowl and told him that I thought he would run in the 4.3s at the combine. He responded “4.28.” Hairston nailed his time.

DAY 1: DEFENSIVE LINEMEN, LINEBACKERS

Notables who did not work out: Abdul Carter, Mason Graham, Jalon Walker, Mykel Williams, Mike Green, Walter Nolen, Kenneth Grant

What are the biggest takeaways from Thursday’s workouts?

Miller: We’ve talked about the depth of the defensive line class in the leadup to the combine, and it showed up in workouts. Even without many Round 1 prospects participating, there were some impressive workouts — which you’ll read about below — from many Round 2 and Round 3 players, along with Day 3 guys who popped during drills and testing. I have 30 defensive tackles with draftable grades, the most in my 15 years of doing this, and that quality was apparent during drills. This defensive line class is truly remarkable.

Yates: The combine is an evolving event, and one of the realities of it these days is that sometimes what isn’t taking place on the field is as notable as what is taking place. To that end, there were several notable defensive linemen who did not participate in the on-field work (some of whom were out due to injury). I would have liked to see Michigan defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant. Georgia edge rusher Mykel Williams could have dominated. Marshall edge rusher Mike Green and Ole Miss tackle Walter Nolen also opted to skip the workouts. Of the first group of defensive linemen — 40 players in total — only 18 actually took part in the 40-yard dash.

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Field Yates not worried about possible surgery for Abdul Carter

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Who are the biggest risers from Day 1?

Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo

Alexander, the No. 36 player on my board, certainly lived up to the hype Thursday. He has aced every step of the process, building on a big Senior Bowl week. At nearly 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds, he ran a 4.96-second 40-yard dash and carried that explosiveness into positional drills. Alexander’s strong hands were apparent in bag drills on the strike. He also showed a flexible lower half and positioned himself to be a top-40 pick. — Reid

Alfred Collins, DT, Texas

Collins has a well-put-together frame, measuring 6-foot-5, 332 pounds. He also has the matching physicality, which he showed during a breakout senior season. Scouts wanted to see how well he could move and if he could execute change-of-direction skills as a pass rusher. Collins answered those questions and more, moving quickly through drills and showing plenty of lower-body mobility.

He is an NFL-ready run defender who is stout at the point of attack, and his wide frame makes it difficult for offenses to displace him out of gaps. Collins will primarily serve as an early-down defender but can also play sparingly on late downs. His ability to play immediately as a rookie makes Round 2 Collins’ sweet spot. — Reid

Landon Jackson, Edge, Arkansas

A noticeable buzz went through Lucas Oil Stadium when Jackson executed a 40½-inch vertical jump. Doing that at 6-foot-6 and 264 pounds was one of the most impressive feats from Day 1. Jackson followed that up with a 10-foot-9 broad jump before running a smooth 4.69 in the 40. Jackson is a power player on tape, so showing this type of explosive ability and flexibility was key for his draft stock. He’s a solid Round 2 player on my board, but Jackson’s performance this week could get him picked inside the top 40. — Miller

Oluwafemi Oladejo, Edge, UCLA

Oladejo wasn’t an edge rusher to begin the 2024 season, starting the year at inside linebacker before eventually taking on a heavier pass rush role. He checked some of physical boxes at Indy, weighing in at 6-foot-3, 259 pounds with a 36½-inch vertical jump before looking sharp in positional drills. Oladejo is an extremely smooth player who is still learning to use his physical traits as a rusher, but teams will have no trouble envisioning a developmental arc that will lead him to a successful NFL career. — Yates

Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska

Robinson kick-started his day with a 4.83-second run in the 40-yard dash before a solid all-around performance in position drills. The 6-foot-5, 288-pound Robinson’s strengths as a power rusher showed up in bag drills, where he had to chop and punch at simulated blockers. But he also displayed enough agility to easily navigate through and over bags during these drills. I was high on Robinson following the Senior Bowl, and his workout confirmed my Round 2 grade on him. — Miller

Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA

Sometimes measurements are the most important aspect of the combine. That was the case for Schwesinger, who checked in at 6-foot-2, 242 pounds. He also jumped 39½ inches in the vertical — the second-best mark in the linebacker group — before sitting out drills with a minor hamstring injury. The former walk-on is a fluid mover chasing ball carriers, and concerns about him weighing under 230 pounds in-season have been quieted. Schwesinger has a real shot at Round 1. — Miller

CJ West, DT, Indiana

West had a strong showing during Senior Bowl week and continued to ascend at the combine. His 4.95-second 40-yard dash was an excellent number at 6-foot-1, 316 pounds, as was his 33-inch vertical. West was the anchor of the Hoosiers’ defense as a stout and durable run defender with some pass-rush juice. He projects as a dependable depth player at the next level who could eventually turn into a starter. Teams that I have talked to view him as a top-100 prospect who could be picked as early as Round 3. — Reid

How did other top prospects look on Day 1?

Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

Campbell is an easy-moving, explosive football player on tape with the ability to play inside or outside linebacker. He checked all the boxes during testing on Thursday. Campbell weighed in at nearly 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds and clocked an impressive 4.52-second 40. His 1.53-second split in the first 10 yards highlights just how explosive his first step is. I think Campbell is ultimately a top-25 pick in Round 1. — Miller

Donovan Ezeiruaku, Edge, Boston College

Ezeiruaku didn’t run the 40, but he performed well in positional drills. He measured in at 6-foot-2, 248 pounds before leaping 35½ inches in the vertical and 9-foot-9 in the broad jump, but his best performance came in the bag and wave drills. Ezeiruaku is a fluid mover with ideal balance and poise on the move and doesn’t waste movement while navigating through drills. He’s quick on tape, too, which is why I have him as a top-40 player. — Miller

Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon

Harmon was one of Thursday’s biggest winners, as running a 4.95-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-5, 322 pounds was impressive. He also dominated the workout portion, with his movement skills and fluidity during the wave drill standing out. This comes after Harmon had the best season of his career in 2024 following a transfer from Michigan State to Oregon. He showed a consistent ability to disrupt offenses by penetrating the first level.

Harmon must learn to play with more control, as he sometimes misses tackles and overruns plays because of his initial aggression. He came into the combine as a late first-round pick, but he could realistically be picked as high as the Bengals at No. 17 overall.— Reid

James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee

The most important event for Pearce entering Thursday was the weigh-in, and he checked in at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, a good number for the long, lean pass rusher. But his 40-yard dash might have been the most eye-opening occurrence, as he ran it in 4.47 seconds. Pearce’s explosive ability on tape was confirmed with his burst and long speed during drills. He did struggle on the vertical jump (31 inches), but scouts got an up-close look at Pearce’s first-step quickness and his closing speed, as he had a 1.58-second 10-yard split in the 40. — Miller

Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M

Scourton checked in at 6-foot-3, 257 pounds, considerably less than the 285 pounds that he was listed at this season, so scouts will be keeping a close eye on his pro day testing. He opted to participate only in position drills, which provided a glimpse of his skill set as a pass rusher. His hand power and strength were easy to see as he went through multiple drills, though he faced some challenges when he was asked to win by bending around tight corners. Scourton currently has a mixture of second- and third-round grades. — Reid

Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M

Regarded as one of the most explosive athletes in the 2025 class, Stewart started his day by jumping 40 inches in the vertical leap and 10-foot-11 in the broad jump. He is a classic “potential over production” prospect, as he recorded only 4.5 sacks during his college career. That has led to mixed reviews from scouts.

Some teams are comfortable trusting the traits and hoping the production eventually catches up to his physical ability, while others question why Stewart didn’t finish more. Either way, his movement skills were on full display Thursday, and it’s easy to see why he’s highly regarded by several teams. Stewart is a polarizing prospect but could be selected as high as the Jets at No. 7 overall. — Reid

More notes, thoughts and things we heard and saw on Day 1

Miller

• Ole Miss’ Princely Umanmielen is one of my favorite pass rushers in the Day 2 area of this draft class, and the 6-foot-4, 244-pounder had a strong workout. Umanmielen posted a 1.62-second 10-yard split in the 40-yard dash — a number that backs up the quickness and explosive first step seen on tape. He had strong numbers in the vertical (38 inches) and broad jump (10-foot-6) as well. He’s a solid Round 2 prospect on my board.

• Oladejo and Schwesinger weren’t the only UCLA players who starred Thursday, as Kain Medrano is another linebacker to watch. The former rodeo star blazed with a 4.46-second 40 and had a fluid, fast workout in the four-bag agility drill. He was marked as a late-rounder on my board, but I’m going back to the tape to confirm that the athletic tools seen in Indy showed up in the fall.

Reid

• Oklahoma’s Danny Stutsman running a 4.52-second 40 was the biggest surprise of the linebacker session. He didn’t consistently show that type of lateral range on tape, but he ran better Thursday than some of his counterparts who looked faster in game action. In a down linebacker group, Stutsman’s workout helped his stock, as he received a mixture of late Day 2 and early Day 3 grades from scouts whom I have talked to.

Yates

• Oregon edge rusher Jordan Burch didn’t generate as many headlines coming into the combine as some of his positional counterparts, but he possesses some of the most unusual physical attributes that we’ve seen in Indy. Burch checked in at 6-foot-4, 279 pounds, then went on to run a 4.68 40, showing that he can really move. He needs to become more consistent to succeed at the NFL level, but Burch has the tools to make it work.