The first day of on-field drills at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis saw defensive linemen, edge rushers and linebackers take the field inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. A handful of prospects elevated their stock with strong performances while others sent scouts back to the tape. 

Here are some of the winners and losers from Thursday’s on-field drills, starting with a look at the measurements of the prospects in CBS Sports’ top 50 consensus rankings.

Grading the top-rated EDGE/DL/LB

EDGE Abdul Carter, Penn State: N/A

It has been revealed that Abdul Carter has a stress reaction in his right foot. Luckily, after further scans, the No. 1 edge prospect was told that surgery was not recommended. Still, he did not work out in Indianapolis.

EDGE Jalon Walker, Georgia: N/A 

Walker, a potential top-10 pick, decided against doing on-field drills Thursday.

EDGE James Pearce Jr., Tennessee: A

Everything about Pearce’s workout was fantastic — except his 31-inch vertical. Sure, he has a frame built to run fast — which he did with a 4.47-second 40-yard dash — yet at least he met the expectations at more than 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds. The 1.56-second 10-yard split is in the 93rd percentile at the position since 1999. Explosive workout for the Tennessee star, plus he looked ridiculously smooth in the on-field drills. 

EDGE Mykel Williams, Georgia: N/A

Williams decided against working out at the combine.

EDGE Mike Green, Marshall: N/A

Green decided to stand on his FBS-leading 17.0 sacks in 2024 and didn’t participate in workouts in Indianapolis.

LB Jihaad Campbell, Alabama: A-

Campbell appears to be a human rocket on the football field, and validated said explosiveness at the combine with a 10-foot-7 broad to go along with a blistering 4.52 with a 1.53 split in the 40-yard dash at nearly 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds. He is built to be a modern-day (star) linebacker. 

EDGE Nic Scourton, Texas A&M: N/A

Scourton did not compete at Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday night.

EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M: A+

Stewart should’ve taken a bow after his workout. He couldn’t have done anything more to go viral, raise his stock, etc. Running 4.59 with a 40-inch vertical and a 1.58 10-yard split at close to 270 pounds is downright flabbergasting. Do not be surprised to see Stewart in the top 20 or even top 15 in mock drafts from here on out.

EDGE Jack Sawyer, Ohio State: N/A

Sawyer will showcase his talents at Ohio State’s Pro Day on March 27.

EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College: A-

Ezeiruaku knew he’d destroy the agility drills, so he rocked those, then sat out the 40-yard dash. His 6.94 was the fastest three cone among edge rushers. His 4.19 was the fastest short shuttle. The 35.5-inch vertical was rock-solid. The 9-foot-11 broad jump was fine, not spectacular. Ezeiruaku’s game is predicted, first and foremost, on his ability to bend/dip around the edge. 

Other winners

EDGE Jah Joyner, Minnesota

At 6-4 and 262 pounds, Joyner — with 34-inch arms — was clocked at 22.58 mph in the 40-yard dash, by far the fastest speed of any edge rusher and faster than the majority of all off-ball linebackers who participated in that event in Indianapolis. A four-year contributor and captain at Minnesota, Joyner proved his explosive traits in Indy. 

LB Teddye Buchanan, California

A 40-inch vertical and 10-foot-5 broad jump at over 6-foot-2 and 233 pounds? Yeah, that’ll do at the linebacker position in today’s NFL. The former UC Cal standout who played his final season for the Golden Bears flies on film too, and he’s a tremendous tackler. Plus he’s adept in coverage. Now, with this workout, he epitomizes the term “sleeper.”

Other losers

LB Chris Paul Jr., Ole Miss

Paul was one of the smallest linebackers in attendance this year at just over 6-foot and 222 pounds. He measured-in with arms shorter than 30 inches, which are incredibly short. Although his 36-inch vertical was above average, his 4.63 in the 40 wasn’t spectacular, especially for a nearly 220-pound off-ball linebacker. Good player on film; didn’t meet what would widely be considered trait requirements in a few key areas. 

The 2025 NFL Draft will take place from April 24-26 in Green Bay. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly updated draft order, mock drafts and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects. 

For live reaction from the festivities, check out Thursday’s live blog. 

Full list of 2025 NFL combine measurements and 40-yard dash times, plus winners and losers for each position

Tyler Sullivan