The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine provided a crucial platform for prospects to improve their draft stock ahead of the April draft, with several standout performances.
Athletes whose performances at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine had the biggest impact on their draft stock. Notable players like Matthew Golden, Jahdae Barron, and Nick Emmanwori showcased elite athleticism that boosted their draft stock in the upcoming NFL draft.
The NFL Combine is a crucial event every year for NFL draft prospects, they display their athleticism through drills and tests. Great performances can cause players’ draft stock to rise, while subpar showings can push them down or off the radar of NFL draft boards.
Matthew Golden, a wide receiver from Texas, consistently blazing through the 40-yard dash in an astonishing 4.29 seconds, is surely the fastest on record among receivers. Since he is considered to be a player who can make contested catches and speed to be among the quicker players, Golden was assured to be chosen in the first round. The season he has had could elevate him to the top 20 of picks.
Bhayshul Tuten, a running back from Virginia Tech, amazed the scouts with an 4.32 in the 40-yard dash and a very high result of 40.5 inches of vertical leap. Tuten now looks like a selection in the fourth or early fifth round who previously did not seem to be a candidate to be taken off the board on the last day.
Zeek Biggers, a defensive tackle from Georgia Tech, had a nice touch of pace added to his strength. Measuring in at 6foot-6, Biggers had an eye-catching 10 yard split, proofing his ability to kick the offensive tackle. That has brought him the way from a late Day 3 pick to somewhere in the middle of the later stages.
Maxwell Hairston, a cornerback from Kentucky, impressed scouts with the quickest 40-yard dash among cornerbacks, a time of 4.29 seconds. He posted a 39.5 inch vertical jump and a 10′ 9” broad jump, although some scouts have some size concerns, his athleticism more than makes up for it.
Having shown his top-end athleticism in workouts with a time of 4.33 in the 40-yard dash, 40″ vertical leap, and a 10’9’ broad jump, Caleb definitely has achieved a significant improvement in his chances. This year, he’s got a pretty good likelihood of hearing his name a few times in round three and beyond.
Edge James Jr., an edge rusher out of Tennessee, ran a 40 yard time of 4.46. Still obvious deficiencies in Burden’s 10.5 vertical inch and 31-inch vertical jump were enough to tip the edge in Pearce’s favor.
Shemar Stewart, a defensive tackle from Texas A&M, produced a remarkable feat with a 40-inch vertical jump (which was his personal best) in addition to a 10-foot-11 broad jump (second best among DTs) and a strong sprint time of 4.59 in the 40-yard dash (fourth best among DTs). A hamstring injury held him back in defensive drills, but the athletic tests will still help him on his way to a mid-round selection.
Theo Ash, a co-host of the Stay Hot Podcast, on February 20th, expressed how impressive Shemar Stewart’s draft combine performance was.
“[Shemar] Stewart scored a perfect 10 out of 10 on the RAS (Relative Athletic Score), although he has only 4.5 sacks in his entire college career, his run stopping ability is already elite, with the right development at the NFL level, he has the potential to become a top-10 edge rusher in the league one day.”
As Will Campbell, a tackle from LSU, recorded some definitely enviable numbers which among many others included a 4.98 time in 40 yards, a 32-inch vertical and a 9 ft 5 in broad jump showing, good kind of stats. However, he has been considered too short (34 inches) by most scouts when it comes to the offensive tackle position.
Scouts have concerns on whether Campbell will be the best option as a guard or the point whether his draft position could be at stake though he could be still considered as a good couple of pairs for a team which is drafting in the leads.
Jack Nozollilo, a senior patriots fan from Westwood, Ma., believes the Patriots should select Will Cambell at 4th.
“I think he is the best tackle in the draft, and I think the [Patriots] need to protect Drake Maye better, I know wide receiver is still an issue, I think we can address it in free agency.”
Quinshon Judkins, a running back from Ohio State, showed noticeable gains rising to a projected late 1st or top 2nd round draft pick after his remarkable performance at the combine. What made it to the top level is his 4.48 40-yard dash, 38.5 vertical, and 11′ broad jumps. Furthermore, his catching balls ability can make him a top pair of running backs that are thought to be off the board.
With an outstanding performance of 4.39 in 40 yards, Jahdae Barron a cornerback from Texas, showed he could be a lockdown corner. The 5’11, 194 pounds cornerback, impressed NFL scouts with his size. His prototypical size allows him to match up with twitchy slot-receivers in the NFL. Barron’s 40-yard dash time was faster than All-Pro Trent McDuffie’s 40-yard dash time, making Barron a projected late 1st round pick.
Nick Emmanowori, a safety from South Carolina, used his surprising athletic ability to run a insane 4.38 40-yard dash in spite of his large frame (6’3″ and 220 lbs). Emmanowori made his performance even more oustanding by testing a standing vertical jump of 43 inches, and an impressive broad jump of 11 feet 6 inches thus being the best among safeties who did the same.
When combining the fact that he declined position drills even after displaying his sheer physical abilities, his wonderful playing display landed him into the possible future position of a first-round pick. Size and explosiveness are what Emmanwori stands out in. If there is ever a team out there that wants a safety with the capability to cover deep and make a big interception, then Emmanwori is now projected to go in the first round.
Isaiah Bond, a wide receiver from Texas, claimed he would break the 40 yard dash record. He ended up running a 4.39 40-yard dash time, his performance caught the attention of the media, creating a narrative of character issues.
Taking into account an inconsistent college player performance, Bond’s draft stock has decreased, and there’s a doubt that teams will give him a pass for the draft. The fact that his 40-yard sprint time of 4.39 seconds is wowing people might no longer remain a matter of interest. He was confident in breaking the 40 yard dash record that is currently held by Kansas Chiefs’ wide receiver, Xavier Worthy, with a time of 4.21 seconds.
Dean Ruksnaitis, a junior offensive lineman from Worcester, Ma., thought that Worthy saying he would beat the record was funny.
“I remember watching his 40 yard dash hoping for him to beat the record, I thought his game speed was super-fast, but after he ran a 4.41 second dash made me laugh so hard, seeing his face after running.”
Luther Burden III, a wide receiver from Missouri, has fallen down draft boards due to his lack of production in the 2024 season and recording a mediocre 4.41 40-yard dash and 1.54 10-yard dash. Although his lackluster performance has hindered his draft stock, he is still projected to be a mid to late first round pick.
Tyler Booker, a guard from Alabama, delivered unimpressive results in his 40-yard dash (5.38 seconds) and 10-yard split (1.96 seconds), raising the questions on his athletic abilities. His season playing at left guard, on tape, Booker dominated; yet where limitations might arise are his speed as they may affect his “draftability.”
Ahmed Hassanein, an edge rusher out of Boise State, did not impress NFL scouts with his performance in the strength department; he blew the athletics part and got the worst 10-yard split among edge rushers plus he produced poorly for a broad jump 9 feet and 5 inches. As a result, his performance could cause him to fall to a Day 3 selection.
Zy Alexander, a cornerback from LSU, ran a time of 4.56 seconds in the 40-yard dash and only record a vertical leap of 31.5 inches, despite being considered an ideal size for cornerbacks, his performance has caused him to slide further off the Draft boards.
