The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine’s top offensive prospects wrapped up the festivities on Friday (TEs) and Saturday with the skill position prospects – QB, RB, and WR - working out and concluded with the ‘big uglies” (OTs and IOL) participating in activities on Sunday afternoon. SNS observed the drills, on-field exercises, and reviewed the measurements. Here are a few observations gathered on the defensive prospects assembled in Indianapolis.
QB Observations
· Two of the top QB prospects – Cam Ward / Miami and Shedeur Sanders / Colorado – decided not to work out and only went through medical evaluations and team interviews in Indianapolis. Not surprising as it fits the trend over the last few years but still disappointing as this QB class has a lot of questions to be answered and the NFL Scouting Combine is just a missed opportunity to get some answers. Ward entered Indianapolis as the best QB prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft – and leaves town the same way. Sanders’ pro day workout later this month is a can’t miss event as he looks to close the gap on Ward.
· Amongst the QBs who worked out in Indianapolis Saturday evening, Tyler Shough / Louisville put on the best performance. Shough offers excellent measureables at 6’4 & 7/8” / 219 / 9 & ¾” Hands and ran a superb 40-yard dash time of 4.63 seconds. Shough has one of the best arms in this draft – his ball flew through the air with good velocity and he displayed timing and touch consistently throughout the field exercises. Shough should hear his name called on day three in Green Bay next month.
· It is difficult to draw many conclusions watching QBs simulate taking a snap from under center, drop back while feeling no pass rush, and throwing to a spot to a WR who is uncovered while wearing shorts and no pads. The only tried and true way to evaluate a QB is to watch his film and see how he handles the job in real life. With that qualification set aside, Jalen Milroe / Alabama (6’1 &7/8” / 217 / 9 & 3/8” Hands) flashed tremendous accuracy and timing on deeper routes but struggled on short and intermediate patterns. Dillon Gabriel / Oregon may lack desired size (5’11 & 1/8” / 205 / 9 & ¼” Hands) but he displayed excellent arm strength and threw with accuracy and timing on throws to all levels. Jaxson Dart / Ole Miss (6’2 & ¼” / 223 / 9 & ½” Hands) looks the part of the modern-era NFL QB and has good arm strength. He throws well against air and looks like the he has the most upside of any QB in this draft.
RB Observations
· Scouts entered Combine week thinking that this RB class is one of the best and deepest classes seen in well over a decade. After Saturday afternoon’s performance put on by the RBs, there is no doubt that this class will provide a number of starters and major contributors to the NFL for years to come. Fourteen RBs ran a sub-4.5 40 with three running sub-4.4 40s (Bhaysul Tuten / Virginia Tech (4.32); Jaydon Blue / Texas (4.38); and Brashard Smith / SMU (4.39)). The average speed of the 24 RBs who ran 40-yard dashes was 4.48 seconds, the fastest of any group ever recorded at the Combine (since 2003). The big, powerful RBs ran like smaller backs – Omarion Hampton / North Carolina (4.46 seconds), Damien Martinez / Miami / Fl (4.51 seconds), Kaleb Johnson / Iowa (4.57 seconds), Devin Neal / Kansas (4.58 seconds), and Ollie Gordon / Oklahoma State (4.61 seconds) – and the smaller, shiftier RBs are not all that small but are plenty of shifty – Trevor Etienne / Georgia (5’8 & ¾” / 196), RJ Harvey / UCF (5’8 / 205), Woody Marks / USC (5’10 & 1/8 / 207), Smith (5’9 & 7/8” / 194), and Marcus Yarns / Delaware (5’10 & 7/8” / 193). Expect future starters to be selected on day three with plenty of UDFA who will compete for roster spots this fall.
· Ashton Jeanty / Boise State and Cam Skattebo / Arizona State did not run, jump, or conduct on-field workouts on Saturday and will work out at their school’s pro day later this month. TreVeyon Henderson / Ohio State ran (4.43 40) and jumped on Saturday (38.5” vertical jump and a 10’8” broad jump) but decided not to work out and will participate in Ohio State’s pro day in March.
· The big mover up draft boards from this RB group was Hampton, who looks like a RB drawn from central casting with ideal size (5’11 & ¾” / 221) and athleticism (recorded a vertical jump of 38” and broad jumped 10’10”). Hampton participated in all field exercises, moved well, and displayed good hands and route running ability. Hampton looks like a first-round draft pick who should hear his name called in the first 25 picks of next month’s draft.
WR Observations
· Although not nearly as deep as last year’s draft and lacking the generational talents at the level of Malik Nabers or Marvin Harrison, Jr, this year’s WR class was one of the fastest recorded in Combine history, averaging a 4.46 40-yard dash, with ten of them recording a sub-4.4 40. The fastest time recorded at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine was the 4.29 40 displayed by Matthew Golden / Texas. Dont’e Thornton / Tennessee ran a fantastic 40 time of 4.3 seconds despite being one of the bigger WRs in this draft class (6’4 & 5/8” / 205 / 32 & 1/8” Arms). Thornton did not participate in field work but his size / speed is going to entice NFL teams. Thornton looks like a solid mid-round pick the last weekend of April.
· Perhaps the most disappointing performance displayed by any participant this weekend in Indianapolis was Tez Johnson / Oregon who recorded a surprising time of 4.51 in the 40-yard dash. Johnson relies on speed and quickness to win because he is severely undersized (5’9 & 7/8” / 154 / 29 & 3/8” Arms), lacking size, strength, and reach. Johnson plays much faster than he times and he uncovers easily on film but there are very few players as small as Johnson to ever play in the NFL. He needs to significantly improve his 40 time at Oregon’s pro day or risk going undrafted next month.
· Jaylin Noel / Iowa State had a fantastic day on Saturday in Indianapolis. Although undersized (5’10 & ¼” / 194 / 29 & ½” Arms) and likely limited to operating out of the slot in the NFL, Noel’s speed and athleticism was on full display as he posted a blazing 4.39 40, vertical jumped 41.5”, and broad jumped 11’ 2”. Noel’s on-field workout reflected his numbers as he moved fast and fluid, caught every ball easily, and was consistently good in everything he did in Indy. Noel should hear his name called in the first 60 picks this April.
TE Observations
· Three of the top TE prospects available in this draft did not work out. Colston Loveland / Michigan and Elijah Arroyo / Miami, Fl are recovering from injuries and plan to perform drills and exercises at their school’s pro day. Tyler Warren / Penn State decided not to work out Friday evening and will participate in Penn State’s pro day later this month.
· Mason Taylor / LSU did not run or jump on Friday evening but did participate in field exercises and his performance during those exercises was superb as he separated himself from every other TE in Indianapolis. Taylor has prototypical size (6’5 & 1/8” / 251 / 10” Hands / 32 & ¼” Arms / 78 & ¾” Wingspan) and he moved gracefully through the drills, running precise routes and snagging every ball with clean hands. Taylor displayed excellent form in the drive blocking drill and has noticeably improved his strength and technique. This TE class has excellent depth behind the consensus two top prospects (Warren and Loveland) and Taylor has made a strong case to be the third TE drafted. Taylor should go off the board in round two next month.
· A prospect that has risen up draft boards over the past month has been Joshua Simon / South Carolina who performed well during East-West Shrine Bowl practices and game and followed that up with a solid evening in Indianapolis. Simon ran the second fastest 40 time amongst TEs on Friday (4.65 seconds) and exhibited outstanding leaping ability (38” vertical jump) and explosiveness (10’ 2” broad jump). He moved fluidly through on-field drills, looking smooth and athletic with great burst to get the ball in the air. Simon has a sculpted physique with ideal length (6’4 & 1/8” / 239 / 10 & 1/8” Hands / 33 & 7/8” Arms / 83” Wingspan) and explosiveness after the catch to become a mismatch in space against virtually any LB or safety in coverage. Simon should be selected in the third or fourth round next month.
OT Observations
· The majority of the top OT prospects worked out on Sunday afternoon – only Josh Simmons / Ohio State, recovering from a torn ACL suffered in October, was not able to participate. The top OT prospects in Indianapolis put on an impressive show and look like a number of these players will contribute, and possibly start, this fall. Armand Membou / Missouri ran the fastest 40-yard dash time of any OT (4.91 seconds) with an impressive 10-yard split of 1.74 seconds, indicative of good twitch and first step quickness, and an impressive vertical jump of 34” at 6’4 & ¼” / 332 / 33 & ½” Arms / 82” Wingspan – rare athleticism for a man so big. Jonah Savaiinaea / Arizona (6’4 & 1/8” / 324 / 33 & 7/8” Arms / 82 & ¼” Wingspan) displayed a great 10-yard split (1.72 seconds) while putting out a 4.95 40. Josh Conerly / Oregon recorded a blistering 1.71 10-yard split and a solid 5.05 40. Conerly also vertical jumped 34.5” at 6’4 & 5/8” / 311 / 33 & ½” Arms / 82 & ¼” Wingspan. All three prospects – four including Simmons - look like potential starters this next season with the movement skills needed to challenge speed off the edge. All four should hear their names called within the first 40 picks in Green Bay the last weekend of April.
· The two best OL prospects available in this draft also worked out on Sunday afternoon – Kelvin Banks / Texas (SNS #4 prospect) and Will Campbell / LSU (SNS #6 prospect) worked out and participated in all drills and exercises and confirmed prior evaluations by displaying the movement skills, bend, and base desired for OT. The major difference between the two prospects is size. Banks measured in with prototypical size for lining up outside – 6’5 & 1/8” / 315 / 33 & ½” Arms / 84 & 3/8” Wingspan while Campbell’s size seems better suited for IOL – 6’5 & 7/8”/ 319 / 32 & 5/8” Arms / 77 & 3/8” Wingspan. Specifically, Campbell’s arms and wingspan do not meet NFL standards for length for OT. Campbell may end up sliding inside in the NFL, which is likely to hurt his draft value next month. Banks remains a Top 10 prospect in April’s draft.
IOL Prospects
· The 2025 IOL class does not appear to have any elite talents but there appears to be several prospects who should contribute early in their careers. And of these prospects, a few of these players had productive days on Sunday afternoon. Grey Zabel / North Dakota State (6’5 & 7/8” / 312 / 32” Arms / 77 & ½” Wingspan), an OLT for the FCS National Champions, continued his ascent up draft boards that began at the Senior Bowl last month in Indianapolis by putting on a show Sunday afternoon. Zabel is a technician who slides and re-directs easily, is light on his feet and looked like he is a natural for sliding inside at the next level. Zabel is likely to follow Graham Barton (Tampa Bay) into the NFL as a college OLT who becomes a starting center in the NFL. Donovan Jackson / Ohio State (6’3 & 5/8” / 315 / 33 & ½” Arms / 83 & ¾” Wingspan) worked out despite clearly not being fully healthy but gutted it out and moved well. Jackson played OLT for the Buckeyes after Simmons was lost for the year and acquitted himself well outside. But his future looks to be a long-term NFL starter and likely first round draft pick next month.
· Tyler Booker / Alabama (6’4 & 5/8 / 321 / 34 & ½” Arms / 11 & 1/8” Hands / 83 & ½” Wingspan) entered the Combine as SNS’ #1 ranked IOL and #19 prospect overall and performed well during the on-field exercises. But his testing numbers were by far the worst of any top IOL prospect in Indianapolis – posting a glacial 1.96 10-yard split, a solid but relatively slow 40 time of 5.38 seconds, and posted the worst vertical jump and broad jump of any IOL – 27”vertical jump and a 7’10” broad jump. Booker has excellent size and his film is very good – he is a people mover and a mauler who plays with a nasty edge. But if he does not improve his testing results significantly, he risks falling out of the first round.
· Several other IOL had impressive workouts on Sunday afternoon and improved their draft standings. Miles Frazier / LSU (6’5 & 5/8” / 317 / 32 & ¾” Arms / 81 & ½” Wingspan), Jared Wilson / Georgia (6’3 / 310 / 32 & 3/8” Arms / 80” Wingspan), and Clay Webb / Jacksonville State (6’3 & ¼” 312 / 32” Arms / 79 & ½” Wingspan) had very good on-field workouts and posted outstanding numbers. Frazier posted a solid 1.79 10-yard split and posted a 31” vertical and a 9’ broad jump. Wilson ran the fastest 40 time of any OL in Indianapolis (4.84), including a solid 10-yard split of 1.72 seconds and vertical jumped 32” and broad jumped 9’ 4”. Webb, a transfer from Georgia, posted an identical 1.72 10-yard split as Wilson, and vertical jumped 31” and broad jumped 8’11”. All three players improved their draft standings and should heat their names called on the third day of the draft.
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