The 2025 NFL Combine concluded on March 2, and many prospects’ draft stock changed big-time based on the athletic testing they went through. I will detail six losers and six winners from the Combine and discuss how their results will change perceptions of them.
6 Losers
Isaiah Bond
Going into the draft process, Buford, Georgia native Isaiah Bond predicted he would break the combine 40-yard dash record that his predecessor Xavier Worthy set last year. He came nowhere close to that, barely cracking the sub-4.40 range (he ran a 4.39). While he is still fast, he is nowhere near being the fastest player in the class. This, plus his lack of consistency throughout an injury-plagued 2024, will likely see him lose any remaining first-round hype.
Ollie Gordon II
Fort Worth native Ollie Gordon II entered 2024 off the back of a breakout season where he led the entire nation in rushing yards and scrimmage yards and won the Doak Walker Award for best running back in the country. However, the last year has been bad for his draft stock. After an underwhelming 2024 season, Gordon posted very disappointing numbers at the Combine. He had the second-worst 40 time of all running backs who took part in the 40-yard dash at 4.61 seconds and did not stand out in the other workouts he took part in. Gordon entered 2024 as a potential 1st-rounder. Nowadays, being a day 2 selection could be out of reach.
Tez Johnson
Tez Johnson was very disappointing. After measuring in at a mere 5’9”, 154 pounds, the Birmingham, Alabama-area native ran a 4.51 40-yard dash, which is extremely low for someone as light as he is (also the slowest time for a sub-170-pound wide receiver in over twenty years). A man as slender as Johnson could prove injury-prone, and it has become clear his athleticism is not where it should be. He must hope that the tape speaks loud enough for his sake.
Cobee Bryant
Cobee Bryant’s performance also left a lot to be desired, considering his slender frame. His 4.53 40-yard dash time was very underwhelming for a 180-pound cornerback. While the Evergreen, Alabama native plays very physical on tape and his ball production is amongst the best in the nation across the last four years, but teams may be turned away from Bryant knowing his lack of NFL speed will likely restrict him from playing as an outside cornerback, which he did a lot of at Kansas.
Will Howard
Will Howard of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, looked to cement his place in Day 2 consideration, but his workout at the Combine was a bit of a tough watch. The National Championship winner struggled with accuracy at times and underwhelmed in the athletic testing that he took part in. Howard’s leadership shone through at Ohio State and his previous home of Kansas State, but inaccurate passes under no pressure can be harmful to his stock.
6 Winners
Matthew Golden
No one expected Matthew Golden to outrun Isaiah Bond in the 40-yard dash, but that’s what happened. Golden, a Houston native who played for the University of Houston Cougars before transferring to Texas, broke off a 4.29 40-yard dash, which wwas thesecond fastest out of all participants in the 40-yard dash. Though it was the only drill he did, Golden boosted his stock big time by showing how truly fast he was, making him a potential hot commodity come April.
Bhayshul Tuten
Paulsboro, New Jersey’s Bhayshul Tuten was the fastest running back at the combine in 2025 despite weighing over 200 pounds with a 4.32 40-yard dash. He also performed admirably in the vertical jump. Tuten’s game is marred at times by small inconsistencies, but at his best, he is a home run threat with literal track speed that can take the top off a defense. Now that people know how fast Tuten is, he could likely go very high in the draft.
Tate Ratledge
Tate Ratledge, a Rome, Georgia native and 3-year starter for the Bulldogs, surprised everyone at the combine. His 4.97 40-yard dash was best among guards, his 32” vertical jump was second best, and his 9’5” broad jump was best. Ratledge’s athleticism does not seem to pop off much on tape. But knowing that it’s there could encourage NFL teams to take him high.
Nick Emmanwori
Nick Emmanwori of Irmo, South Carolina, has only recently been getting first-round hype for his athleticism. But after a stellar combine performance in which he finished as the second-fastest safety in the 40-yard dash and topped multiple other categories, there is almost no question whether or not he will be in first-round consideration.
Tyler Shough
Tyler Shough may be old, but the Chandler, Arizona native’s experience showed up big time at the Combine. He tested solidly in drills, and his workout was great. Shough was dealing accurate passes like he has done for so many years at the college level, including last year as Louisville’s starter. Instead of being an initial Day 3 consideration, it looks like Shough could sneak into Day 2.
Ty Robinson
Our last winner led defensive tackles in the 40-yard dash with a 4.83 despite being 288 pounds. Ty Robinson, who hails from Gilbert, Arizona, participated in every drill and finished top five among defensive tackles in all the events. Coming off a breakout season at Nebraska, Robinson looks to be in a great position to go in the first three rounds after entering the season as an unheralded prospect.
