By: Justin Dedrick
The 2025 Combine has gone and went after an exciting week in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium! The NFL Combine is an opportunity for declared players to showcase their athleticism and skill in drills in front of a multitude of coaches, scouts, and front office members.
Every year, certain players dominate the NFL Combine and raise their stock significantly while others test horrendously and tank their draft stock. We’ll take a look at 4 winners and 4 losers from the combine week and where these players’ draft stocks stand currently.
Winner: Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
Matthew Golden was already projected as a late first round pick, but he may have jumped to be the first WR off the board in April after the combine. Golden measured in at 5’ 11” and 191 pounds which is good enough size for an outside deep threat. Where Golden really impressed people was with his 40 yard dash. He ran a lighting fast 4.29, the fastest of any WR and the second fastest of all combine participants, adding on a 1.49 10-yard split. Teams fall in love with speedy WRs every year, and Golden may be this year’s riser due to speed.
Winner: Shemar Stewart, DL, Texas A&M
Everyone knew Stewart was going to crush the combine but he was on another planet with his athletic testing. He measured in at 6’ 5” 267 pounds with a whopping 34 ⅛” inch arms. He’s the most gifted defensive lineman size wise and he pairs that size with a 4.59 40 yard dash, a 40” inch vertical jump, and a 10’ 11” broad jump. He scored a 10.00 RAS score, which is an athleticism score created by Kent Lee Platte that compares athletic testing to every draft eligible player since 2000 and gives you a score. 10.00 is the highest possible score and Stewart reached that mark with ease. He will be a top 15 pick.
Winner: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Emmanwori’s name has flown under the radar for quite some time, but for me he’s consistently been a top 15 player on my draft board. He ran the second fastest 40 yard dash time for a safety at 4.38, and measured in at 6’ 3” 220 pounds. He had a ridiculous 43” vertical jump and 11’ 6” broad jump. He scored a perfect 10.00 RAS for free safety, strong safety, and cornerback. The safety position has been undervalued by teams for the past few years, but with Emmanwori’s combine results, he may find himself in the top 32 picks.
Under The Radar Winner: Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State
Porter ran a 4.3 flat 40 yard dash with a 1.49 10-yard split to go along with a 6’ 3” 195 pound frame. That alone is more than ideal size and athleticism for an outside corner but he flashed skill and quickness in the drills as well. Porter raised himself from a round 3-4 guy to a round 2 guy.
Loser: Kaleb Johnson, RB, Iowa
Johnson was my personal RB2 before the combine but his testing left a lot to be desired. He had good size at 6’1” 224 pounds, but ran a painfully slow 4.57 40 yard dash. For a running back, that time is dreadful and hurts teams’ perception of his burst and long speed. Johnson has a chance to redeem himself at the Iowa Pro Day, but for now his stock has fallen.
Loser: Will Howard, QB, Ohio State
Howard raised his stock a lot after a National Championship run with the Buckeyes, but the combine was not the best showing for the talented signal caller. He measured in at 6’ 4” 236 pounds which is more than fine QB size. He had generally small hands for his size however, at only 9” inches. His other athletic testing wasn’t bad, and he did not participate in the 40 yard dash. It was his on field drills and throwing that badly hurt him during the week. Howard was wildly inaccurate at all levels of the field, missing high, low, and short on many throws. He failed to impress at the most important QB drill. He has a chance at redemption at the Ohio State Pro Day, but his stock has plummeted for the time being.
Loser: Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon
Johnson was the biggest combine loser this year by far. He measured in at 5’ 10” and 154 pounds. No WR has ever been drafted at that light of a weight. 154 pounds is abysmal, perhaps even worse than words can describe. He didn’t make up for it with speed either, only running a 4.51 40 yard dash. He was insanely light, slow for his size, and has history against him. It’ll be tough for a GM to pull the trigger to draft Johnson, a 154 pound slow slot WR.
Under the Radar Loser: Isaiah Bond, WR, Texas
Bond, unlike his former teammate Mathew Golden, still left unanswered questions after his combine performance. Bond was quoted saying he would break the combine record for the 40 yard dash but instead ran a 4.39. That is still a very good time for WR, but it was a slight let down. He also didn’t perform well in drills as he struggled with slipping and dropping the ball. Pairing all that with a 180 pound frame, he hurt himself during the week.