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The NFL Combine wrapped up over the weekend as the 2025 draft prospects showcased their physical abilities. There were several standout performances while some big names failed to impress. Let’s look at winners who boosted their stock and losers who may have fallen down draft boards:
WINNER: OT Armand Membou (Missouri)
Membou was one of the big winners from Sunday’s offensive line showcase. He posted elite numbers in the 40-yard (4.91), vertical (34″), broad jump (9’7″), and bench press (31). That sort of athleticism in a 6-foot-4, 330-pound build will have NFL teams seriously considering Membou as the first lineman to be taken off the board in April. He’s drawn comparisons to Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ All-Pro Tristan Wirfs who had a similarly impressive showing at the combine. Wirfs was selected with the pick No. 13 in 2020, and Membou could potentially go even higher than that.
LOSER: OT Will Campbell (LSU)
Campbell showed off his wheels on Sunday. He ran well (4.98) and was near the top performers in the vertical (32″) and broad jump (9’5″). However, teams are more concerned with Campbell’s arms than his legs. The LSU’s tackle arm length measured 32 5/8″, which is considered well below average for NFL tackles. Almost every other top tackle prospect on the board came in over 33″. It’s unclear how it will affect Campbell’s stock, but it might push him out of being the top OL selected. There are plenty of rumblings that some teams would prefer Campbell at guard. That conversation will be discussed heavily leading up to the draft.
WINNER: WR Matthew Golden (Texas)
Every year, a WR parlays a strong performance at the combine into being selected in the first round. We saw another Longhorn, Chiefs’ wideout Xavier Worthy, do just that last year after his record-breaking 40-yard dash. Golden wasn’t quite as speedy as Worthy, but a 4.29 at 6-foot will intrigue teams looking for a deep threat. And, unlike some other track stars, Golden has a reliable set of hands and is already a solid route runner. Draft pundits have expressed their worries about the depth at wideout in this class of prospects. With only a couple of names in discussion for the first round, Golden could sneak his way into the 20-30 range.
LOSER: WR Isaiah Bond (Texas)
Over promise, under deliver. Heading into the WR workouts, Texas wideout Isaiah Bond predicted he would break Worthy’s 40-yard record set at 4.21. Bond is fast — he reached over 24 MPH during the run, according to NFL Research — but he didn’t come close to reaching Worthy’s mark with an official time of 4.39. Bond disappointed throughout his college career which dates back to his time at Alabama. He was basically nonexistent over the second half of Texas’ season. The production isn’t there, and Bond needed a huge performance at the NFL Combine to improve his stock.
WINNER: WR Dont’e Thornton (Tennessee)
Golden recorded the top 40-yard time among wideouts, but Tennessee’s Dont’e Thornton Jr. was just a tick behind at 4.30. The difference here is that Thornton stands at a towering 6-foot-5. Thronton was a big-play threat for Josh Huepel’s veer-and-shoot offense. He tallied 661 yards on just 26 receptions (25.4 YPC) as a senior. An elite combo of height and speed at receiver will always be alluring to NFL GMs. Don’t be surprised if Thornton flies up the board after his exciting showing.
LOSER: WR Tez Johnson (Oregon)
Oregon’s Johnson was not built to shine in this type of format. He weighed in at 154 pounds, the lightest player at the entire combine. At that weight, Johnson running a mediocre 4.51 in the 40-yard was surprising. WRs of his size and stature are typically and preferably in the 4.3 range. Teams are already wary about using a draft pick on a player that small. A 5-foot-9, 154-pound wideout who doesn’t have blazing speed is a red flag. Johnson plays faster than that time indicates, and was highly productive over the last two years with the Ducks, but he could find himself in the undrafted range on a lot of team’s boards.
WINNER: S Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina)
With NFL defenses evolving each year, teams are desperately searching for supreme athletes who can fill multiple roles. Look no further than South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori to fly up boards for this reason alone. Emmanwori is a physical marvel who dominated all of the events at the NFL Combine. The safety is listed at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, ran a 4.38, recorded a 43″ vertical, and an 11’6″ broad jump. The vertical was the best for any player weighing at least 200 pounds in the event’s history. Emmanwori compares favorably to Chargers’ All-Pro Derwin James. His impressive performance has likely pushed him over Georgia’s Malaki Starks for the spot as No. 1 safety in the pool.
LOSER: EDGE Abdul Carter (Penn State)
Carter didn’t participate in the NFL Combine, but he underwent physical testing that revealed a stress fracture in his foot. Carter was in contention for being the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft. The injury could potentially push him out of that conversation. The Penn State standout was highly productive and checks all of the boxes teams are looking for in an elite edge rusher. A strong performance last week could have potentially solidified him in the top spot. Don’t expect Carter to slip too far down the board, but he’s unlikely to go No. 1 now.
WINNER: EDGE Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M)
This draft class is filled to the brim with talented edge rushers. Even then, Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart still managed to stand out emphatically with his excellent combine performance. The explosive defender ran a 4.59 at 6-foot-5, 267 pounds. He also posted one of the highest vertical jumps of any player, regardless of position, with a 40″ jump. Edge rushers are known for their incredible athletic feats. Stewart’s composite scores ranked 3rd out of 1,802 defensive ends that have been recorded since 1987 (according to RAS Football).
LOSER: QB Will Howard (Ohio State)
The top two consensus QBs in the class — Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders — opted to not participate in any of the combine events. Their absence opened the door for other passers to shine. Fresh off a National Championship, Will Howard failed to impress. During the passing drills, Howard was routinely missing receivers out of their breaks. His accuracy improved in his lone year as a Buckeye, but teams will be wary of the inconsistency he showed throughout his collegiate career. Howard had a chance to stamp himself as the No. 3 QB on the board. However, he came up short.
