Four days of on-field workouts are complete which brings an end to the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. As the New England Patriots continue to dwindle down their options with the No. 4 overall pick, here’s who helped — and who may have hurt — their draft stock throughout the week in Indianapolis.
Quarterbacks
Winner: Patriots. After selecting both Drake Maye and Joe Milton in last year’s draft, New England won’t be using an early selection at the position this year. The more quarterbacks that go early will then be beneficial in order to push talented positional players down the board. The Patriots could be getting their wish.
Beyond Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders feeling more and more as options for the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants, who could trade up, within the top three selections, Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart generated some first-round buzz throughout the week. Some additionally view Alabama’s Jalen Milroe as QB3 due to the physical upside. Either player going before the Patriots second selection at No. 38 would be a win for the team.
Running backs
Winners: TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State). A strong running back class lived up to the hype on the field on Saturday and was led by the Buckeyes backfield duo. Both were elite testers at the position with Henderson clocking in a 4.43 40-yard dash and reaching a top speed of over 23 MPH. Judkins finds himself as more of a big body back at 221 pounds but still recorded a 4.48 40. The duo likely will not get out of the second round.
Elsewhere, Drake Maye’s collegiate teammate Omarion Hampton shined and firmly cemented himself in first-round conversations. In the mid-rounds, Georgia’s Trevor Etienne (who surprisingly impressed me this past season) recorded a 4.42-second 40-yard dash. Some pass catching options include Jaydon Blue, Marcus Yarns, and Bhayshul Tuten, who’s 4.32-second 40 was the fastest among the group.
Wide receivers
Winners: Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins (Iowa State). Another pair of teammates who impressed on Saturday. Noel has continued to dominate the pre-draft process after a productive career for the Cyclones. He remains my favorite day two option after a fantastic workout.
Jaylin Noel 23 bench reps (most among WRs)He was best or T-best in the bench, both jumps, had a great field workout and ran 4.39 with 6.82 3cone and 4.17 shuttle ✅️✅️✅️✅️✅️✅️— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) March 2, 2025
Fellow Cyclone Jayden Higgins comes in a different mold as an outside X receiver. Despite measuring in a 6-foot-4, 214 pounds, Higgins clocked in at a 4.47 and a 39-inch vertical jump. If the Patriots pass on him at pick No. 38 they may not have a chance to select him elsewhere.
Another name who continued to rise was Texas’ Matthew Golden. He perhaps etched his name in the first-round with the fastest 40-yard dash among wide receivers at 4.29 seconds — which was faster than expected.
Losers: Speedsters. Oregon’s Tez Johnson and Texas’ Isaiah Bond weren’t shy at the podium this week when forecasting their 40-yard dash times — with Bond proclaiming he’d break Xavier Worthy’s record (4.21s). Bond’s time was still good but clocked in at 4.39 seconds and slower than his teammate Golden. He did, however, record the second-fastest max speed at 24.17 MPH. Johnson, on the other hand, weighed in at just 154 pounds and ran a 4.51-second 40.
Honorable mention: Tet McMillan (Arizona). A consensus top receiver in the class, McMillan shared he a good meeting with the Patriots in Indy this week. It was disappointing, however, that the receiver did not run as long speed is one of the biggest questions with his tape. The buzz around the Combine was that McMillan’s 40-time was to be slower than expected.
Tight ends
Winner: Terrance Ferguson (Oregon). After a strong week in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, Ferguson’s testing confirmed the athletic ability seen on the field. He recorded the top time among all tight ends in 40-yard dash (4.63s) and 10-yard split (1.55s). His 39’ vertical jump was also the top ranked at his position.
Loser: Gunnar Helm (Texas). Helm wasn’t expected to blow away the testing from an athletic standpoint. But, his 4.84-second 40-yard dash which led to just a 2.23 Relative Athletic Score was disappointing. It was revealed Helm suffered an ankle sprain on his first 40-yard attempt and continued through the injury, perhaps leading towards better results at Texas’ Pro Day.
Offensive line
Winner: OT Armond Membou (Missouri). Membou put on a show to wrap up the Combine Sunday by running a 4.91-second 40-yard dash en route to a 9.82 RAS. The right tackle made his case to be the top offensive lineman in this class and has no reason to be removed from tackle with his play and 33.5-inch arms.
Along the interior, North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel continues to absolutely nail the pre-draft process. Additionally, all three Georgia lineman (Dylan Fairchild — who did not run — Jared Wilson, and Tate Ratledge) all look like immediate impact players along the interior.
Loser: OT Will Campbell (LSU). The Patriots were among several teams who reportedly viewed Campbell as a tackle entering the week. However, Sunday’s measurements confirmed the expectation of Campbell’s short arms as he measured in at just 32 5/8 inches. While he shined in the athletic testing the arm measurements lands him in just the seventh percentile among offensive tackles while his 77 3/8 inch wingspan would be the shortest of any offensive tackle in the league. He is an outlier at tackle.
One thing worth pointing out with the measurements: almost every lineman measured came in a fourth to a half inch shorter than they did at both the Senior and Shrine Bowl last month. Campbell, however, was not in attendance for either.
Honorable mention: OT Josh Simmons (Ohio State). After suffering a torn patellar tendon this past season, Simmons’ medicals have been positive throughout the week. Simmons shared he hopes to workout at Ohio State’s Pro Day while being on the field Week 1 is the current expectation. Perhaps the top left tackle in this draft Simmons should be a first-round pick.
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Defensive line
Winner: ED Shemar Stewart (Texas A&M). The former Aggie was expected to shine in Indy and that’s exactly what he did. At 6-foot-5, 267 pounds, Stewart recorded a 4.59-second 40-yard dash and a 40-inch vertical jump which led to a perfect 10.00 RAS score. After recording only 4.5 sacks last year it’s the debate of production vs. physical tools. Stewart will need to develop a better pass-rush plan but perhaps someone Mike Vrabel and Terrell Williams feel they can get the most out of.
Let’s get the big one out of the way first, Shemar Stewart’s potentially record setting performance.Love him or hate him as a player, this is an incredibly impressive set of testing even before considering his size. But can he hold it? pic.twitter.com/wlmS0s6LtH— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) February 28, 2025
Additionally along the edge, Georgia’s Mykel Williams (ankle) sat out of testing but has the traits that put him on the Patriots radar inside the top 10. Along the interior, projected top pick Mason Graham weighed in at 294 pounds after being listed last season at 320 pounds at Michigan.
Others who caught the eye: Tennessee’s James Pearce (who’s athletic profile was never a question but off field concerns could drop him significantly), BC’s Donovan Ezeiruaku and interior lineman Darius Alexander and Derrick Harmon.
Linebackers
Winner: Jihaad Campbell (Alabama). Frequent readers know my love for Jihaad Campbell. The good news is he dominated both the testing (4.52s 40, 10’7” broad) and drills as expected showcasing his excellent movement ability at 6-foot-3, 235 pounds. The bad news? He likely locked himself into the first-round and out of the Patriots range unless a trade is made.
If the Patriots are forced to look elsewhere for a playmaking linebacker in the draft, UCLA’s Carson Schwesinger could be the top option on day two. Schwesinger’s athletic ability stands out on tape and his lone test featured a 39.5-inch vertical (second among linebackers).
Defensive backs
Winner: DB Jahdae Barron (Texas). We’ve talked plenty here of Barron perhaps getting Cooper DeJean-ed or Brian Branch-ed out of the first-round due to positional value. Then he went out and ran a 4.39-second 40 by hitting a top speed of 23.3 MPH. It would now be a major surprise to see him slid out of the first-round.
Winners: CBs Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky) and Darien Porter (Iowa State). The Patriots will look to add a No. 2 cornerback opposite of Christian Gonzalez in free agency. If plans change, the middle rounds of the draft bring some intriguing options. Hairston ran the fastest 40-yard dash among the corners at 4.28 second and even could have moved his name into round one conversations. Porter was also expected to shine in Indy and did just so with a 9.99 RAS highlighted by a 4.3-second 40-yard dash to go with his 33-plus inch arms.
Winner: S Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina). At safety (and maybe in Indy), nobody had a better performance than Emmanwori, who is a true freak of nature at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds.
Nick Emmanwori hit 10.00 at SS, would hit it at FS and CB as well.He’d also hit 10.00 at WR, though he’d actually be #2 behind Calvin Johnson, there’s just a LOT of WR so due to rounding and such. He’d actually be like 9.999. Hits 9.87 at LB, with size dipping him. pic.twitter.com/kZsecaL1XX— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) February 28, 2025
If the Patriots don’t plan on using an early selection at the position, popular names such as Andrew Mukuba (Texas) and Billy Bowman (Oklahoma) checked the boxes they needed too as a mid-round centerfielder.