The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine is in the books for all the skill positions. After Saturday’s drills and testing, we’ve seen several quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs either boost their draft stock or raise concerns.
Some players confirmed their status as elite prospects with strong showings, while others left evaluators questioning their upside at the next level. Below, Andrew Erickson and Derek Brown break down the biggest risers and fallers among quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers after Saturday’s workouts. Don’t miss the biggest risers and fallers at tight end.
NFL Draft Risers & Fallers: Running Back
Performance metrics via NFL.com Next Gen Stats.
NFL Draft Risers
Bhayshul Tuten (RB – Virginia Tech)
- Key Performance Metrics:
- 40-yard dash: 4.32 (98th percentile)
- Vertical Jump: 40.5″ (96th percentile)
- Broad Jump: 130″ (96th percentile)
- What Stood Out: Everything. The Virginia Tech running back put on an absolute spectacle, running the fastest 40-yard dash time among running backs at the NFL Scouting Combine. At 206 pounds, Bhayshul Tuten ran the same 40-yard dash as De’Von Achane, who weighed 188 pounds.
- Draft Stock Impact: From late-round sleeper to draft target for NFL teams in round three/round four.
-Andrew Erickson
Virginia Tech RB Bhayshul Tuten
4.32 40-yd dash (98th percentile)
40. 50” Vertical jump (96th percentile)
10’ 10” Broad jump (96th percentile)— Andrew Erickson™ (@AndrewErickson_) March 1, 2025
RJ Harvey (RB – UCF)
- Key Performance Metrics:
- 40-yard dash: 4.40 (92nd percentile)
- Vertical Jump: 38″ (86th percentile)
- Broad Jump: 127″ (92nd percentile)
- 10-yard split: 1.57 (56th percentile)
- What Stood Out: My guy RJ Harvey crushed it at the NFL Scouting Combine. Add these awesome testing numbers to an analytical profile of a back that has been in the top 20 in breakaway rate and elusive rating over the last two years, and we have a player who could lead an NFL backfield in 2025. Harvey has a three-down skill set, ranking 36th or higher in yards per route run in two of the last three seasons, per Pro Football Focus (PFF).
- Draft Stock Impact: After this wonderful showing at the Indy stopwatch party, Harvey could easily go higher on Day 2 than many expect.
– Derek Brown
Omarion Hampton (RB – UNC)
- Key Performance Metrics:
- 40-yard dash: 4.46 (82nd percentile)
- Vertical Jump: 38″ (86th percentile)
- Broad Jump: 130″ (96th percentile)
- 10-yard split: 1.54 (68th percentile)
- What Stood Out: Omarion Hampton is a three-down running back at 221 pounds with 4.46 40-yard speed. The UNC running back over-delivered what I expected heading into testing. He’s a bigger, stronger and faster version of Zach Charbonnet. This is the list of running backs drafted on Day 2 or earlier that have averaged at least 30 receiving yards per game (Hampton averages 31.8 per game in 12 regular season games) in their final college seasons: Saquon Barkley, David Johnson, Joe Mixon, Antonio Gibson, Najee Harris, Travis Etienne Jr. Rachaad White, Zach Charbonnet and Jahmyr Gibbs.
- Draft Stock Impact: Hampton has put teams on notice and might find himself drafted in round one of the NFL Draft alongside Ashton Jeanty.
-Andrew Erickson
Brashard Smith (RB – SMU)
- Key Performance Metrics:
- 40-yard dash: 4.39 (92nd percentile)
- Vertical Jump: 32.5″ (26th percentile)
- Broad Jump: 117″ (37th percentile)
- 10-yard split: 1.58 (77th percentile)
- What Stood Out: While Brashard Smith’s jumps weren’t amazing, he still flew in the 40-yard dash. He had the third-best miles per hour (MPH) speed (23.2), per NFL Next Gen Stats. Smith’s game is built upon fluid movements and speed. He did everything he needed to do to prove to an NFL team he could be an offensive weapon.
- Draft Stock Impact: Smith’s stock likely gains a few points with the proof of concept he is quite fast. Unfortunately, this will likely still keep him in the Day 3 conversation, but it could push him to the top of a tier for NFL teams.
– Derek Brown
NFL Draft Fallers
Kaleb Johnson (RB – Iowa)
- Key Performance Metrics:
- 40-yard dash: 4.57 (46th percentile)
- Vertical Jump: N/A
- Broad Jump: N/A
- 10-yard split: 1.65 (7th percentile)
- What Stood Out: Kaleb Johnson ran slower than expected. Were these numbers rough? Yeah, it wasn’t great, but for a back his size, I’m not crushing Johnson. He still hit 22.2 MPH and had the sixth-best max acceleration, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
- Draft Stock Impact: For a big back, these numbers aren’t a coffin nail, but they could make the difference between Johnson hearing his name called in round one of the NFL Draft or Day 2.
– Derek Brown
NFL Draft Risers & Fallers: Wide Receiver
Performance metrics via NFL.com Next Gen Stats.
NFL Draft Risers
Matthew Golden (WR – Texas)
- Key Performance Metrics:
- 40-yard dash: 4.29 (97th percentile)
- Vertical Jump: N/A
- Broad Jump: N/A
- 10-yard split: 1.49 (93rd percentile)
- What Stood Out: No wide receiver ran a faster 40-yard dash time than Golden. He was already considered a top-five wideout in this draft class, but the blazing speed put him well over the top.
- Draft Stock Impact: First-round lock.
-Andrew Erickson
Jaylin Noel (WR – Iowa State)
- Key Performance Metrics:
- 40-yard dash: 4.39 (86th percentile)
- Vertical Jump: 41.5″ (96th percentile)
- Broad Jump: 134″ (97th percentile)
- 10-yard split: 1.51 (81st percentile)
- What Stood Out: My man. My crush. If Matthew Golden isn’t the first name people mention when discussing the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, it should be Jaylin Noel. He melted stopwatches in Indy and deserves all of the hype headed his way from everyone else in the NFL Draft community who has slept on him to this point. Noel posted the third-highest athletic score among testers, per NFL Next Gen Stats.
- Draft Stock Impact: Noel should hear his name called in the second round of the NFL Draft. If I were an NFL general manager, I would have no problem sending in the ticket with his name on it at the end of the first round, but I understand this may not be the case. Noel is now locked in as a top-40/top-50 player in this draft class.
-Derek Brown
Jayden Higgins (WR – Iowa State)
- Key Performance Metrics:
- 40-yard dash: 4.47 (62nd percentile)
- Vertical Jump: 39″ (85th percentile)
- Broad Jump: 128″ (85th percentile)
- 10-yard split: 1.53 (67th percentile)
- What Stood Out: Jayden Higgins proved at the combine he has the necessary speed and explosiveness to get downfield. Add his plus testing metrics to a frame that should allow him to compete for No. 1/No. 2 WR duties on an NFL roster, and we have a player who has been underrated by many in the NFL Draft community.
- Draft Stock Impact: Higgins should be firmly on the Day 2 radar for every NFL team. Someone will get a steal when they select him.
-Derek Brown
NFL Draft Fallers
Isaiah Bond (WR – Texas)
- Key Performance Metrics:
- 40-yard dash: 4.39 (86th percentile)
- Vertical Jump: N/A
- Broad Jump: N/A
- 10-yard split: 1.51 (81st percentile)
- What Stood Out: Isaiah Bond claimed he would break the 40-yard dash record and run in the 4.2s during Saturday’s testing. He left a lot to be desired by running a 4.39 40-yard dash. Objectively, this is a very strong time for a wide receiver, but the reality versus expectation is horrible. And it’s just another example of him failing to meet expectations, something he has done too often in the college ranks at both Alabama and Texas.
- Draft Stock Impact: Day 3.
-Andrew Erickson
Tre Harris (WR – Ole Miss)
- Key Performance Metrics:
- 40-yard dash: 4.54 (36th percentile)
- Vertical Jump: 38.5″ (82nd percentile)
- Broad Jump: 125″ (74th percentile)
- 10-yard split: 1.56 (44th percentile)
- What Stood Out: Did Tre Harris blaze an eye-popping 40-yard dash? No. Did he crush his NFL Draft stock despite what some may say? Nope. Harris was fast enough at a position where raw speed is double counted or overstated. Harris proved he is an explosive player deserving of hype with his jumps and his analytical profile.
- Draft Stock Impact: Harris should hear his name called in round two of the NFL Draft. A pristine combine could have pushed him into round one, but now he could be a steal for a franchise.
-Derek Brown
Tez Johnson (WR – Oregon)
- Key Performance Metrics:
- 40-yard dash: 4.51 (51st percentile)
- Vertical Jump: 37″ (69th percentile)
- Broad Jump: 131″ (92nd percentile)
- 10-yard split: 1.53 (67th percentile)
- 3-cone drill: 6.65 (93rd percentile)
- What Stood Out: Tez Johnson weighed in at 5-foot-10 and 154 pounds. He was not only lighter than Tank Dell but also slower. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Johnson reached a top speed of 22.17 MPH running a go route in 2024, the fastest by any wide receiver at this year’s combine. Entering this weekend, Johnson was expected to run faster than his official 4.51-second 40-yard dash, where he reached a top speed of 22.58 MPH (25 out of 39 receivers).
- Draft Stock Impact: NFL general managers don’t often win betting on outliers to hit. Johnson projects as a Day 3 pick that could fall like Oregon receiver Troy Franklin last year.
-Andrew Erickson
NFL Draft Risers & Fallers: Quarterback
Performance metrics via NFL.com Next Gen Stats.
NFL Draft Risers
Jaxson Dart (QB – Ole Miss)
- Key Performance Metrics:
- 40-yard dash: N/A
- Vertical Jump: N/A
- Broad Jump: N/A
- 10-yard split: N/A
- What Stood Out: Jaxson Dart was surgical in the throwing drills at the NFL Scouting Combine. This marries well with his game film. Dart crushed his podium sessions and didn’t disappoint when he tossed the rock in Indy.
- Draft Stock Impact: The NFL Draft community has been sleeping on Dart. Not many mocks have put him in the first round of the NFL Draft. I’m here to tell you Dart will be a first-round selection (and a high one).
-Derek Brown
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