Between Feb. 27 and March 2, 2025, the National Football League (NFL) hosted its annual Scouting Combine. The event serves as a chance for college prospects to show off their athleticism to NFL coaches in an attempt to better their chances of getting drafted. Combine events include the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, shuttle run, the three cone drill, other position specific drills and a cognitive test. Although, in recent years, the combine has been criticized for not accurately representing players’ football abilities, it is still one of the most anticipated parts of the offseason for NFL fans.
Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston ran the fastest 40-yard dash of the day, finishing in just 4.28 seconds. This mark is tied for the 13th fastest in combine history and puts him on the same level as NFL legends such as Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey. Safety Nick Emmanawori of the University of South Carolina also put up a very strong performance at the combine, winning both the vertical and broad jump. No one was near Emmanawori in either event as he won the broad jump by an impressive four inches and the vertical jump by over a foot. Wide receiver Tez Johnson of Oregon claimed victory in the three cone drill while Nevada safety Kitan Crawford, who also finished second in the vertical jump, won the 20-yard shuttle. In the final measurable event, Luke Kandra, an offensive lineman for the University of Cincinnati, won the bench press by completing 33 reps.
After the combine, the two athletes with the highest chance of being drafted first overall remain the same. Colorado’s Travis Hunter is a popular option due to his versatility, having played both wide receiver and cornerback at a professional skill level during his college career. Hunter’s resume is also strengthened by the fact that he won the Heissman trophy this year, an award that is given to the best player in college football. On the other hand, Abdul Carter, from the University of Pennsylvania is also a possible option. Carter is an edge rusher, a position that the Tennessee Titans, the team with the first overall pick, is in desperate need of. One drawback of Carter is that he is currently injured and it is possible that once he recovers he will not be as strong of a player as he once was. It is also possible that Tennessee opts to select a quarterback, seeing as it is the most impactful position in the sport and the Titan’s current starter, Will Levis, has not shown any signs of being able to develop into a reliable franchise player. In terms of quarterbacks, the top two options from the class are University of Miami’s Cam Ward and Hunter’s teammate from Colorado, Shedeur Sanders. In Ward’s favor, Sanders hurt his draft stock during the combine during the interview portion. An unspecified team reported that Sanders, who is the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, acted extremely arrogant during his interview with them.
“When talking about the projected top two QB picks this year, every team I spoke to loves Ward, and I didn’t hear a ton of positive about Sanders.” NBC analyst Matthew Berry said of the private interview.
In recent years, the effectiveness of the combine has come into question. Critics have pointed out that an NFL player will never have to run a 40-yard dash or do the bench press during a game and that these events seem to be arbitrary. Others have said that the combine is unable to measure a players ability to perform under pressure and to think quickly, two of the most important skills to have as an NFL player. Some have even pointed out that the combine risks injuring players which would hurt their chances of getting drafted. Despite its flaws, the combine has remained a very important part of the NFL draft process.
With draft day about a month away, NFL teams need to start deciding who they want as an addition to their rosters. Some teams are already quite talented and do not need more players, but for other teams, their decisions at the draft will determine what sort of team they will be for seasons to come. Come April, college players across the country will wait with baited breath to see if they performed well enough at the combine to make it to the NFL.
