The NFL Combine is an event held every late February/early March in the NFL offseason, and it proves to be the most significant opportunity for teams to evaluate the prospects for the upcoming draft in April. It's been held in Indianapolis since 1987 and serves as a benchmark for a new season in the NFL. From the 40-yard dash to position drills, NFL general managers get a first glance at the prospects and how they operate. Here are the 10 biggest storylines heading into the NFL Combine, without further ado.
How will the QB carousel shake out?
Many teams enter the offseason with questions about the quarterback position. We might see teams reaching for guys in a class where there are two top guys in Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward. The biggest questions come from three SEC quarterbacks who could rise up draft boards with a strong performance in Indianapolis this weekend. Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe and Quinn Ewers could see themselves rising up boards over the weekend with a strong performance, and we could see quarterback-needy teams roll the dice and take one of these prospects. For guys like Milroe and Ewers, a strong performance this weekend could be the difference between a first or a second-round grade for many teams.
The defensive line group headlines draft, as it could be the best class we have ever seen
If there was ever a year to double dip and get yourself a premier defensive lineman prospect, this is the year to do it. You could easily say this is the best defensive lineman draft class ever. Abdul Carter and Mason Graham will be in the top five picks in the draft, but the depth of the defensive line class is remarkable to see. I expect over 15 defensive linemen to be drafted in the first 50 picks, and maybe even more. We've seen a team like the Philadelphia Eagles build through the trenches and dominate the line of scrimmage, and we are going to see multiple teams take advantage of the strong draft class and take some defensive linemen, even if it might not be a big team need.
Who's running back No. 2?
No one is arguing that any running back other than Ashton Jeanty will be the first running back off of the board. We could see Jeanty going as high as a top-10 pick in the draft. While Jeanty is a generational type of running back, this running back class is very deep and is one of the best we have ever seen. The question remains: who will be the running back No. 2 after Jeanty goes. It is a three-way race between Omarion Hampton, Kaleb Johnson and Treveyon Henderson. I give the edge to Hampton because he is a premier running back and could be a vocal point of the offense, but it will depend on how they perform at the combine this weekend.
Travis Hunter — WR Or CB?
I don't think anyone has been as hyped up coming into a draft as Travis Hunter is going into this one. The question with Hunter is where teams will want him to play. Funny enough, Hunter would be the vast receiver No. 1 in the class and the cornerback No. 1. You can't really go wrong. Hunter has expressed his desire to play both ways in the NFL, but I expect teams to be reluctant, given they don't want him to wear out early on in his career. While I don't expect the answer of the future for Hunter to come out this weekend at the combine, it will be interesting to see how he approaches the workouts with the teams. I don't expect Hunter's entire plan to come out after he is drafted and the team lays out the plan for him. If there were someone to play both ways, though, it would be Hunter. He is that gifted. And I expect Deion Sanders to be in the general manager's ears through the draft process because of his desire to play both ways.
What do the Titans do at No. 1?
For most drafts, there is a clear-cut No. 1 prospect that a team is set on to draft. Last year, it was Caleb Williams. This year, however, there is no clear-cut No. 1 prospect, and multiple names could go No. 1 overall to the Tennessee Titans. The Titans need a franchise quarterback after the Will Levis experience did not work out, but are they in love with a quarterback in this class? They could take two generational types of defensive prospects in the draft Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter. It will be a hard decision for Tennessee, but it will all come down to whether they find a quarterback they like and feel comfortable taking No. 1 overall.
QB1 — Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders?
There are two clear-cut quarterback prospects in this draft class. Cam Ward is from Miami, and Shedeur Sanders is from Colorado. While teams are still making their evaluations and who they will want to take in the draft come April, the combine sets a significant point in the draft process where they can sit down and meet the prospects and get to know the people they could be working with every day. Sheduer Sanders has decided that he will not be throwing at the combine and will opt to throw at his pro day, whereas Ward is still undecided on whether he will participate in the activities. When you put it on the tape, it's hard to argue that anyone had as good of a season as Ward did this past season for Miami. His draft stock improved weekly, and he has a Brett Favre zip to his ball. Sanders possesses all the tools of an NFL quarterback and is good-sized, standing at 6-foot-3. Both players will be top 10 picks, depending on who teams will like more. Much of it could come down to the draft interviews done at the combine.
NFL trade talk headlines combine week
While most of the combine is focused on teams focusing on the 2025 draft and doing the most they can do to try and meet and evaluate the prospects, this is a good opportunity for general managers to meet and discuss ongoing trades with other teams. A few names and teams are headlining the combine, and talks are expected to be held throughout the week in Indianapolis. Los Angeles has said they want to trade Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp. They could be a package deal for a team, and many of these conversations could happen at the combine. Myles Garrett is still a question mark in Cleveland as he requested a trade earlier in the offseason as he wants to be in an organization that wants to win, and that is not the direction the Browns are going in, so I expect some of these talks to happen during the week in Indianapolis. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst came out during his combine press conference and said they are working through deciding on whether Jaire Alexander will be traded in the offseason. While it may not seem like it, many trade discussions occur in Indianapolis during the combine week. What else are general managers going to talk about for a week straight?
The wide receiver class is pretty thin
It's safe to say that we won't get three wide receivers drafted in the top 10 like we did last year. We might not even get one within the first 10 picks. Compared to years past, This weak wide receiver class is thin as the draft goes on. Travis Hunter and Tetairoa McMillan are the only sure players to be selected in the first round. Luther Burden and Emeka Egbuka headline the next set of names, and we can see them go in the back half of the first round. A name to look out for is Arian Smith. I expect him to run in the 4.2 range and to put on a show at the combine. I see a lot of Jameson Williams in his game and expect him to fly up draft boards this weekend with a strong performance at the combine. Another name to keep an eye out for is Tez Johnson. He is ranked as a third-round grade right now. He could shoot up to a mid-second-round pick with a strong performance this weekend.
An update on Kyren Lacy
LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy was expected to be a part of that wide receiver class, but a recent arrest in January with charges stemming from a fatal car crash has impacted his draft stock, and he will not be competing at the 2025 NFL combine. Before the arrest, Lacy was expected to be a top-50 pick in the draft. Now, he might be off the team's boards as a whole. This is all stemming from an arrest where Lacy could face jail time. Will Lacy be drafted in April's 2025 draft? Probably. But it won't be as nearly as high as it would be if the arrest never happened, and he will not get to showcase his skills in the workout section of the combine. We've seen teams take chances on players, and Lacy will likely be that player. The talent is there.
Top cornerback set to work out after rehabbing from injury
Will Johnson is a player that I expect to be a top-five pick when the draft comes about. Though there are concerns regarding a foot injury Johnson suffered this past season at Michigan, word is that he is healthy now and plans to compete at the NFL Combine. You put it on the tape, and it does not lie for Will Johnson. He has the opportunity to be a proper shutdown No. 1 corner for a team. A good workout at the combine could be the difference between Will Johnson being a top-five pick or sliding a bit in the draft. The talent is there, but teams must see that he is fully healthy and has recovered from the injury. It's similar to the situation of Derek Stingley Jr., who came out of the draft in 2022. Stingley suffered a similar injury and missed most of the season, but provided a good lead-up to the draft and was eventually picked by the Texans at No. 3 overall.
While it may not seem like it, a simple workout could be the difference between someone having a first-round grade on a prospect or a third-round grade. Most importantly, the accurate evaluation comes from the interviews conducted at the combine. This better gives a team what type of player and what type of person this prospect is and if they want to draft them in the draft in April. Guys will run faster than experts expected, and guys will run slower than experts expect; it's all a part of the roller coaster that is the NFL combine. Buckle up.
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