7 NFL Combine prospects who raised their draft stock stock

Who saw the biggest jump leaving Indy?

At the 2025 NFL Combine, we saw a lot of impressive jumps. South Carolina S Nick Emmanwori jumped 11’6 in the broad jump and 43 inches in the vertical jump by himself. Texas A&M EDGE Shemar Stewart jumped 40 inches in the vertical at 267 pounds.

However, the biggest jumps are by players who were on the fringe of certain rounds, or even on the fringe of being drafted, inserting themselves into draft discussion with a strong Combine performance. For the most part, if a prospect that you know is going to run fast runs fast, they’re not exactly a winner. This is reserved for guys who made me go back onto the film and reassess their placements. With that being said, here are seven guys who raised their stock with a great week in Indy.

Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State

Noel came into the week around the third tier of receivers in a class that has talent, but is very heavy on slot receivers and quality number two options. However, he left Lucas Oil Stadium with a strong case to be in that second tier after a strong week. He ran a 4.39 40 yard dash, jumped 41.5 inches in the vertical and 11’2 in the broad jump (both among the tops in the receiver class). In addition, his 4.17 short shuttle was also very good. He looked smooth running routes and catching the ball in an environment that makes it tough to get acclimated with the ones throwing the ball.

After going for over 1,000 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in his final season with the Cyclones, Noel enters the draft and I think he can be a really nice Day 2 option for teams needing a slot receiver. He has a great ability to get open quick and vertically push teams. While I don’t think he’s super slippery after the catch or a guy you design YAC targets for, he’s a good second or third receiving option, able to take the top off of defenses or create separation against man coverage on late downs.

Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State

Not to be outdone, Noel’s teammate also had a very good Combine. Higgins, who measured in at 6’4 and 214 pounds, ran a stellar 4.47 40 yard dash, jumped 39 inches and also had a really good day as a receiver in the gauntlet drill, making these things look really easy. In a class with not very many boundary receivers, Higgins could be the guy outside of Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan who makes an impact in the NFL on the outside.

Where Higgins wins is simple: on in-breakers like slants, glance routes and digs he shows quick feet and hips to create separation at the line of scrimmage, and then he’s a red zone threat who’s able to high point the ball and win in contested situations. While he’s not the most explosive after the catch, Higgins also has sure hands with only seven drops in his career. Another guy who has played himself into Day 2 territory.

Terrence Ferguson, TE, Oregon

While the tight end class had an…interesting day of workouts in Indy, I think Ferguson looked the best among players that did both the athletic testing and the drills. He had the fastest 40 of all the tight ends (4.63 seconds), jumped the highest (39 inches), and hit the fastest maximum speed among all the tight ends in the 40 yard dash. He also did really well on the blocking sled and receiving drills, being able to throttle down on those in-breaking routes.

Ferguson went under the radar as the prominent names at tight end strengthened their hold on the top spots in the positional rankings, but I think Ferguson provides a lot of athletic upside, while being a quality blocker and receiver. In Oregon’s super high paced offense he was asked to do more blocking (only went over 500 yards receiving once in his career), but he has the untapped potential to be a versatile threat in the NFL.

Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech

Ok, I’m cheating a little bit here. As a former track star, Tuten’s numbers shouldn’t be that surprising, but man he blew the Combine out of the water. Tuten ran a 4.32 second 40 yard dash, had a 40 inch vertical and a 4.41 short shuttle, all massively impressive numbers. On top of that, the senior back from Virginia Tech looked really comfortable with his vision and receiving out of the backfield in Indy.

Tuten is a guy I had my eye on in Mobile at the Senior Bowl, but what stood out to me there was his ability to pass block. Despite being a smaller back at 5’9 and 206 pounds, Tuten threw his body around as a pass protector, stonewalling other pass rushers in 1 on 1’s. He’s a guy I’m going back through the tape on to get a better feel for.

Darien Porter, CB, Iowa State

What are they feeding the kids in Ames, Iowa? Porter is the third Cyclone on this list after a standout Combine performance. Measuring in at 6’3 and 195 pounds, Porter ran a blazing 4.3 second 40 yard dash, finished second among all DBs with a 4.04 second short shuttle and first among all DBs with a 6.71 second 3-cone time. On top of that, Porter looked really efficient in drills, sinking his hips well and changing direction without losing speed.

Porter is an interesting case of traits and athletic tools vs. snap counts and true time playing the position. A former wide receiver, Porter only has 349 career pass coverage snaps per SIS, but in those snaps he has three interceptions and six defended passes–and he’s also a plus on special teams. With the success of Seattle Seahawks’ CB Riq Woolen, someone is going to take a shot on Porter.

CJ West, DT, Indiana

This defensive tackle class is absolutely LOADED, but among guys who took part in the drills at the Combine, Indiana’s CJ West really stood out. He came in a little short at 6’1 and only having 31 ¹⁄₂ inch arms, but at a stocky 317 pounds West ran a 4.95 40 yard dash, hitting a top 5 max speed in the drill among DTs as well. West carries his weight well, and his athleticism and quickness stood out even without doing the agility drills.

West was one of the people in the middle of Indiana’s resurgence this year, holding down an undersized, yet feisty Hoosier defense. He had a standout Shrine Bowl performance and is continuing to stack good outings on top of good outings. I wouldn’t be surprised to see his name flash on Day 3 of the NFL Draft.

Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska

I had NO IDEA Ty Robinson had that Combine performance in him. At 6’5 and 288 pounds, Robinson ran a 4.83 40 yard dash, leading all DTs in top speed as well. On top of that, Robinson jumped 33.5 inches and looked strong during the agility and bag drills, something I didn’t really expect to happen.

In Mobile, Robinson made a few splash plays in the run game, but I felt that he kinda blended in amongst the monsters on the DL at the Senior Bowl. However, after a strong performance in Indy, I’m going to go back to his tape as well.