2025 NFL Combine preview: quarterbacks, wide receivers, and running backs

The New York Giants are set to watch some quarterbacks throw on Saturday afternoon in Indianapolis.

Along with the quarterbacks, there will be wide receiver and running back testing. Texas’ Xavier Worthy broke John Ross’ forty-yard-dash time at last year’s combine. Will the current Kansas City Chiefs wideout be just a one-year record holder? We shall see!

The NFL Network’s coverage of today’s workouts will start at 1 p.m. EST.

Here are some quarterback, wide receiver, and running back names to pay attention to at this year’s combine.

Quarterback

Neither Cam Ward nor Sheduer Sanders will be throwing at the combine. This is not uncommon; Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye all decided to forgo the option of throwing at last year’s combine. The combine will be important for Ward and Sanders to ace their 18-minute interviews with teams. Both quarterbacks will throw at their respective pro days.

Ward and Sanders opting out opens up opportunity for several other quarterbacks to show off their arm talent and overall athletic ability.

Jalen Milroe, Alabama

He is rumored to run in the low 4.4s or even the 4.3s, which, at 6’2, 225 pounds, is impressive for a quarterback. Milroe’s forty-time will be discussed, but he can turn heads if he displays consistent accuracy throwing the football at an event like the combine, where he’s working with unfamiliar receivers. Can he do enough that to earn a day-two pick as a developmental player with specific packages designed for him in year one?

Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

Dart threw for over 4,000 yards with 29 touchdowns and just six interceptions for Lane Kiffin in 2024. He’s strung together three solid seasons for the Rebels after his transfer from USC and is looking to squeeze into the first round. Some praised Dart’s Senior Bowl performance; others said it was adequate; either way, he can steal the show in Indianapolis with a good workout. The Giants will undoubtedly be watching.

Tyler Shough, Louisville

If anyone is going to WOW with his arm talent at the combine is Shough. The 25-year-old has a cannon attached to his torso, with serious arm talent and the ability to change trajectories while displaying the necessary velocity to challenge tight windows. Shough played for three schools: two years at Oregon (2019-2020), three years at Texas Tech (2021-2023, and then spent one season with Louisville. He’s older, has an injury history, and has just one season of respectable collegiate production. Still, his arm will catch attention and should earn him more praise.

Other quarterbacks like Ohio State’s Will Howard, Texas’ Quinn Ewers, and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel also have opportunities to showcase their talents and try to jostle over each other for interest. And again, the interview portion of the combine is massive for these quarterbacks.

Running backs

Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty is not testing at the combine, which isn’t surprising after his elite 2024 season. Omarion Hampton out of North Carolina is set to test at 6’0, 220 pounds. His explosiveness downhill should lead to positive testing numbers in the forty-year-dash and the ten-yard split.

I am also very interested in both the Ohio State runners: TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins. The former is the more explosive runner, although he’s got some serious pop to his game as well, while the latter is more of a physical runner. A good forty-time for Judkins could lead him up boards.

Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo was elite in 2024. If he can stay around the 4.5 range, that is excellent for his stock; he is not a burner but a very poor forty time could lead to a slight slide during the draft.

Jarquez Hunter, Auburn

Jarquez Hunter is a decisive quality between the tackles runner with the ability to run though or make defenders miss in a phone booth. His short-area quickness and one-cut ability – as well as his understanding of angles – allow him to avoid clean hits from defenders while moving

Hunter ranked 71st in Bruce Feldman’s Freak List on the Athletic. Here’s what Feldman had to say:

One of the SEC’s top backs, Hunter has rushed for 2,172 career rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in three seasons. The 5-10, 209-pounder from rural Mississippi, who in high school lifted wearing cowboy boots, has squatted 635 pounds and could’ve done more, but the Tigers’ staff stopped him. He’s topped out at more than 22 mph and been clocked at 4.45 in the 40.

The Giants could be in the market for a day-three running back to pair with Tyrone Tracy Jr. Hunter, along with some of the other players listed, could be in that conversation.

Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech

A 5’11, 209-pound back with good production in two seasons as a Hokie. He rushed for over 1,000 yards with 15 touchdowns and a 6.5-yards per carry average in 2024. He arrived on campus in 2023 and rushed for 875 yards with ten touchdowns; he was with North Carolina A&T hitherto and was very productive in 2022. Tuten ranked 40th on Bruce Feldman’s Freak List. Here’s Feldman’s analysis:

A dynamic do-everything playmaker, Tuten accounted for 1,633 all-purpose yards in 2023, his first season in the ACC after transferring from North Carolina A&T. This offseason, the 5-11, 208-pounder clocked a 4.32 40, reached a 23.15 MPH max velocity, bench pressed 400 pounds and had a vertical jump of 39 inches.

23.15 MPH as a max is rare to see in the NFL. Be on the lookout for Tuten!

Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State

If the Giants are looking for a late day three THUNDER to Tracy Jr.’s LIGHTING, then Ollie Gordon II could be an option, especially for development. His production dipped from 1,732 yards with 21 touchdowns (6.1 YPC) in 2023 to 845 yards and 12 touchdowns (4.5 YPC) in 2024. However, there were circumstances on the team that facilitated the decline in production and the decline was still a respectable output.

Gordon II averaged 3.47 yards after contact in college. He’s a thick 6’2, 225 pounds, and he’s experienced rushing in a zone and gap scheme. If he can run a forty time in the sub-4.5, then a team could be inclined to draft him in the middle of day three.

Trevor Etienne, Georgia

The younger brother of Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne is a quick dual-threat back who is 5’9, 205 pounds. He’s not the biggest or most physical back, but he also doesn’t have a ton of wear and tear on his body. Etienne originally attended Florida before transferring to the Bulldogs. He has the upside to be a three-down back, but the testing will be crucial toward that goal.

Wide receiver

This draft is bereft of a Malik Nabers or Marvin Harrison Jr., but this group is DEEP! There isn’t a strong consensus on the number one overall receiver, but Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillian could come close to securing the first receiver spot with good testing. Deep and top-end speed are the questions surrounding McMillan, so a good forty-yard dash time is key for the Wildcat.

Luther Burden III (Missouri), Matthew Golden (Texas), Tre Harris (Ole Miss), and Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State) are other receivers who may be first-round selections. Burden III should blaze through drills and do well in the forty-yard dash. However, all five of theses players should be monitored through the route drills and the gauntlet.

Arian Smith, Georgia

There are a few receivers who may challenge Worthy’s 4.21 forty-yard dash from last year and the 6’0, 23-year-old receiver is one of them. Smith reportedly ran a 4.29 forty-yard dash in high school. He was a track star and has rare deep speed that defenses will always have to pay attention to on Sundays.

Smith caught 48 passes for 817 yards with four touchdowns this past season, so he averaged 16.7 yards a catch. However, he averaged 19.7 yards per catch through his five seasons as a Bulldog. The 185-pound receiver is lighting fast with insane acceleration.

Isaiah Bond, Texas

Bond is another player who can challenge Worthy’s forty-record. Bond replaced Worthy in 2024 after transferring from Alabama. He caught 34 passes for 540 yards with five touchdowns in 2024. His statistics are modest, but Bond was an all-state sprinting champion in high school. He quickly gets to top speed and maintains it well through the whistle. He will look great running routes at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Savion Williams, TCU

I’m not a big fan of comparisons but former first-round pick Cordarrelle Patterson is one that makes sense for Savion Williams, a raw sensational athlete with intimidating size and a wonderful combination of quick feet and balance. He is just BUILT DIFFERENT. Williams is a dangerous offensive weapon that defensive coordinators must be weary of, but can he be more than a gadget player?

Williams is raw. He’s leaving some of his potential on the field with inefficient footwork and a lack of spatial awareness once the play commences. Still, it’s difficult to not fall in love with his ceiling, especially with his incredibly high contested catch rate. With that said, Williams isn’t a natural when catching the football – he’s just elite when battling for the ball in the air. A creative offensive coordinator will love to have Williams as an option, but development is needed.

When it comes to testing, though, Williams should do well at the combine. Here is what Bruce Feldman said about Williams during the summer of 2024:

The 6-4 wideout who was No. 56 on last year’s list is now 10 pounds bigger, up to 225. Williams led TCU with 573 receiving yards on 41 catches with four TDs in 2023 and hit 10-6 on the broad jump and posted a 40-inch vertical. This year, he squatted 600 pounds, bench-pressed 355, power cleaned 350 and clocked 22.5 mph. The former high school quarterback has a strong arm and can throw the ball 80 yards.

Williams was ranked 47th on this year’s Freak List.

Da’Quan Felton, Virginia Tech

Felton is another receiver who could come away from Indianapolis with a massive smile on his face. He ranked 22nd on Bruce Feldman’s Freak List:

One of the ACC’s top big-play threats, Felton had 38 receptions for 667 yards and eight TDs last year in his first season in FBS after shining at Norfolk State. Felton has blossomed into a matchup nightmare. He is 6-5 and 221 pounds, up eight pounds from last year. He has hit 22.40 mph, broad-jumped 10-8 and run a 4.42 in the 40 to go with his 36.5 inch vertical.

Felton’s size, speed, and lower-body explosiveness are rare in a player, especially if he is a true 6’5, 221 pounds. NFL teams will get creative with a player based on his build and skill set. He’s two years removed from the FBS level and had moderate production in two seasons at Virginia Tech. The 24-year-old will look to keep his forty-time under 4.5.

**SLEEPER**

Monaray Baldwin, Baylor

I wanted to make Baldwin a sleeper from a speed and testing standpoint. The undersized senior is not generating much buzz and wasn’t the most productive college player — he caught 99 passes on 175 targets for 1,673 yards with 13 career touchdowns — yet he has a second and third gear that pop out on tape. Baldwin is a smooth accelerator who is controlled when turning tight corners; he frequently sprinted past defensive backs who thought they had an advantageous angle.

Baldwin is only 5’9, 172 pounds, but he was dangerous in one-on-one situations due to his speed — ask Kansas! He’s a day-three player who may run a fast forty and could provide his name more notoriety at the combine.