Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spytek, along with head coach Pete Carroll, spoke to the media during the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday morning. | Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images Las Vegas general manager, head coach can command a room, but we’ll see soon enough if that translates to more wins John Spytek and Pete Carroll can certainly command a room. With individual media availability sessions at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, the Las Vegas Raiders general manager and head coach, respectively, answered questions at the podium on Tuesday. The inquiries ran the full gamut of topics from general to specific, as per usual, with Spytek expertly side stepping the team’s biggest need to Carroll reiterating the intended goal of winning right away. The virtuosity both Raiders’ decision makers at the podium was nothing short of impressive. John Spytek and Pete Carroll win best team vibes award for the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine — Gregg Rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) February 25, 2025 Garnering best team vibes honors is one thing. Generating much-needed wins is another thing. And we’ll find out soon enough if Spytek and Carroll can surmount that mountainous task of turning the Silver & Black from perpetual losers to winners. To hear Carroll tell it though, he and Spytek will be joined at the hip in the quest to improve the Raiders. Together they will succeed or fail. “The relationship between the head coach and the general manager, to me, is the most important relationship in the NFL,” Carroll noted. “And it was when John Schneider and I started 14-15 years ago now. And so, I really treasure this relationship and I’m going to make it as good as possible.” Before that response above, Carroll spoke on Spytek’s already-established relationship with Raiders minority owner Tom Brady. And the head coach said the synergy between the three became apparent after huddling together to talk the team’s future. “The time I’ve had with John, and really it connects with Tom as well, because Tom and John are very well connected. To feel the continuity of our competitiveness and our approach and outlook and how we want to picture this thing coming together, it’s just as solid as it could possibly be,” Carroll said. “And I couldn’t be more fired up about it, because when Tom talks and when John talks and when I talk, we’re talking the same language. It’s been a seamless start to this thing. And so I didn’t know, I didn’t know that till we started hanging out.” Certainly a contributing factor to the Raiders’ futility — only five winning seasons in the last 25 years — is the lack of the same language. So that in itself is encouraging. But I can certainly appreciate the skepticism that exists in Raider Nation. The fan base has long been on the suffering end of not seeing a consistent winner as the 2000, 2001, 2002 seasons were the last set of back-to-back-to-back years where the team went 12-4, 10-6, and 11-5. It took 14 seasons to get to 12-4 (2016) and five more to get to 10-7 (2021), so the cynicism amongst the fan bas is warranted. Hence: Actions will speak louder than words for Spytek and Carroll. We’re ready for the Pete Carroll and Maxx Crosby duo in Vegas. #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/ar8W0t7Gu0 — Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) February 25, 2025 Off & Running Long before Spytek fielded questions at the combine, the Raiders GM stressed the team keeping their own and not letting good players leave the building. We finally saw action behind those words as Las Vegas kept young safety Isaiah Pola-Mao in the fold with contact extension on Monday. That was the first in-house free agent (Pola-Mao was a restricted free agent due to his undrafted status) the team tackled and there are many more. “Yeah, we don’t want to let any good players walk out of our building, especially young players,” Spytek reiterated when asked about the contract extension. “And Isaiah was a guy that given an opportunity last year when Marcus (Epps) got hurt, really stepped up and played well. And I think you’ve got to give a lot of respect to a young kid that’s undrafted and has a chance to get thrust in the starting lineup, and next thing you know, he’s playing at a good level. “And we noticed it in Tampa, and talking to the coaches, PG (defensive coordinator Patrick Graham) that was here, thought he was critical. I spent some time talking to a couple of the other players in the locker room, and they had a lot of really positive things to say about him. And I think for Isaiah and for the Raiders, it made a lot of sense to do this deal, and hopefully this is just a starting point for him?” We’ll see in due time how Las Vegas decides on the rest of the in-house free agents — which include key contributors like middle linebacker Robert Spillane, safety Tre’Von Moehrig, and cornerback Nate Hobbs, to name a few — potentially extending pass rusher Maxx Crosby, and landing a quarterback who can vie for the starting gig. Finding a starting quarterback and surrounding them with quality pieces is something both Spytek and Carroll stressed and we’ll find out in the next few months if the duo can do just that. But Pola-Mao is a good initial step to the roster building Spytek, Carroll, and Co. are doing. Tape Doesn’t Lie From scouting current NFL players and prospects in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, Spytek made it clear the team is always going to to go back to film from a football standpoint. But that isn’t relegated to roster building. That philosophy is going to be very much part of the Silver & Black identity overall going forward, too. “I think we want to set the tone with our film. When people watch a week or two out for our games
Raiders 2025: Actions will speak louder than words for John Spytek, Pete Carroll
2025 NFL Scouting Combine – Winners from the QB, WR, and RB workouts
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images Who showed out on Saturday? Saturday was a long day at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. The running backs and wide receivers are always a pair of massive position groups. Of course, the quarterback position is the main draw from the New York Giants’ perspective. The speculation around the quarterbacks is swirling for the Giants, and the possibility remains that they could trade up with the Titans for the first overall pick. Neither Cam Ward nor Shedeur Sanders threw today. But while that’s disappointing, it opened the door for other prospects to impress. This was a long day, but a fun day, at the combine. Who stood out on the field? Running backs Raheim Sanders (South Carolina) Another workout, another South Carolina prospect with a good day. Sanders’ nickname is “Rocket” and he lived up to it in the 40-yard dash. Sanders’ 4.47 40-yard dash (at 217 pounds) is solid, but not spectacular. However, his nickname doesn’t come from his burst at the start of runs, but rather his long speed and the fact that he was rarely caught from behind. And on that note, Sanders’ two runs were the two fastest runs of the running back group at 23.55 mph and 23.48 mph. Sanders isn’t exactly quick, but he did show some good feet in the bag drills and solid hands in the receiving drills. He Bayshul Tuten (Virginia Tech) Tuten was a big-play specialist at Virginia Tech, and more than half of his yardage came on breakaway runs. It makes sense then that he turned a 4.32-second 40-yard dash to lead the field. Tuten also has a 40-inch vertical and 10-foot 10-inch broad jump to highlight his explosiveness. He’s a compact back at 5-foot-11, 209 pounds, and racked up 1,300 total yards and 17 touchdowns last year. His explosiveness and play in the drills will definitely get teams’ attention and he could be a real gem after the initial run on running backs. Damien Martinez (Miami) Martinez was listed at 232 pounds during the season, weighed in at 226 at the Senior Bowl, and came in at 217 pounds at the Combine. He clearly wanted to impress with his athleticism over the draft process — probably not a bad idea given that he can’t show off his violence or contact balance as a runner without defenders to bounce off of or run through. We won’t know until April whether the decision paid off, but he looked good on the field in Indy. Not only did he turn a 4.51-second 40 yard dash, but he showed off some impressive agility and foot quickness in the field drills. Wide receivers Matthew Golden (Texas) Teammate Isaiah Bond was supposed to be the fastest man on the property, but it appears that Golden holds that honor. Golden suffered an ankle injury in Texas’ final game of the year, and might even be faster than the 4.29 he recorded at the Combine. Golden is built like a slot receiver at 5-foot-11, 191 pounds, but his speed definitely makes him more than a chain mover or safety blanket. Golden is a crisp route runner with great ball skills, which certainly play well in the slot. But having the ability to take a short pass to the house or take the top off of a defense will appeal to every team. Jayden Higgins (Iowa State) Higgins is one of the biggest wideouts in this year’s class at 6-foot-4, 214 pounds, and his 4.47 40-yard dash, 39-inch vertical, and 10-foot-8 broad jump qualify him as an elite athlete at his position and size. His size also comes with a massive catch radius, and Higgins hauled in 9 touchdowns last year. This receiver class isn’t as stacked with talent as last year’s, but it ‘s a solid one. It will be interesting to see how the receiver depth chart falls after Tetairoa McMillan and Luther Burden III, and Higgens could be in the conversation for the third wideout off the board. Jaylin Noel (Iowa State) Jayden Higgins wasn’t the only Cyclone to show out on Saturday. Noel will likely be considered a slot-only at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, however he tested out as an elite athlete. His 4.39 is impressive and lines up with the breakaway speed he showed on tape, but it’s his explosive numbers that stand out. He backed that up with a 41.5-inch vertical and an 11-foot, 2-inch broad jump. I finished his scouting report by saying that while he might not be the most imposing receiver in the draft, he might be one of the most dangerous. His work today only backs up that assessment, and he could have a “Victor Cruz” like impact in the NFL. Jalen Royals (Utah State) Royals is a big, thick receiver who has been right on the cusp of major national buzz. He has a reputation as a good route runner and a true threat at all three levels. He sports the kind of physique that will let him out-muscle defenders in tight coverage and enough athleticism to stretch the field or break big runs. He turned a 4.42-second 40-yard dash and looked great in receiving drill, and fans who haven’t heard of Royals before today might be surprised how highly he’s drafted. Jalen Royals gauntlet pic.twitter.com/9DMvCGQPhi — Billy M (@BillyM_91) March 1, 2025 Quarterbacks Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss) Dart likely solidified his position as QB 3, or perhaps 2b depending on the team. He didn’t do any athletic testing (two quarterbacks in this group did), but he was visibly different when throwing the ball. Dart was able to throw with touch and accuracy to the short and intermediate areas, but the ball also jumped off his hand in a way that was lacking from other quarterbacks in his group. Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart puts it right into his WR’s hands : #NFLCombine on @NFLNetwork : Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/EYor6Y80W6 — NFL (@NFL) March 1, 2025 And while dart might not
Niners trade star player to NFC rival
Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images The 49ers traded Deebo Samuel to the Commanders on Saturday The San Francisco 49ers are trading receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders in exchange for a fifth round pick, according to multiple reports on Saturday. The low compensation is due to several factors, including Samuel’s contract, his injury history, durability concerns, and the extremely deep market of available receivers. This only emphasizes how difficult it will be for the Los Angeles Rams to trade Cooper Kupp for anything, as he is three years older than Deebo and missed far more games than he has in the past three seasons. Deebo Samuel ➡️ @Commanders @RapSheet delivers the breaking news regarding this trade. pic.twitter.com/liuVzjwDND — NFL Network (@nflnetwork) March 1, 2025 The 49ers now focus their passing offense around receivers Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall, and tight end George Kittle, although Aiyuk has also been the subject of trade rumors this week. The Rams are known to be shopping Kupp and this deal sets a very low market as far as what they can ask for. If teams know that Samuel couldn’t get better than a fifth, it means that L.A. probably can’t do better than a fifth. So will any team offer a fourth? Or will the Rams be forced to release Kupp, which has always seemed like the more likely case.
Report: Raiders Interested in Acquiring Sam Darnold from Vikings
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images Is there fire with all this smoke? The deadline for teams to place franchise or transition player tags on pending free agents is this coming Tuesday at 3:00 PM Central time. While the Minnesota Vikings have not made any public indication that they might use the tag on quarterback Sam Darnold, there is a team out there that is reportedly interested in acquiring Darnold’s services. . .if the rumors are to be believed. According to longtime NFL insider Tony Pauline, the Las Vegas Raiders could be interested in bringing Darnold aboard, particularly after Matthew Stafford chose to re-do his deal with the Los Angeles Rams. Per Pauline, sources “close to Darnold” that the Raiders and their new head coach, Pete Carroll, will attempt to make a move to acquire Darnold from the Vikings before he hits free agency. Now, again, we’re into “silly season” in the National Football League, so take this with as much salt as you can handle without spiking your blood pressure. But if the Vikings, who currently have just four picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, want to try to get something for Darnold this year rather than wait for a 2026 compensatory third-round pick, it might behoove them to try to work something out with the Raiders or another club. Darnold is considered to be, by far, the best quarterback available in free agency this year. With most experts being pretty low on this year’s quarterback class from a draft perspective, it might be an opportunity for the Vikings to get something for Darnold if they can find a quarterback-needy team to make a deal with them. Do you think that the Vikings can get something done with another team to move Sam Darnold ahead of the start of free agency? Do you want them to go that route?
Free agents you want for the Miami Dolphins!
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images I wrote about the league year starting on March 12th almost a week ago, with the “legal tampering” period beginning on the 10th. I then posed the following question regarding free agents: So tonight’s question of the day is, which free agents do you want to see or believe should be a priority for our Miami Dolphins to sign? Below are some of your thoughts and answers- StanleyDoyle1 starts us off by going right after a top team need. James Daniels- G Pittsburgh Dolfanjoe went rogue by skipping right to the draft, but he is correct. This team needs a TON of affordable talent. In a Gennaro mock draft, we trade with the Broncos. They get the TE they desire and Miami still gets the GA. safety ! Along with more picks! This is what we will need to add affordable players! coach k 13 is not concerned with FA and wants new general managers already. A new GM, and good evening! 21Dave probably saw what Philly did to KC in the Super Bowl. Trench help, both sides and real help, not cast offs they think they can game up!! MIAMI235 just wants some quality OG’s, damn it! Big Will , may be a possibility…..regardless we need two of them..lol lol Two top Offensive Guards !! cyberflea asks an excellent question as we broke as it applies to the cap. Who do you want or who can the Dolphins afford? SlayerNation1 had a question or statement that is, unfortunately, probably the truth to a great degree. Another question which will be so much more interesting 12 months from now. Until there is a culture change, FAs just come here for an easy camp, load management and a State Tax free paycheck. They can come and go as they please, unlimited PTO, everything is on the “Honor System” Hopefully, many of you are following the combine or at least the list of players that our Miami Dolphins have visited with this week. With a limited budget over the next few years, the draft picks and the team’s ability to get those correct will be much more critical to remain competitive than any free agent signing they make. Either way, the team will still need to add some talent in free agency this year to hope to compete in 2025. If you have some thoughts on free agency or specific players that the team should be targeting and missed the original post, please feel free to give your thoughts in the comments section below. Thank you, as always, to each of you who took the time to read and answer our question of the day. We will return tomorrow with a new Phinsider question of the day.
2025 NFL Combine results: 12 standouts from the wide receivers group
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Deebo Samuel trade: Washington Commanders get receiver from San Francisco 49ers
deebo samuel | Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images The hill gets steeper for the Giants The Washington Commanders made a big move on Saturday, acquiring wide receiver/offensive weapon Deebo Samuel from the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a fifth-round pick. Samuel has only one 1,000-yard receiving season in his six-year career, but the 6-foot, 215-pound 29-year-old also carries value as a running back. Samuel, due $21.7 million from the 49ers in 2025, had requested a trade. San Francisco, obviously, was willing to oblige. The fifth-round pick that went to San Francisco is reportedly No. 148. The 49ers will absorb a $31.55 million cap hit. This move by Washington is another reminder of the steep climb the Giants face in the NFC East. Samuel joins wide receiver Terry McLaurin and running back Brian Robinson as weapons for star quarterback Jayden Daniels. The Commanders went 12-5 in 2024, and the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl. The Giants are, of course, trying to find a quarterback and begin digging themselves out from under a 3-14 season.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25891976/2202376483.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1 "Scouting Combine Winners and Losers: DL & LB")
Scouting Combine Winners and Losers: DL & LB
Winners Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images Shemar Stewart | EDGE | Texas A&M The “Freak of the Day” Award goes to Shemar Stewart, who had a historic combine performance. You read that right. As of right now (with 40 yard dash and split time remaining unofficial), Stewart put on the 3rd best combine of any EDGE rusher EVER. His 10 foot 11 inch broad jump is better than Myles Garrett and Montez Sweat. His arm length of 34.125” is insane. His weight caught some notice as it was a 14lb swing from his Senior Bowl weight just a few weeks ago (281 lbs). Clearly he lost some weight to make a statement in testing at the combine and it worked. The question remains, how would these numbers have looked at closer to his reported playing weight? Elite? Definitely. But Historic? Maybe not. Stewart has an underwhelming pass rush production, with just 4.5 career sacks at Texas A&M, 1.5 in each of the last 3 seasons. He did increase his pressures every year from 14 to 26 to 39 as his role grew. His run defense also took a huge leap in 2024 with 6 Tackles For Loss, 15 run stops, 31 tackles, and a 88.2 run stop grade, so he will certainly have early down use in his career to start. But if he ever wants to maximize his athleticism into elite pass rushing, he needs to develop a pass rush plan and technique, as well as lowering his pad level to increase his leverage. Still, that athletic profile is just so rare, he could be vaulted into Top 10 pick discussion. Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images Jihaad Campbell | LB | Alabama The 2nd biggest riser of the day was Campbell, who had a really strong day both in testing and in drills. The Linebacker-Edge Rusher hybrid player made a ton of plays on the field for the Crimson Tide, and cemented his case for top offball Linebacker in the draft class on most teams boards. Amongst LBs he was: 40 yard dash: Tied 3rd (with Danny Stutsman [233 lbs], behind Auburn’s Eugene Asante [4.48 at 223 lbs] and UCLA’s Kain Medrano [4.46 at 222 lbs]) Broad Jump: 2nd (behind Georgia’s Smeal Mondon Jr. [10ft, 11in at 224 lbs]) Arm Length: 4th (behind Rutger’s Tyreem Powell [34.625”], Minnesota’s Cody Lindenberg [32.75”], & South Carolina’s Demetrius Knight [32.625”]) Combine that with a solid size profile at 6’2.875” and 235 lbs and highly smooth drill performances, Campbell has entered the top 20 conversation. Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images James Pearce Jr. | EDGE | Tennessee One of the coolest moments of the Combine: James Pearce Jr. running the 40 in a hoodie. Not only was it cool, it was really fast. James Pearce Jr. might have had one of the lightest weights of all edge rushers in the combine, but he lit it up with his speed and explosiveness testing near the top of the position. Pearce is a clear speed runner but needs work on his polish in pass rush arsenal. Unlike Stewart however, he won a lot more with his wide set speed rush. Likely will be a Round 1 pick, but remains a polarizing player for scouts. Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images Landon Jackson | EDGE | Arkansas Landon Jackson had a rough Senior Bowl against some of the top Tackles of the draft, but he reinforced his special athleticism in Indy for teams to take a chance on him. Size, explosiveness, length are a nasty combo with Jackson, and he has enough speed for some excellent pursuit as well. Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Carson Schwesinger | LB | UCLA Schwesinger didn’t do much in terms of testing at the combine, but what he did do was very impressive. He already turned some heads by weighing in at 242 lbs instead of his listed college weight of 225. With one of his biggest concerns being his size, weighing that heavy certainly was eye opening. Afterwards he only did 2 tests: Bench press and vertical jump. In bench press his 20 reps wasn’t too crazy, but he hit a 39.5” vertical, 2nd in the class for linebackers. Showing off elite explosiveness while being at a far higher weight? Yep, thats a winner. Schwesinger opted out of other events, proving all he needed to scouts. Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images Demetrius Knight | LB | South Carolina The 3rd longest arm length for the Linebackers in the Combine, and hit the fastest top speed of all linebackers in the 40 yard drill. As one of the bigger linebackers of the Combine and with a huge frame, to run like that is a big stock boost for him. Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images Teddye Buchanan | LB | Cal Buchanan is another LB who was reportedly undersized but was able to move the scales a bit more than expected and tested very well at the Combine. The Golden Bears’ LB is a pass coverage maven with a fun profile, and recorded high explosion and speed scores. This helped reinforce his range to cover in man and zone, pursuit very fast, all at a bigger frame than expected. He could rise on Day 3 boards. Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images CJ West | DT | Indiana Local product CJ West from the Hoosiers showed out in a big way at the combine, posting top notch speed and acceleration at a very stout frame. The Big 10 star was very impressive throughout the season and was a key part of their surprise playoff run. Underestimate this Hoosier at your own risk. He will likely be a Day2-early Day 3 pick. Losers Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images Abdul Carter | EDGE/LB | Penn State Abdul Carter unfortunately suffered a shoulder injury and was not fully recovered by the time of the Combine, which made him miss the athletic testing and drills. He should be recovered within the next few weeks
Combine Day 5 recap: Campbell viewed as OT
Will Campbell | Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images Hear from the offensive linemen at the combine INDIANAPOLIS — There was plenty of beef during the final media session of the NFL Combine as the offensive linemen stepped up to the podium. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Raiders have a significant need at guard and could use a long-term solution at left tackle since Kolton Miller is entering a contract year. With that, let’s hear what the big boys had to say. LSU’s Will Campbell is widely considered the best offensive lineman in the draft, but there’s been some debate about whether he’d be better at guard or tackle in the NFL. Campbell discussed that chatter on Saturday and said most teams he’s talked to view him as a guard. Arm length is the primary reason some suggest the position switch, which the former Tiger also addressed with the media. Will Campbell says most teams view him as a tackle #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/sk31STppe9 — Matt Holder (@MHolder95) March 1, 2025 Will Campbell on his lack of arm length #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/hFTV0cG79h — Matt Holder (@MHolder95) March 1, 2025 Senior Bowl standout and North Dakota State product Grey Zabel is another lineman with some position flexibility. That was one of the main takeaways during Zabel’s media session as he answered several questions about lining up at different spots. Grey Zabel on what position teams have been talking about playing #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/ybsUMMaek4 — Matt Holder (@MHolder95) March 1, 2025 Grey Zabel on what’s needed to play center #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/JwWsIjnFCm — Matt Holder (@MHolder95) March 1, 2025 Georgia’s Tate Ratledge is one of the top interior offensive linemen this year, as he’s a nasty blocker in the trenches. Ratledge is also known for being a leader on the Bulldogs’ o-line and for battling through an injury this past season. He dove into both topics on Saturday while sounding like Stone Cold Steve Austin. Tate Ratledge on his leadership #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/PbdcRGYiG7 — Matt Holder (@MHolder95) March 1, 2025 Ratledge is a stock up player this week for simply not folding to societal pressures and keeping the mullet https://t.co/ek8dMjK1EZ — Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) March 1, 2025 On a similar note, Alabama’s Tyler Booker dove into his leadership style. Booker will also be one of the first interior guys to hear his name called in April. Tyler Booker on his leadership #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/TlWD0B9GKo — Matt Holder (@MHolder95) March 1, 2025 Circling back to the theme of versatility, an argument could be made that Jalen Rivers from Miami is the most versatile lineman in the class. Not only does Rivers have experience playing both tackle and guard, he also flipped back and forth between the two positions during games. The former Hurricane dove into that at the podium. Jalen Rivers on his versatility #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/pX9HnAPVMk — Matt Holder (@MHolder95) March 1, 2025 Oregon’s right tackle Ajani Cornelius has a connection to the Raiders, having played with Jackson Powers-Johnson in college during the 2023 campaign. I got a chance to ask Cornelius about his relationship with Powers-Johnson and if he’d like to reunite with his former teammate in Las Vegas. Amani Cornelius on his relationship with Jackson Powers-Johnson #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/QxuQjTxIcR — Matt Holder (@MHolder95) March 1, 2025 Finally, Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson fits the Silver and Black’s need at guard and has a connection to the club with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Jackson also has experience playing tackle as the Buckeyes suffered several mid-season injuries up front, and he dove into how that helped his development as well as what type of scheme he’d like to play in. Donovan Jackson on how playing tackle has helped him #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/3M0G9zegiT — Matt Holder (@MHolder95) March 1, 2025 Donovan Jackson on what scheme he prefers #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/PMEEiCgMMZ — Matt Holder (@MHolder95) March 1, 2025 My flight home forced me to leave in the middle of the quarterback and skill positions workouts. So unfortunately, I don’t have a recap of who stood out and will miss the live session. However, I’ll follow up with a few thoughts on the quarterbacks early next week after diving into the tape.
Vikes Views: Impressive Day 2 Combine Performances
Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images Minnesota Vikings fans has some players to get excited about on Thursday. Friday had the DBs and Tight Ends. Saturday brings the QBs, WRs and RBs. The big men on the OL will wrap the 2025 NFL Combine on Sunday afternoon. Here are a few stand out performances I notices on Day 2. Maxwell Hairston Hairston ran a blazing 4.28 40 on Friday. He’s an athletic CB out of Kentucky that will be a fan favorite come draft day. He’s looking to be a Day 2 pick. Brian Flores and Hairston would be a fantastic combo if the Vikings can trade down and get an extra pick on Day 2. Maxwell Hairston is a CB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.68 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 81 out of 2480 CB from 1987 to 2025. Splits projected, times unofficial.https://t.co/BJbb99i2iy pic.twitter.com/bsQ2msQYwr — Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) February 28, 2025 Justin Walley The CB out of the University of Minnesota ran a 4.40 40 and tested well. He was the 7th fastest DB that ran. He’s a likely late round pick with some potential upside. Official DB times are in. @MHairston22 secures a 4.28. : 2025 #NFLCombine on NFL Network : Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/UeZ45gub44 — NFL Network (@nflnetwork) February 28, 2025 Darien Porter Porter is a CB from Iowa State. His 4.3 40 time would be the talk of the draft if not for Hairston. He’s 6’3” with speed and will be another Day 2 pick the fans will be excited about. If the Vikings don’t bring back Byron Murphy Jr, it would make sense for them to attempt to make Porter or Hairston somehow work. Honorable Mentions Nick Emmanwori – had the 3rd best vertical ever for a safety (43”!). He also had an impressive 11’6” broad jump. Emmanwori has some hops. Terrance Ferguson – measured 6’5” and 247 lbs and still was tied for the 2nd fastest 40 for a TE (4.63s).
