- Shemar Stewart may have secured a top-10 spot: The Texas A&M edge defender tested as one of the most athletic pass-rushers in combine history.
- Tez Johnson‘s stock could take a hit: At just 154 pounds, the Oregon wide receiver posted an average 40-yard dash time.
- 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF's best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025's top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine is officially in the books. Last week, 329 of the top draft prospects descended upon Indianapolis for one of the most crucial events of the pre-draft process. They met with teams, spoke to the media and, most importantly, put their athleticism on display in a series of high-stakes workouts.
For some, it was a week of soaring stock and newfound buzz. For others, it was a missed opportunity that could cost them on draft night. Here are the biggest risers and fallers from this year’s combine.
Riser: EDGE Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
Few prospects have dominated the pre-draft process like Stewart. After standing out as the most dominant player at the Senior Bowl, he followed it up with a jaw-dropping performance at the combine.
Stewart displayed elite explosiveness for an edge defender, posting a 98th-percentile broad jump (10-foot-11) and a 96th-percentile vertical jump (40 inches). He also ran an impressive 4.59-second 40-yard dash — a strong time for someone measuring 6-foot-5, 267 pounds with elite 34 ⅛-inch arm length.
While his production at Texas A&M wasn’t dominant (67.2 pass-rush grade in 2024), Stewart now looks like he could hear his name called in the top 10.
Shemar Stewart at 6’5” | 267 lbs 🤯
— PFF (@PFF) February 27, 2025
– 10’11” broad jump
– 40” vertical jump
pic.twitter.com/BQExTTCkkY
Faller: WR Tez Johnson, Oregon
Johnson faced an uphill battle before he even stepped on the field in Indianapolis. At just 154 pounds, he became the lightest player measured at the combine since 1999. Unfortunately, his 4.51-second 40-yard dash — which ranks in the 51st percentile among wide receivers — did little to ease concerns about his size-speed combination.
To his credit, Johnson remains an elite route-runner with exceptional burst and change-of-direction ability, as evidenced by his strong results in agility drills and jumps. But in an NFL increasingly built on size and speed, being the lightest player of the 21st century while also lacking top-end explosiveness could significantly impact his draft stock.
Riser: S Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
Emmanwori may have solidified himself as a first-round pick with his performance in Indianapolis. He’s built like a linebacker at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, but he moves like a cornerback.
He ran an impressive 4.38-second 40-yard dash, ranking in the 96th percentile among safeties. His explosiveness was on full display as well, with a 43-inch vertical and an 11-foot-6 broad jump — both in the 98th percentile.
Malaki Starks has long been viewed as the top safety prospect, but after this showing, Emmanwori could push him for that title on some teams’ draft boards.
Nick Emmanwori running a 4.38 at 6'3" | 220 LBS is absurd
— PFF College (@PFF_College) February 28, 2025
pic.twitter.com/SCiBaDEunb
Faller: S Malaki Starks, Georgia
Another reason Emmanwori could overtake Starks as the top safety in the draft is that Starks delivered just an average performance at the combine.
He checked in at only 197 pounds, placing him in the 15th percentile for the position. He then struggled in agility drills, posting a 4.45-second short shuttle (sixth percentile) and a 7.26-second three-cone (ninth percentile). His 33-inch vertical jump also ranked low, landing in the 19th percentile among safeties.
It wasn’t all bad news for Starks—his 4.50-second 40-yard dash (73rd percentile) and 1.51-second 10-yard split (83rd percentile) were well above average. Still, it was a disappointing week for a projected top-15 pick, especially in contrast to Emmanwori’s historic showing.
Riser: CB Darien Porter, Iowa State
Porter put on a historic athletic display at the combine, testing as one of the most athletic cornerbacks in history. At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds with 33 ⅛-inch arms, he already boasts ideal size for the position—but despite being one of the bigger corners in attendance, he delivered eye-popping numbers.
He blazed a 4.30-second 40-yard dash, ranking in the 98th percentile among cornerbacks. His explosiveness was just as impressive, with a 10-foot-11 broad jump (91st percentile) and a 1.49-second 10-yard split (90th percentile).
Porter also excelled in agility drills. His 6.71-second three-cone time landed in the 88th percentile, while his 4.04-second short shuttle placed him in the 80th percentile.
With his combination of size and elite athletic traits, Porter profiles as one of the top press corners in this class and likely locked up a Day 2 selection in the draft.
Iowa State CB Darien Porter ran a 4.30 at 6'2" | 195 LBS. Freak
— PFF College (@PFF_College) February 28, 2025
pic.twitter.com/aAZoKmkeDM
Faller: IOL Tyler Booker, Alabama
Booker entered the combine looking to solidify a first-round spot but fell short of that goal. His 7-foot-10 broad jump ranked in just the 14th percentile among guards, and his numbers in other key drills were also underwhelming. His 5.38-second 40-yard dash, 7.96-second three-cone, 4.84-second short shuttle, and 27-inch vertical all placed below the 45th percentile.
Perhaps the biggest red flag was his unofficial 1.96-second 10-yard split—a mark that, if confirmed, would tie for the third-slowest by a guard in combine history.
The silver lining is that Booker thrives in close-quarters combat, making him a strong fit for teams that run a gap-heavy scheme. Still, for a projected top-25 pick, it was far from an ideal week.
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