The 2025 NFL combine is in the books and all 32 franchises have decamped from downtown Indianapolis to return home and sort out a week’s worth of information that is bound to shake up their draft boards from the first round to the last.
While there was plenty of attention paid to the college stars who will hear their names called early on the first night on April 24, the action on the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium (and in tucked-away rooms down the street) allowed other players to state their cases.
NFL Combine Risers and Fallers
- Quarterbacks, wide receivers, running backs
- Edge rushers, defensive tackles, linebackers
- Defensive backs, tight ends
- Offensive linemen
Here are 22 underrated prospects to keep an eye on over the coming weeks during the pro day circuit as the path to the NFL draft in Green Bay rapidly approaches.
Landon Jackson, edge, Arkansas
The combine is always a great way for prospects to force a scouting staff to reevaluate their initial opinion of players, and Jackson put on enough of a show in Indy to do just that. He led all front seven players with a 40.5-inch vertical jump and ran a 4.68 40-yard dash at 6' 6" and 264 pounds. He was only a few ticks behind buzzy first-rounder Shemar Stewart in terms of his overall speed profile (both hitting over 21 mph on their runs) and looked fluid during on-field drills. There were a few questions about Jackson displaying a bit of stiffness when getting after the quarterback in college, but his testing numbers are sure to have teams going back over the film over the coming weeks as he looks to elevate himself into that Day 2 conversation.
Ahmed Hassanein, edge, Boise State
You’re going to hear plenty about Hassanein’s story in the run-up to the draft as he looks to become the first player from Egypt selected. He has a diverse background that includes CrossFit, jiujitsu and basketball, but remains a somewhat raw pass rusher having just picked up the game of football before the pandemic.
“[High school coaches] tried me at wide receiver, but I couldn’t catch the ball. They tried me at linebacker, but there was just too much stuff going on,” Hassanein said. “They put me at D-line and told me to get the guy who has the ball. I was like, Perfect, see ball, get ball. I can do that.”
That he did, notching 22 sacks on the blue turf the past two years and turning into the heart and soul of a defense that helped secure a pair of conference titles. His teammate, Ashton Jeanty, gets all the attention, but Hassanein’s relentless motor and engaging personality earned plenty of rave reviews.
Jared Harrison-Hunte, DL, SMU
One of several Miami Hurricanes transfers who had a big impact for the Mustangs in their first season in the ACC, Harrison-Hunte turned heads at the combine with a blazing 4.86 40-yard dash at 290 pounds, including an impressive 1.69-second 10-yard split. He really showed off that ability to get up field and was quite a disruptor last season well beyond the 6.5 sacks he racked up as a senior. His versatility to play up and down the line will only enhance his value after a quality week in Indy.
CJ West, DT, Indiana
West played a pivotal role in Indiana’s run to the College Football Playoff in his only season at the Power 4 level and helped his team field one of the stingiest run defenses in the country. He checked in at 316 pounds officially last week and was one of just three defensive linemen to clock under 5.0 in the 40-yard dash. His coaches in Bloomington, Ind., believe his best days are ahead of him with increased access to the weight room and high-level training, a line of thinking scouts are coming around to as well.
Barrett Carter, LB, Clemson
Though he didn’t run the 40 at the combine, Carter put up a pair of quality numbers in the jumps and flashed his ability to cover ground during an impressive set of on-field drills. He progressively got better each season in college and is one of the few true linebackers who is comfortable staying on the field on all three downs, a big asset for teams needing someone as comfortable in coverage as they might be chasing after the quarterback. If he can turn in a quality set of times at Clemson’s pro day next month, Carter could hear his name called earlier on Day 2 rather than later.
Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA
The former walk-on’s story could overshadow just how good of a player he is. He put up an explosive vertical jump of 39.5 inches at the combine despite dealing with some nagging injuries. He seemed to impress several teams during meetings. He was fantastic during his final season in Westwood. Schwesinger was so instinctive as a tackling machine in space against Big Ten competition that it will enhance his profile. Don’t discount teams looking a little closer at him in the middle rounds with his ability to contribute immediately on special teams and in nickel packages.
Caleb Ransaw, CB, Tulane
Ransaw raised a few eyebrows with his 4.33 40-yard dash and equally impressive jumping marks at the combine to fuel his rise throughout the draft process. He doesn’t quite have the total length some teams are looking for on the outside, but he figures to be a Day 1 nickelback who can stay on the field every down.
Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina
He was trending toward becoming a first-round draft pick before tearing his ACL early last season, but Revel should nonetheless earn plenty of interest on Day 2. He checks all the boxes in terms of size—he was the third tallest corner at the combine—and, well, revels in playing on the line in press coverage against the best receivers.
Billy Bowman Jr., S, Oklahoma
Bowman isn’t the type to get off the bus first after some fairly average measurements for his position, but there’s some real buzz around him after a solid 4.42 40-yard dash and a great on-field workout. He gets glowing reviews from his OU coaches when it comes to preparation and instincts on the field, where he could be a very intriguing chess piece for a defensive coordinator to move around the middle of the field.
Jalin Conyers, TE, Texas Tech
A Swiss Army knife in college, Conyers can do a little bit of everything and is more of an H-back than a pure tight end. His blocking will have to become more consistent at the next level, but he’s got the size (the second heaviest tight end in Indy at 260 pounds), speed (4.74 dash) and strength to be fine in that area while becoming a very difficult weapon to deal with when he finds a little space.
Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse
There’s a deep class of signal-callers with plenty of question marks beyond the consensus top two in this draft of Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, but McCord is an intriguing developmental guy who has the potential to turn into a starter. He displayed more of a penchant to push the ball down the field in his only season at Syracuse than he did with Ohio State, has the arm to make all the throws and isn’t afraid of hanging in the pocket in the face of pressure to deliver a throw. He took a few too many chances that led to turnovers, but there’s enough in his makeup to get some coaching staff intrigued.
Raheim Sanders, RB, South Carolina
As much as Nick Emmanwori was carrying the banner for the Gamecocks at the combine, it was Sanders who may have improved his stock even more. Rocket lived up to his nickname by hitting a top speed of 23.55 mph on his 40-yard dash—the fourth fastest on Day 3—and looks to keep proving he’s more than just the third-down back he’s labeled as.
Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Virginia Tech
Tuten’s stock has been climbing since the Senior Bowl, and he’s not slowing down after an impressive week in Indy. Checking in at 5' 9" and 206 pounds were good benchmarks to hit, to say nothing of his blazing 4.32 40-yard dash. Teams love his toughness, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to think he winds up having a much better pro career than his time in college would indicate.
Tre Harris, WR, Ole Miss
Harris had plenty of “wow” moments during his time at Ole Miss, and he rounded off many of the edges in his game last season before injuries took their toll. The medical information at the combine is going to be a key factor in where teams place him on their boards, but in a draft class that lacks high-end options, Harris might be one of the better bets to turn into a key contributor who can regularly occupy one of the starting outside spots.
Savion Williams, WR, TCU
NFL coaches’ heads turned seeing Williams up close in Indy with his size (6' 3", 222 pounds), speed and general athleticism. A former quarterback, he brings plenty of versatility to the table and could be much better at the next level with the dedicated time and coaching that could elevate his game significantly as a receiver. Though he can be impressive in the open field, Williams’s ability to be a threat in the red zone should help him create some separation with many of the other wideouts set to be taken outside the first round.
Xavier Restrepo, WR, Miami
Quarterback-needy teams watching Ward’s tape will consistently take note of just how much Restrepo came through with big catches over the course of this past season at Miami. He’s not going to impress with his size (5' 9") or speed, but he more than makes up for that with his savviness to find open spots in zones or by creating releases off the line when matched up in man coverage. He’s got a chance to see action right away as a dependable slot receiver who is willing to get his hands dirty blocking and consistently is a go-to for his quarterback to move the chains on third down.
Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State
Every team is looking for that dynamic slot receiver who can break open a game with a big play over the middle, and Noel’s 4.39 40-yard dash should put him on the radar as a possible Day 2 option. He’s incredibly smooth, has a knack for pulling away from defensive backs and could contribute right away on special teams to add even more to his value.
Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State
Some teams are going to knock Williams for not quite running the full route tree in the offenses he operated in at Wazzu, but he’s a certified threat to turn short receptions into long touchdowns. Running a 4.40 40-yard dash at 190 pounds is going to open plenty of eyes and he could wind up becoming a quarterback’s best friend with the way he snags contested catches.
Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State
Horton ran a 4.41 40-yard dash at the combine coming off a season-ending knee injury and checked in at 6' 2" to put him in a rare group that can play either inside or outside. He gets downfield in a blink and thrives making big catches to move the sticks. In the middle rounds or later, he could turn into a steal if featured in the right system.
Clay Webb, OL, Jacksonville State
A former top recruit who stepped away from Georgia, Webb resurrected his career at JSU and looks like an interesting Day 3 pick, particularly for wide zone teams. He can play any of the three interior line spots to enhance his value and might be one of the better options at center in the later rounds.
Charles Grant, OL, William & Mary
There will always be questions about the level of competition with smaller school prospects, but Grant has many intrigued as a potential starter once he adjusts to the speed of the NFL. He has the arm length (fourth longest at the combine) to wind up at right tackle, but could be looked at more as a potential guard given his technique and athleticism at 311 pounds.
Ben Sauls, K, Pitt
As we’re reminded this time of year, kickers are people, too, and Sauls has a shot to be one of two or three specialists selected. He was an incredibly dependable field goal kicker in college who has enough leg to hit from distance or become a kickoff guy as well. He’s also a rare left-footed kicker who will force a bit of an interesting evaluation, but is a name worth remembering on the final day of the draft.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Underrated 2025 NFL Draft Prospects to Watch Coming Out of the NFL Combine.
