Players With Most to Gain/Lose at the 2025 NFL Combine: Travis Hunter, Cam Skattebo Lead Top 10

The NFL Combine is not just a time for the best players in college football to show off—it is an all-important testing period that can have massive implications on NFL Draft first pick odds and where players are selected relative to expectations.

One of the greatest examples of the importance of the combine was produced by Shaquem Griffin, a former UCF linebacker who had his left hand amputated when he was four years old. Against all odds, Griffin put up 20 reps of a 225-pound bench press and ran a 4.38 40-yard dash, which still stands as an all-time record for linebackers.

Another example is former defensive tackle Dontari Poe, who had a fairly pedestrian level of production in college, but who also ran 4.98 in the 40-yard dash and put up 44 reps on the bench while weighing 346 pounds. His stock soared, and he was selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Now that the NFL Combine is just days away, here’s a selection of players who have lots to gain or lose in potential NFL Draft odds based on their showing at the combine.

Check out our NFL mock drafts for the first round and second and third rounds.

10 Players to Watch at the NFL Combine

QB Jalen Milroe (Alabama)

• Projected draft position (per Tankathon): 68th - Las Vegas Raiders

Milroe (+15000 first pick odds at FanDuel) is a fast, fierce, and powerful runner with the football in his hands, and his muscular frame makes him the spitting image of the prototypical “combine warrior.” He’ll need to test well after his pedestrian senior season saw him accumulate just 16 passing touchdowns and 11 interceptions to go with his 20 rushing scores.

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WR/CB Travis Hunter (Colorado)

• Projected draft position: 4th - New England Patriots

Hunter (+1700 first pick odds) won the Heisman last year, yet nobody actually knows what he is at his best because he played both ways full-time. The combine will give him a chance to showcase his skills on both sides, potentially dip under 4.3 in the 40-yard dash, and stake his claim to one side of the ball, if he chooses to abandon playing every snap both ways. The results of his tests could help him land as high as the first pick or as low as the fifth.

RB Cam Skattebo (Arizona State)

• Projected draft position: 86th - Los Angeles Chargers

There isn’t a player in the NFL like Skattebo. He amassed 103 broken tackles (second) and 1,202 yards after contact (third) last year and was a top-10 Heisman finisher, but he looks very slow for such a dominant running back. Questions about his speed and conditioning will either be put to rest or verified as legitimate concerns in the coming days.

DT Deone Walker (Kentucky)

• Projected draft position: 46th - Atlanta Falcons

At 6-foot-7, 345 pounds, Walker is one of the largest players at his position. He was a force on the interior as a sophomore but trailed off as a junior, but his speed and strength could catapult his stock similar to what Poe did more than a decade ago. 

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CB Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame)

• Projected draft position: 29th - Washington Commanders

Morrison could’ve potentially been the top corner in the draft, but he had shoulder surgery prior to last season and then needed hip surgery after just two games. His medical evaluations will be even more important than his on-field tests, if he does any. The Commanders (+1900 Super Bowl odds) were a top-four finisher a year ago and will have Super Bowl ambitions with the right selection.

EDGE Shemar Steward (Texas A&M)

• Projected draft position: 19th - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Stewart is a projected first-rounder purely because of his natural gifts, NOT because of his production. He had 1.5 sacks in three straight seasons but possesses alien-like speed and agility for a 6-foot-6, 290-pound edge rusher. Whoever drafts him will need to be comfortable taking an enormous risk and confident in their coaches’ ability to develop raw talent.

WR Isaiah Bond (Texas)

• Projected draft position: 78th - Arizona Cardinals

Playing three seasons at Alabama and Texas means that Bond experienced just about as many high-leverage moments as anyone in the sport. However, he never caught more than 48 receptions, 668 yards, or five touchdowns in a season. Anything less than a blazing 40-yard dash will likely tank his stock.

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TE Harold Fannin Jr. (Bowling Green)

• Projected draft position: 82nd - Seattle Seahawks

No tight end in the history of college football caught more passes (117) for more yards (1,555) than Fannin Jr. did last year. Playing at a low-level program is one of the biggest knocks against him, but dominating the drills and tests at the combine would align production with physical ability.

C Jared Wilson (Georgia)

• Projected draft position: 101st - Detroit Lions

The Lions (+1000 Super Bowl odds) are known for their dominant offensive line, and Wilson was one of the most unsung heroes of this class. Georgia’s decline in offensive production overshadowed Wilson’s impressive season, during which he did not allow a sack. His three-cone drill and 40-yard dash times will be especially important. 

IOL Willie Lampkin (North Carolina)

• Projected draft position: Not listed in first three rounds

Lampkin, who stands at 5-foot-11, 290 pounds, looks nothing like the typical offensive lineman. However, he did not allow a sack in consecutive seasons and put on a strong performance at the Senior Bowl. Solid marks in the three-cone drill, bench press, and 40-yard dash could help him become a Day Two pick.

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