NFL combine 2025 takeaways: Grades for top DB prospects, plus other winners and losers from on-field workouts

The defensive backs kicked off the secoind day of on-field drills at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. The group was collectively very fast, and many prospects elevated their stock with strong performances while others sent scouts back to the tape. 

Here are some of the winners and losers from Friday’s on-field drills, starting with a look at the measurements of the prospects in CBS Sports’ top 50 consensus rankings.

Grading the top-rated DBs

Travis Hunter, a likely top-5 pick, decided against doing on-field drills Friday.

Will Johnson, a potential first-round pick, decided against doing on-field drills Friday.

The 33-inch vertical only placed in the 49th percentile, but the rest of the workout for Georgia safety Malaki Starks was spectacular. He was incredibly fluid in the on-field drills, running the fastest speeds in everything he did, per Next Gen Stats. Starks crushed the timed and measured portion of what was asked of him in Indianapolis. He ran 4.50 seconds in the 40-yard dash with a blistering 1.51-second 10-yard split, the same as Devon Achane in 2023. 

At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, South Carolina star Nick Emmanwori erupted in Indianapolis, with an 11-foot-6 broad and 43-inch vertical, both of which place in the 98th percentile at the safety position since 1999 at the combine. Then there’s the 4.38 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He essentially tested like Jeremy Chinn at an almost identical size as the Commanders star who was picked in the second round of the 2020 draft. Except Emmanwori was noticeably faster. Super freak. 

Jahdae Barron’s weigh-in wasn’t superb — although no one was expecting him to be massive. On the field, he rocked. That 4.39-second 40-yard dash, coupled with a 1.50-second split, presents elite-level explosion for the Texas product. The 35-inch vertical and 10-foot-3 broad jump were slightly above average. 

Trey Amos won’t draw rave reviews after his combine workout, but he had a rock-solid performance. Amos ran 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash with a somewhat disappointing 1.60-second 10-yard split. His 10-foot-6 broad jump ranks in the 74th percentile at the position since 1999. 

Kevin Winston Jr., a potential first-round pick, decided against doing on-field drills Friday. He was lost for the season due to injury in the second game of the year for Penn State, so may not be fully healthy. 

Grade: B-

Azareye’h Thomas looks extremely explosive on film, but his 10-foot-2 broad only ranks in the 63rd percentile. He didn’t do any other measured drills. 

Other winners

CB Darien Porter, Iowa State 

Porter wasn’t quite as big as Tariq Woolen from a few years ago, but he had a comparable combine to the Seahawks star, which is certainly not an easy feat. At close to 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, the Iowa State lockdown outside cornerback ran 4.30 with the same 1.49 10-yard split as Woolen and a much lower 36.5-inch vertical. 

CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky 

At 5-foot-11 and 182 pounds, Hairston needed to test explosively, and he did just that, with a 4.28 that led all defensive backs who participated in the 40-yard dash. That featured a top speed of 24.63 mph, the fastest of anyone who’s tested thus far in this class. He didn’t stop there. The Kentucky star also had a 39.5-inch vertical and 10-foot-9 broad jump.

CB Jacob Parrish, Kansas State

Parrish is a feisty slot cornerback on film, and he tested like an elite athlete in Indy. At just under 5-foot-10 and 191 pounds, he ran 4.35 with a 1.51 10-yard split and a 39.5-inch vertical. Parrish broad jumped 10-foot-9.

CB Caleb Ransaw, Tulane

Ransaw nearly entered the 23 mph club, being clocked at 22.93 mph during his 4.33 40-yard dash at just under 200 pounds (197). He also had a 40-inch vertical and 10-foot-9 broad. 

S Marques Sigle, Kansas State

It was a stellar, across-the-board workout for Sigle, who ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.37) among safeties then placed in second in the vertical and 10-yard split and fourth in the broad jump. He did it all at 5-foot-11 and 199 pounds. 

S Kitan Crawford, Nevada 

Completely overshadowed by Emmanwori in the safety group was Crawford, who measured-in at a stocky 5-foot-1 1/2 and 205 pounds then proceeded to run 4.41 with a 1.52 10-yard split. His vertical was 41.5 inches. His broad jump of 10-foot-8, the third-best among all safeties. 

Other losers

CB Zy Alexander, LSU

Alexander was a steady production machine at LSU yet didn’t test particularly well at this year’s combine. He placed near the bottom of the cornerback group in almost all the drills in which he participated. 

The 2025 NFL Draft will take place from April 24-26 in Green Bay. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly updated draft order, mock drafts and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects. 

For live reaction from the festivities, check out Friday’s live blog.