NFL scouting combine’s key players to watch: A pair of WRs, OTs and CBs, and will any RBs stand out?

The number of players trying out and engaging in physical activities at the NFL scouting combine has dwindled in recent years as prospects have tried to put their best foot forward in the friendly confines of their college pro days and/or private workouts, or have simply opted out of participating altogether. Even among players who try out, there are a decreasing number of players who opt for all types of on-field drills. This is not me being an old man yelling at the clouds; it’s just what’s happening and something I completely understand from the player’s perspective when trying to control it. some control of the most important job interviews of their lives. The off-field process, which includes the literal interview portion, carries a lot of weight as potential (and hopefully fruitful) marriages between player and franchise begin to form. The NFL combine has always revolved around interviews between players and teams and doctor tests as it has been about the on-field show that has now become a prime-time event with real live crowds.

This class has much more. good that excellent in it, and also has a real lack of consensus among evaluators in almost all positions. Even those with solidified first options, like quarterback and running back, there are plenty of arguments about how the rest of their positions stack up behind them. As the NFL roadshow moves to Indianapolis for this year’s combine and draft season begins to ramp up, here are a handful of players whose results I’m watching closely. And that applies whether those results are with their field testing, medical testing, or equipment that has them take character tests on whether they are a cat, a dog, or a reptile.

Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

Freeling was on the verge of even declaring for this year’s draft, but after the combine concludes, he might feel pretty giddy about deciding to throw his hat in the ring. Freeling’s film in the second half of the year had him shooting up recruiting boards, including mine. He is a great athlete, standing 6 feet 7 inches tall and has a large build that shows his experience as a basketball player. It is a framework in which there is still room to continue growing. Freeling’s strength and ability to anchor against stronger pass rushers improved greatly as the 2025 season progressed, while he was still able to nimbly transition to the second level or as a shooter in space. His balance is truly a strength of his game. In a wide-open offensive tackle class that has a lot of interesting names (including another at one point), some have called Freeling a project, but his film is much stronger than that. You have the opportunity to jump to the top of some boards with a strong showing in athletic testing and during team interviews. I’m already leaning that way.

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Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State

I had to isolate myself to just two offensive linemen because everyone should be watching this entire class, including the Utah duo of Caleb Lomu and Spencer Fano, who could help themselves by showing gains. But they are both as athletic as they show in the movie (I still prefer Lomu). Kadyn Proctor is a huge tackle prospect out of Alabama, with the typically associated positives (strength and overwhelming defenders in the running game) and negatives (size limits his ability to pass protection against faster pass rushers) for being so big. You can help yourself simply by performing well at weigh-ins.

Iheanachor is a tackle who transferred to JUCO and came late to football. He had a great week of practice in Mobile at this year’s Senior Bowl, and his film is more polished than one might assume for a player who can easily be labeled a distant project. He has great size with real length and shines as an explosive athlete. I already see him as a top 30 player, and if he has a good week of testing to back up his rise over the past few months, then his stock could continue to rise.

Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

I’m a Boston fan, a great receiver who has the size and reach of a player who can consistently win in isolated situations at the next level. If he runs well (or not at all) at the combine, it can help allay any concerns about his speed and overall athleticism.

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Makai Limón, WR, USC

Lemon is a slot demon who has question marks about his size and how consistently he can line up and win from the outside at the next level. Lemon shows a lot of crunch and can play well beyond his size at the catch point. But how he measures in terms of height, weight and arm length will do as much to solidify his value as anything else he does on the field.

Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

Cornerback is another position with no real consensus at the moment, but Delane has done nothing but help his own stock in 2025. Delane shows strong football IQ and understanding of the concepts he had to guard against, especially when passing things in the zone and playing high-low situations. Delane’s main questions are more physical. He plays with loose hips and gets close to the ball consistently, but how big and athletic he is are the main obstacles to solidifying his spot at the top of his position stack. If he succeeds in Indianapolis, or at least has a good performance, Delane could continue to climb into the top 10.

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Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

McCoy has been fighting to be the first cornerback drafted despite not playing in a game in more than a year. That’s how useful the tools he showed in 2024 were in his last season as a player. If McCoy can help assure teams that his knee is fine after an ACL injury in January 2025, he could keep his name at the top of boards. McCoy is extremely talented, but it is and will be fascinating to follow his actions.

Defensive tackles, in general

There are plenty of bountiful defensive prospects for NFL teams to choose from in this year’s draft. It’s a good year to need interior defensive linemen, especially in the second half of the first round and on Day 2. There are a few different flavors, from maulers to running backs to oversized gap shooters, that can shine. something this week to be pointed out as the man who will help be a lynchpin for defenses that are moving towards a more top-down game and lighter areas, so they need more beef in advance. Prospects like Clemson’s Peter Woods, Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald, Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter, Georgia’s Christen Miller, Florida’s Caleb Banks, Iowa State’s Domonique Orange and Florida State’s Darrell Jackson Jr. can help separate themselves with big weeks.

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Keldric Faulk, Edge, Chestnut

Faulk sat atop my midseason big board, but I’ve cooled off a bit Since then, since he didn’t make the jump, I thought he might do it during the last month of the 2025 season. I haven’t cooled down that much though! And a monster week at the combine will help his case (and my optimism) about Faulk’s combination of youth, size and overall athleticism. He projects as a run defender with a developing pressure game, and has some positional and scheme versatility to his advantage. If he measures well and tests like a high-level athlete, teams will remain glass half full on how Faulk can develop at the next level.

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Any tight ends or running backs?

Expect a big week for anyone in this position. Evaluators are all over the place about who the second-best players are at these respective positions. Personally, I’m interested to see how Georgia tight end Oscar Delp and Washington running back Jonah Coleman measure and test (again, if they test at all).