The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine is underway, with players beginning drills on Thursday. A full breakdown of the week’s schedule can be found here.
Before defensive backs and tight ends take center stage on Friday, we look at some of the most notable names expected to participate in drills in Indianapolis.
Defensive backs
Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter
The 2024 Heisman winner will begin a potentially busy weekend on Friday when he’s scheduled to participate in drills with his fellow defensive backs before possibly working out with wide receivers on Saturday.
One of the week’s biggest questions in Indianapolis is what position NFL coaching staffs view Hunter as playing in the pros. He excelled at both at Colorado, which is why he’s in the running for the No. 1 overall pick and won college football’s highest individual honor last season.
The Titans hold the first pick, and on Tuesday, head coach Brian Callahan said he believed the 6-foot-1 dual-threat star would likely start as a defensive back before expanding his role to include snaps at wideout. (h/t Pro Football Talk)
“It’s very realistic,” Callahan said. “He’s a unique player.”
Michigan cornerback Will Johnson
Few players have more to gain in Indianapolis than Johnson, who missed seven games in 2024 with a foot injury.
He was a shutdown corner when healthy. Per Pro Football Focus data, Johnson allowed 16 receptions for 195 yards (12.2 yards per reception) and had two interceptions, with quarterbacks posting an awful 52.6 passer rating when targeting him. In three seasons at Michigan, he allowed a completion on 54 percent of his targets and intercepted nine passes.
NFL.com draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah praised the 6-foot-2 corner’s “blend of size and ball skills,” crediting him “with easy/fluid movement … and excellent instincts.”
Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron
Barron was excellent at Texas, and his combine performance could dictate how much he rises teams’ draft boards. Jeremiah and NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks acknowledged he has more speed on the field than his numbers this weekend might indicate. At 5-foot-11, Barron is also shorter than the other top cornerbacks in the class.
“He’s a quicker-than-fast athlete with outstanding eyes and conviction,” wrote Jeremiah.
“Superb instincts and diagnostic skills can help a defender play faster between the lines,” added Brooks.
The fifth-year senior had five interceptions and 11 passes defensed in 2024. Per PFF data, he allowed 37 receptions on 68 targets (54.4 percent) for 284 yards (7.7 yards per attempt).
Tight ends
Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr.
The 2024 All-American set the FBS single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end last season. Fannin had 117 receptions, 1,555 receiving yards and 11 total touchdowns for the Falcons.
The Mid-American Conference product might be the lightest tight-end prospect in this year’s class. He weighed 230 pounds and stood 6-foot-4 at Bowling Green but had two of his best games against power conference competition, combining for 19 receptions, 282 yards and two touchdowns against College Football Playoff semifinalist Penn State and Texas A&M.
