- Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers has a TE1 ceiling: Expect him to test well at the combine after coming in at No. 15 on Bruce Feldman's College Football Freaks List this past summer with a reported 11-foot-3 broad jump and 39-inch vertical.
- Positional value could drop Caleb Downs down some boards: If he tests as just an above-average athlete, some NFL teams may not see him as a top-10 prospect.
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The NFL Scouting Combine is one of my favorite weeks of the year. It’s when things start to become “official” — we get official measurements and testing times and watch top prospects power through one drill after another. With that said, here are some players who could fall and some who could rise in mock drafts during the combine process.
POTENTIAL RISERS
WR JEFF CALDWELL, CINCINNATI
From what I have heard, Caldwell could steal the show in Indianapolis. At the Shrine Bowl, he measured in at 6-foot-4 1/2 and about 208 pounds. Yet, he has some insane rumored testing numbers. The Athletic's Bruce Feldman ranked Caldwell in the top 30 on his 2025 College Football Freaks List, citing a near 12-foot broad jump and a 36.5-inch vertical jump (which I have heard could be over 40 inches now with training).
Caldwell could also be a 4.3-second 40-yard dash guy, which, at his size, would have teams very willing to take a chance on his rare combination of size and athleticism. He earned an 84.3 PFF receiving grade on passes of 20 or more yards in 2025.
EDGE GABE JACAS, ILLINOIS
Jacas stands to gain a lot — perhaps even a ticket into the first round — with a good showing at the combine. He showed up to the Senior Bowl at just over 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds. He was listed and played more at 270-275 pounds at Illinois, but surprisingly, that came as a stand-up edge defender and not as an interior player. That is due to his first-step explosiveness, which is quite impressive for a player of his size.
If he can pair good testing numbers with his tape (88.5 PFF pass-rush grade in 2025) and Senior Bowl practice performances, Jacas could push himself into the first round for teams that like to keep their defensive fronts very multiple (New England comes to mind).
TE ELI STOWERS, VANDERBILT
Stowers has a chance to make some serious money at the combine by reminding people of the kind of athlete he is. He was No. 15 on Bruce Feldman's College Football Freaks List this past summer with a reported 11-foot-3 broad jump and 39-inch vertical.
I expect him to test very well, which, in combination with his 85.3 PFF receiving grade this past season, will cause some people to wonder if he's simply the most impactful tight end in this draft class, and should accordingly be drafted as TE1.
POTENTIAL FALLERS
S CALEB DOWNS, OHIO STATE
I want to be very clear: Caleb Downs will be a top-five, and likely top-three, player for me regardless of how he tests at the NFL Combine. But his mock draft range is from No. 2 all the way to the middle of the first round due to some questions about his athleticism.
If he tests like just an above-average athlete, is that enough for him to be taken in the top 10? I don’t think every team will think so. Regardless, 2025 was the third straight season where he earned a PFF overall grade above 85.0. We’re not overthinking his elite tape.
T KADYN PROCTOR, ALABAMA
Proctor entered the year as a super-sized (6-foot-7 and 360 pounds) tackle prospect for whom many wondered whether his best position in the NFL might be at guard due to his weight limiting his foot speed.
His Alabama tape at left tackle toward the end of the 2025 season was really good and earned him an 86.1 PFF overall grade for the year. But if he shows up to the NFL Combine at 360-370 pounds, a lot of teams could be turned off. Prior prospects like Dawand Jones, JC Latham and Mekhi Becton saw their high numbers on the scale manifest into issueswith consistency and durability at tackle in the NFL.
If Proctor shows up closer to 340 pounds, his stock could remain strong, as the hope is he can keep that weight (and foot quickness) under control.
WR JORDYN TYSON, ARIZONA STATE
Combine week has long been the big caveat with Tyson's prospect profile. On tape, he is excellent; he showcases big-time plays and fluid change-of-direction athleticism with the requisite route running and explosiveness to be a WR1 in the NFL (66.7% open-target percentage against single coverage over the last two years, 79th percentile).
However, he has an extensive injury history, including a major knee injury three years ago. If he gets the thumbs up from team doctors, expect to see his stock stay in the middle of the first round. If not, he could start to become more of a late first-round or even early second-round option.
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