- Jermod McCoy's health will be a major storyline: The Tennessee cornerback missed the entire 2025 season but posted an outstanding 89.6 PFF coverage grade in 2024. A good combine showing would position him to be drafted in the first round.
- Makai Lemon could vault himself into the top 10: The USC product, who was college football's highest-graded wide receiver in 2025, will have his measurables under a microscope in Indianapolis.
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Every year, NFL draft prospects enter the combine facing high-stakes drills and measurements that could swing their draft stock. Some will see their stocks rise, while those who struggle in athletic testing could fall to a later draft slot than anticipated.
Here is one player in each position group with the most to gain in Indianapolis this week.
Quarterback: Ty Simpson, Alabama
Scouts will see Simpson throw for the first time since his 2025 season ended in the College Football Playoff due to injury. Being that he didn’t participate in the all-star circuit, Simpson will have a chance to solidify his status as the second-best quarterback in this class after posting a 6.0% big-time throw rate in 2025, the 12th-best mark among 82 qualifying Power Four quarterbacks.
As a coach’s son, he could also impress front office personnel through the interview process.
Running Back: Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
Price is expected to test well as an explosive athlete with high-end potential. His Notre Dame teammate, Jeremiyah Love, is inarguably the top running back in the class, but Price headlines a group of players vying to be the second player drafted at the position.
He logged 82nd-percentile figures in yards after contact per attempt and missed tackles forced per attempt in 2025. If he tests at a well-above-average level, he could very well be a top-50 selection.
Wide Receiver: Makai Lemon, USC
The Biletnikoff Award winner was one of the top receivers in the nation despite his lack of size. His measurables will be under the microscope this week and could determine how early he is selected.
Lemon's testing will occur with the added context that Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson will not participate in combine drills due to injury. The highest-graded wide receiver in college football in 2025 (90.8) has a chance to vault himself into the top-10 conversation, possibly as the first receiver taken.
Tight End: Jack Endries, Texas
Endries had an outstanding 2024 season at California before transferring to Texas this past year. His production took a step backward, from 2.13 yards per route run in 2024 to 1.07 in 2025, but there were moments where he showed he can still be a reliable option.
He isn’t thought to be an elite athlete like some of his peers at the position, but a good round of athletic testing could boost Endries’ draft stock.
Offensive Line: Monroe Freeling, Georgia
Freeling is a recent riser on many draft boards due to his production in his final season at Georgia. He ranked seventh among qualified FBS tackles with an 85.6 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2025. He seems to be at least an above-average athlete on tape, which he can confirm this week in Indianapolis.
If Freeling's test results compare well to the rest of the class, he could hear his name called on the first night of the draft.
Defensive Line: Caleb Banks, Florida
Banks possesses a freakish build and has a chance to match it with explosive athleticism for his size. Those traits give him the potential to be the best interior pass rusher in this year’s class. He also earned an 87th-percentile PFF run-defense grade in 2025. All eyes will be on Banks, who could solidify a top-20 draft selection with an outstanding combine performance.
LB: Jake Golday, Cincinnati
Golday earned PFF overall grades above 80.0 in each of his two seasons at Cincinnati. His PFF Game Athleticism score sat above the 93rd percentile in each of those seasons, as well. If Golday’s athletic testing at the combine matches up with those metrics, he could find himself drafted early on Day 2.
Defensive Back: Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
One of the biggest stories of the combine will be Jermod McCoy’s medical exams. He missed the entire 2025 season due to a knee injury but posted an outstanding 89.6 PFF coverage grade in 2024. If his health checks out and he performs well in position drills, McCoy could position himself well to be a first-round selection.
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