Stanford To Have Two Former Players at the NFL Combine

The next generation of NFL talent is ready to prove themselves. With the Super Bowl now over, the focus shifts onto the offseason, where teams will use this time to build championship caliber rosters and compete for a title next season. A big part of the offseason is the NFL Draft, where all 32 teams gather to select a fresh crop of rookies whom they believe will be the difference makers.

For Stanford football, two players from the 2025 team are entering the NFL Draft and will also be in attendance at the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis in tight end Sam Roush and defensive back Collin Wright. Both players played a big role on the Cardinal for the last couple of seasons and are ready to translate their success in college to the next level.

Wright, a three year starter for the Cardinal, is coming off of an injury plagued '25 campaign, but he still played very well when he was healthy, finishing with 33 tackles, four passes defended, and a pick six.

However, Wright is projected as a late round draft pick or an undrafted free agent, with NFL analyst Lance Zierlein providing a detailed analysis on him, projecting his ceiling in the NFL as an average backup.

"Three-year starter whose lack of desired long speed and athleticism could pigeon-hole him into a role as a zone corner or big nickelback," Zierlein said. "Wright has improved his coverage recognition and is physical when he gets his chance.

"However, he might not have the short-area movement/burst needed to stay sticky with man routes or make plays on the ball in off coverages. His size and stability underneath could allow him to play closer to the line for a defense that asks him to keep the action in front of him. Wright projects as an average backup."

A good combine could squash doubts about Wright's NFL ability, and if he is able to impress, his draft stock could rise.

Roush, a team captain for the Cardinal last season, is a highly touted tight end prospect at the draft, while some have him and Oregon tight end, Kenyon Sadiq, as the top tight end prospects in this year's draft.

Finishing with 49 catches for 545 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 2025, Roush put up career highs in receiving last season, while also continuing to be an elite blocker for the Cardinal.

Projected to be a day two or day three draft pick, Roush has already started to generate some interest from teams, reportedly having an informal meeting with the Denver Broncos ahead of the officially start of the combine.

"In a draft landscape full of pass-catching tight ends, Roush stands out as one of the few plug-and-play “Y” tight ends (in-line blocking TE) available," Zierlein said in his draft analysis of Roush. "He can make cut-off blocks in zone and combo blocks in gap schemes. He holds his own in pass protection, too. As a receiver, he’s not stiff, but he lacks elusiveness underneath.

"He needs to apply more of his tough playing style to win combat catches and expand his role beyond run blocker/zone beater. While his catch production might draw questions, his size, toughness and pro-ready blocking profile could push him into Day 2 consideration."

Roush will certainly have a major advantage going into the combine given his pedigree, but will still need to show out if he wants his draft stock to end up firmly in day two. Still, Roush is getting glowing reviews from NFL staffers, with some attributing his ability to pick things up quickly as something that could be hard to pass up.

The combine runs through March 1, with different position groups going each day. But for Stanford fans, Roush and Wright compete in their drills on Friday, Feb. 27 with full coverage available on the NFL Network.