Biggest Takeaways from 2025 NFL Combine Day One

The NFL Combine featured some eye-popping performances by front seven players on Day 1, could the New York Giants target any of them?

Feb 26, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas A&M defensive lineman Shemar Stewart (DL68) during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The first day of the NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone now with some eye-popping numbers, including an edge rusher clocking a time in the 4.4s.

Not every test matters significantly, not every drill truly showcases what a player can do, but piecing the workout together can help answer questions and paint a clearer picture of what the prospect brings to the table.

Sep 2, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Shemar Stewart (4) breaks past New Mexico Lobos offensive lineman Matthew Toilolo (74) during the fourth quarter at Kyle Field. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Shemar Stewart Dominates

Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart was always expected to have a strong Combine performance. Still, he turned heads right away on Thursday by showing up weighing 267 pounds, significantly lighter than the 290 pounds he was listed at for Texas A&M in 2024.

While that typically means someone would run a faster-than-expected time, I don’t think anybody anticipated Stewart running a blazing 4.59 40-yard dash.

That ended up being the third-fastest time for an edge rusher. He also posted the second-fasted 10-yard split at 1.58 seconds and the second-highest vertical and the farthest broad jump among all edge defenders.

Nov 23, 2024; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman James Pearce Jr. (27) sacks UTEP Miners quarterback JP Pickles (19) at Neyland Stadium. | Brianna Paciorka/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

James Pearce Raises Eyebrows

Tennessee EDGE James Pearce Jr. is one of the more intriguing edge rushers in the 2025 NFL Draft class.

He had preseason hype as the potential first-round pick, but his film shows someone who lacks the ability to dominate consistently.

On film, you can see Pearce's explosive athletic ability, but he posted just a 31-inch vertical and 10’3” broad jump—one of the worst verticals by an EDGE this year and a middle-of-the-road broad jump.

Unsurprisingly, Pearce posted the best 40-yard dash for an EDGE at 4.47 and the best 10-yard split at 1.56. Some teams may see that split and ignore entirely the lack of bend, but you don’t need to bend around a tackle if you run past him.

Feb 26, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Toledo defensive lineman Darius Alexander (DL02) during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dancing Bears

Defensive tackles are becoming increasingly more athletic, and the 2025 NFL Combine is the perfect time to showcase that ability.

Through testing and drills, interior defensive linemen like Ty Robinson, Darius Alexander, Jamaree Caldwell, and Nazir Stackhouse looked fluid and nimble through drills.

Robinson and Alexander had near identical 10-yard splits, 1.71 and 1.72 seconds, respectively, to show their elite first steps near the top of the defensive line class.

The wave drill by Jamaree Caldwell has been going viral due to how nimble he looked while operating in space.

Jamaree Caldwell wave pic.twitter.com/68z93Y0jBn

— Billy M (@BillyM_91) February 27, 2025

Feb 27, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; UCLA linebacker Kain Medrano (LB19) participates in drills during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Day 3 linebackers win!

While some top linebackers in the 2025 Draft didn’t work out on Day 1, the Day 3 and potential undrafted free agents did–and they made some money. 

UCLA’s Kain Medrano, Auburn’s Eugene Asante, and Oklahoma State’s Nick Martin all flashed in the top five 40-yard dash times for the position group and should have solidified themselves as drafted players.

The wave drill for that group looked fluid, and there should now be plenty of teams looking for day three linebackers to contribute rotationally on defense and to be special teamers who will prioritize landing one of them.

Miami’s Francisco Mauigoa had serious long-speed concerns going into the Combine but posted a 4.61 40-yard dash time, which isn’t great but was faster than many expected.

Iowa’s Jay Higgins ran the worst 40-yard dash by any linebacker at 4.82 seconds—the second-worst was 4.74—but athleticism was never his strong suit.

He did look more fluid than expected when watching him function in the wave and bag drills, but it will be interesting to see how teams value him as a strongside linebacker long-term.

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