Risers

Cornerbacks:

Maxwell Hairston – Before: Top 50 | After: Round 1

Maxwell Hairston had one of the most impressive performances of the entire combine, highlighted by an insane 4.28-second 40-yard dash. His elite speed, fluid movement, and strong overall testing solidified him as a first-round talent. Entering the event as a top-50 prospect, Hairston has now locked himself into Round 1 and could push toward the top of the cornerback class.

Jahdae Barron – Before: Round 1 | After: Early to Mid Round 1

Jahdae Barron was already considered a first-round talent, but his combine performance pushed him further up the board. His footwork, smooth transitions, and quick reaction time stood out in drills, reinforcing his ability to be a high-impact defender in the NFL. Now, he’s firmly in the early to mid first round conversation.

Trey Amos – Before: Round 2 | After: Top 50

Trey Amos put together an excellent showing, demonstrating elite athleticism, strong measurables, and refined coverage skills. His movement skills and ball tracking ability helped him rise from a questionable Round 2 prospect to being a sure fire candidate in the late first or early second round.

Azareye’h Thomas – Before: Round 2 | After: Late Round 1

Azareye’h Thomas displayed a pristine performance throughout the day. His smooth backpedal, change-of-direction skills, and explosive athleticism in testing all elevated his stock. His strong showing helped move him from a second-round prospect to a late first-round talent. Thomas has been one of the most impressive lockdown corners throughout this entire offseason and I believe has firmly proved himself to be a 1st round talent.

Darien Porter – Before: Round 4 | After: Late Round 2 – Round 3

Darien Porter’s combine was nothing short of historic. The older prospect posted the fourth-highest raw athleticism score for a cornerback in combine history. His speed and explosiveness were undeniable, launching him from a projected fourth-rounder to a potential late second or third-round selection.

Zah Frazier – Before: Round 6-7 | After: Round 4-5

At 25 years old, Zah Frazier is one of the oldest prospects in the draft, but he proved that his athleticism can still make an impact. He ran a blazing 4.3-second 40-yard dash and showcased solid tape in coverage drills, leading to a significant rise from a late Day 3 prospect to the fourth or fifth round.

Upton Stout – Before: Round 6-7 | After: Round 4-5

Upton Stout had one of the smoothest positional drill performances of the day. His quick transitions, strong ball skills, and polished footwork all helped boost his stock. Initially viewed as a late-round flyer, he now projects as a solid fourth or fifth-round selection.

Safeties:

Nick Emmanwori – Before: Fringe Round 1 | After: Round 1

Nick Emmanwori put together arguably the best performance of the entire combine so far. His raw athleticism score now ranks as the best ever recorded for a safety. That level of explosiveness and physicality has pushed him from a borderline first-rounder to a surefire Day 1 pick, potentially even challenging Malaki Starks as the top safety prospect.

Billy Bowman Jr. – Before: Round 4 | After: Late Round 2 – Round 3

Billy Bowman Jr. may not have received as much attention as some other safeties, but he quietly put together a strong day. His speed, agility, and instincts in drills boosted his stock significantly, moving him from a projected fourth-rounder into the late second or early third-round range.

Andrew Mukuba – Before: Day 3 | After: Round 3

Andrew Mukuba needed to make an impression at the combine, and he did just that. His strong testing numbers and solid coverage drills helped elevate him from an early Day 3 prospect into the third round discussion. I could even see a team falling in love with Mukuba and taking him in the 2nd round.

Marques Sigle – Before: Undrafted | After: Day 3 Pick

Marques Sigle turned heads with his incredible athleticism, running a blazing 4.37-second 40-yard dash and ranking top five in every category he participated in. Previously viewed as a likely undrafted prospect, he has now secured himself as a Day 3 pick with some pretty remarkable upside.

Tight Ends:

Mason Taylor – Before: Round 3-4 | After: Day 2 Pick

Mason Taylor put together a near-flawless day. His fluidity in drills, soft hands, strong blocking, and exceptional fundamentals all stood out. Taylor also holds the record for most career receptions and receiving yards by a tight end in LSU history. While his college stats don’t pop off the page, he proved he has the skill set to be a top-tier tight end prospect, rising from a third-to-fourth-rounder to a solid Day 2 selection.

Terrance Ferguson – Before: Round 4 | After: Round 3

Terrance Ferguson showcased his prototypical high-upside potential at the combine. He demonstrated strong athleticism, smooth route running, and natural hands helping him move up draft boards from a fourth round prospect to a likely third round selection.

Mitchell Evans – Before: Round 5-6 | After: Round 4

Mitchell Evans put together a solid showing, proving he has the tools to contribute at the next level. His combination of size, strength, and receiving ability helped him rise from a projected late-round pick into the fourth round.

Fallers

At cornerback, Mello Dotson, Zy Alexander, and Jabbar Muhammad all suffered setbacks. Dotson was the slowest corner at the combine, which tanked his stock from a projected fourth rounder to a late Day 3 pick. Alexander also ran slow and looked somewhat stiff in drills as he saw his draft position drop from a third rounder to a fourth rounder. Muhammad had a poor showing as well, finishing last in multiple drills and falling to a late day 3 prospect.

Sebastian Castro had one of the worst performances of any safety at the combine. His poor testing numbers, combined with his older age, significantly hurt his stock. Entering the event as a potential third or even second rounder, he now projects closer to the fifth round. While Xavier Watts wasn’t necessarily a big loser, his decision to not participate may have cost him a shot at being in the conversation with Malaki Starks and Nick Emmanwori as top safeties in the draft. Instead, Watts is now likely to settle as a second round selection.

At tight end, Gunnar Helm did significant damage to his own draft stock. Coming into the combine he was in contention to be the TE3 behind Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren. However, his lack of fluidity, poor route running, and sluggish 4.84 second 40-yard dash exposed some major concerns. Meanwhile, Mason Taylor and Terrance Ferguson had great days leapfrogging Helm on draft boards. Due to Gunnar hurting his own stock he likely also will find himself falling behind Fannin and Arroyo by a considerable amount, that is if teams didn’t have Helm behind them already. Now instead of being a top tier tight end prospect, Gunnar is closer in value with guys like Mitchell Evans and is no longer a lock to go in the first 3 rounds.

Photo Credits: The Palm Beach Post, AP News, Field Level Media, ESPN, Lone Star Live, Sports Illustrated, We Are Iowa