Each year the NFL Scouting Combine serves as a proving ground for draft-eligible prospects, but not every future star enters Indianapolis with top-50 buzz. While projected first-round talents will dominate attention throughout the week, several under-the-radar invitees have a chance to make a lasting impression.
Whether it's an overlooked small-school standout, a late bloomer with an elite athletic profile, or a versatile playmaker flying under the radar, these ballplayers have the potential to turn heads, check boxes for teams, and improve their correlating draft stock at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.
Louisville QB Tyler Shough
Should Tyler Shough compete in all drills in Indianapolis, he’ll throw on the field in the same group as projected first-rounders Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) and Cam Ward (Miami). What does that mean? Well, for scouts that haven’t seen him throw live, comparing his arm to his classmates will hold weight in how the ball pops off his arm and his accuracy downfield.
While pumping throws across the field in a t-shirt shouldn’t hold as much weight as it does, in this QB class, a good performance for the Louisville product will go a long way to him locking in his stock as a day-two pick.
The buzz is starting to work its way around on Louisville QB Tyler Shough, a player that really flashed on tape pre-Senior Bowl leading to a 3rd round eval in January for me.
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) February 17, 2025
These are two throws that are considered elite at any level of the sport. Full eval:… pic.twitter.com/I6hymPuQ2A
South Carolina TE Joshua Simon
I personally really enjoyed Joshua Simon’s tape and think he’s a ballplayer whose movement skills and natural hands will showcase well in drills. A former transfer from Western Kentucky, Simon was an All-SEC selection in his final season at South Carolina with 519 receiving yards and seven TDs this fall. In such a loaded TE class, Simon remains an underrated name.
Georgia WR Arian Smith
A track star who has since turned his spikes in for cleats, Arian Smith has rapidly evolved into a pass-catcher to become familiar with as we work toward the spring. Speed is his calling card. A Florida state title winner in the 200M and the winner of the boys' elite 100M race at the 2019 Nike Elite Prefontaine Classic, it’s not hard to see why he’s been talked about as one of the fastest players in the 2025 class. With a verified track background, including a blazing 10.18-second 100M time during his collegiate career, his straight-line speed isn’t just elite, it’s world-class. He’s expected to challenge for the fastest 40 time in Indianapolis.
Virginia Tech WR Da’Quan Felton
Standing at a verified 6-foot-5 and 223 pounds, Da’Quan Felton has been clocked near 23 mph on the treadmill and is expected to test extremely well in the jumping portion of testing. An explosive athlete at his size, the Norfolk State transfer has sat around the 11-foot threshold in the broad (11’3” was the top recorded WR broad in 2024 by Adonai Mitchell) along with a 36-plus-inch vertical jump.
Florida WR Elijhah Badger
Elijhah Badger remains one of the least talked about pass-catchers in the class. He’s got great size at 6-foot-1. The athletic profile is there along with the production (2,443 receiving yards) in four seasons at Florida and Arizona State. The interview process behind closed doors is the most important part of combine week, but a good showing in testing and drills (showcasing his hands) should allow Badger to solidify himself as a day-three pick and a ‘rising’ name in the process.
Minnesota LB Cody Lindenberg
A quick-twitch athlete, Cody Lindenberg is expected to shine in the short-shuttle portion of testing where a player’s ability to change direction at a high rate of speed is put on full display. A first-team All-Big Ten honoree this fall, Lindenberg is looking to build on a good pre-draft process that kicked off at the Senior Bowl a few weeks back. He’s a prototypical middle linebacker every coordinator desires within the heart of a defense.
