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- Standouts among defensive backs: who jumped and who sprinted
- Defensive back disappointments and what they mean
- Breakout day for tight ends: athletic freaks and fading hopes
- Winners and losers: a quick tally after Day 2
- Numbers that will matter to teams and scouts
- Related draft items scouts are tracking
Day 2 in Indianapolis sharpened the picture for defensive backs and tight ends. A mix of record-setting explosiveness, surprise slow times and key absences left scouts scribbling notes and draft boards shifting already.
Standouts among defensive backs: who jumped and who sprinted
Several safeties and cornerbacks used the stage to answer questions about range and athleticism. A few underclassmen cemented their places. Some prospects underwhelmed and may see their stock slip.
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Explosive testers who turned heads
- D’Angelo Ponds, CB (Indiana) — Registered a 43.5-inch vertical. That jump ranks among the best by a corner in the modern Combine era and gave him an athletic signature to offset a smaller frame.
- Genesis Smith, S (Arizona) — Put up a 42.5-inch vertical, the top mark of the safety group. Scouts praised his twitch, range and playmaking feel in position work.
- Dillon Thieneman, S (Oregon) — Showed a 41-inch vertical and fluid movement in drills. His testing reinforced his profile as a single-high safety with closing burst.
Speed and length that project well
- Tacario Davis, CB (Washington) — Mixed rare length with an unofficial 4.41 40. His 6-foot-3 frame and long wingspan gave evaluators a tidy physical profile for press and trail roles.
- Toriano Pride Jr., CB (Missouri) — One of the fastest at the position with a 4.32 40. He paired that speed with sharp positional movement in one-on-one work.
- Lorenzo Styles Jr., S (Ohio State) — Posted two 4.28 40s and emerged as one of the event’s quickest players. His speed will be a major talking point into spring workouts.
Defensive back disappointments and what they mean
Not every pre-draft narrative held up under timing lights and measuring tape. Some prospects will need to lean on film or pro days to reverse perceptions.
- TJ Hall, CB (Iowa) — Ran slower than other corners on site. Without standout size, the time pushed him toward a zone specialist label on many boards.
- Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S (Toledo) — Entered the weekend with rising buzz but posted modest jump numbers and two 40 times in the mid-4.5s. Those results cooled some first-round chatter.
- Some top corners — A number of elite cornerbacks skipped on-field testing, which will keep their final draft pecking order fluid through pro days.
Breakout day for tight ends: athletic freaks and fading hopes
The tight end group produced seismic testing marks. A pair of athletes separated themselves with historic jumps and fast 40s. Others failed to land the kind of numbers that will convince teams to move up for them.
Top tight end performers
- Eli Stowers, TE (Vanderbilt) — Leapt to a 45.5-inch vertical and posted an 11’3″ broad jump, setting a Combine record for his position. His twitch and short-area explosion will force teams to reconsider his role.
- Kenyon Sadiq, TE (Oregon) — Matched elite vertical testing at 43.5 inches and ran a blazing 4.39 40. That 40 time sits among the fastest ever for tight ends at the Combine.
Tight ends who lost momentum
- Max Klare, TE (Ohio State) — Opted to sit out testing. In a class with multiple high-end athletes, missing the field can create uncertainty about how he stacks up.
- Miles Kitselman, TE (Tennessee) — At 251 pounds he posted a 4.91 40 and underwhelming jump numbers. Without clear athletic traits, his draft prospects dimmed on Friday.
Winners and losers: a quick tally after Day 2
Testing day reshuffled some boards and reinforced certain scouting scripts. Here are the players who gained the most and those who saw draft range wobble.
- Gainers: Eli Stowers, Kenyon Sadiq, Lorenzo Styles Jr., D’Angelo Ponds, Tacario Davis, Toriano Pride Jr., Genesis Smith, Dillon Thieneman.
- Slide risks: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, TJ Hall, Miles Kitselman, Max Klare (pending pro day), plus a handful of players who didn’t test.
Numbers that will matter to teams and scouts
Clubs balance measurable results with tape, position fit and interviews. Still, a few metrics from Friday will get extra weight when GMs convene.
- Vertical and broad jumps — crucial for separating twitchy, explosive players from those who rely on scheme.
- 40-yard dash splits — short-area burst and top speed influence how teams project coverage and separation ability.
- Arm length and wingspan for corners — length remains a premium trait for press and boundary work.
Related draft items scouts are tracking
- Updates on prospect measurements and who skipped drills
- Day 1 winners and losers and how Day 2 changed those takes
- What to expect at upcoming pro days for players who sat out
- Why certain players opted to delay their on-field testing
