The real reason some rookies skip out on the NFL Combine

The NFL scouting combine is held just once a year in Indianapolis. The four-day event gathers the top prospects from college football and puts their talents to the test in front of NFL coaches, managers, and scouts. It gives the players a chance to increase their draft stock and the NFL directors a chance to evaluate the players.

Why some rookies choose to skip the NFL Combine

So why would a player choose to skip out on that kind of opportunity? In fact, it’s quite common. While some players might choose not to attend at all, many will choose to attend, but not participate in the physical part of the tests, opting instead to just conduct interviews and meet with teams. There are a few reasons for that.

While the NFL Combine puts all the top talent together in one place, many players prefer to save their efforts for their school’s Pro Days, which is similar in design to showcase the player’s skills, but will be shown to far fewer scouts. However, it gives the player much more control over what they show off. For example, at Pro Days, they can design their own workouts, whereas in the Combine, the NFL designs them and they have to do them to their best ability. Pro Days also put the player around other players and staff that he’s already comfortable with, allowing him to perform better and with less pressure.

Another factor at play here is that many of the players invited to the Combine have already proven themselves by that point and don’t really need to attend the event to further cement their talent. It’s often not worth it to risk getting injured ahead of the NFL Draft and actually decrease draft stock.

So, it’s typically the players who’ve already solidified their status as the cream of the crop who skip out on the Combine. Those who are expected to be drafted after the first two rounds have much more to prove and reason to show up.

Notable rookies skipping out on the 2025 NFL Combine

Of those invited to the 2025 NFL Combine, there have already been some notable rookies who’ve decided to skip out on the workouts portion of the Combine.

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who is expected to be a top pick in the NFL Draft this April, will attend the Combine, but will not throw. Instead, he will focus on interviews with the teams, and will throw again at Colorado’s pro day (date TBD).

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty is expected to be the first running back off the board in the NFL Draft this year, so it’s not like his draft stock is going to get much better than that. Jeanty will still go through the interviews and medical tests, but he will not work out. Like Sanders, he’ll show off what he’s got at his school’s Pro Day.

Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter is projected to be a top-five pick in the draft, and has chosen not to work out during the Combine either. Carter is still recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered in the school’s Fiesta Bowl. He’ll sit out the workouts but will participate in the physical exams and interviews in hopes to be well enough to play at Penn State’s Pro Day on March 28.

All the players invited to the 2025 NFL Combine

The 2025 NFL Combine begins this Thursday, February 27 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and runs until Sunday, March 2. Here is a full list of all the players who were invited (a total of 329 prospects).

Quarterbacks:

• Max Brosmer, Minnesota
• Brady Cook, Missouri
• Jaxson Dart, Mississippi
• Quinn Ewers, Texas
• Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
• Seth Henigan, Memphis
• Will Howard, Ohio State
• Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
• Kyle McCord, Syracuse
• Graham Mertz, Florida
• Jalen Milroe, Alabama
• Kurtis Rourke, Indiana
• Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
• Tyler Shough, Louisville
• Cam Ward, Miami

Running Backs:

• LeQuint Allen, Syracuse
• Ulysses Bentley IV, Mississippi
• Jaydon Blue, Texas
• Tahj Brooks, Texas Tech
• Donovan Edwards, Michigan
• Trevor Etienne, Georgia
• DJ Giddens, Kansas State
• Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State
• Omarion Hampton, North Carolina
• RJ Harvey, UCF
• TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
• Jarquez Hunter, Auburn
• Ja’Quinden Jackson, Arkansas
• Jordan James, Oregon
• Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
• Kaleb Johnson, Iowa
• Montrell Johnson Jr., Florida
• Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State
• Corey Kiner, Cincinnati
• Phil Mafah, Clemson
• Woody Marks, USC
• Damien Martinez, Miami
• Kyle Monangai, Rutgers
• Kalel Mullings, Michigan
• Devin Neal, Kansas
• Dylan Sampson, Tennessee
• Raheim Sanders, South Carolina
• Cam Skattebo, Arizona State
• Brashard Smith, SMU
• Bhayshul Tuten, Virginia Tech
• Marcus Yarns, Delaware

Wide Receivers:

• Andrew Armstrong, Arkansas
• Elic Ayomanor, Stanford
• Elijhah Badger, Florida
• Jack Bech, TCU
• Isaiah Bond, Texas
• Ja’Corey Brooks, Louisville
• Sam Brown Jr., Miami
• Pat Bryant, Illinois
• Luther Burden III, Missouri
• Beaux Collins, Notre Dame
• Chimere Dike, Florida
• Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
• Da’Quan Felton, Virginia Tech
• Tai Felton, Maryland
• Jacolby George, Miami
• Matthew Golden, Texas
• Tre Harris, Mississippi
• Jayden Higgins, Iowa State
• Traeshon Holden, Oregon
• Jimmy Horn Jr., Colorado
• Tory Horton, Colorado State
• Kobe Hudson, UCF
• Travis Hunter, Colorado
• Daniel Jackson, Minnesota
• Tez Johnson, Oregon
• Josh Kelly, Texas Tech
• KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Auburn
• Jaylin Lane, Virginia Tech
• Dominic Lovett, Georgia
• Bru McCoy, Tennessee
• Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona
• Konata Mumpfield, Pittsburgh
• Nick Nash, San Jose State
• Isaiah Neyor, Nebraska
• Jaylin Noel, Iowa State
• Kaden Prather, Maryland
• Xavier Restrepo, Miami
• Jalen Royals, Utah State
• Arian Smith, Georgia
• Roc Taylor, Memphis
• Isaac TeSlaa, Arkansas
• Dont’e Thornton Jr., Tennessee
• Jordan Watkins, Mississippi
• Theo Wease Jr., Missouri
• Antwane Wells Jr., Mississippi
• LaJohntay Wester, Colorado
• Ricky White III, UNLV
• Kyle Williams, Washington State
• Savion Williams, TCU

Tight Ends:

• Elijah Arroyo, Miami
• Gavin Bartholomew, Pittsburgh
• Jake Briningstool, Clemson
• Jalin Conyers, Texas Tech
• CJ Dippre, Alabama
• Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame
• Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green
• Terrance Ferguson, Oregon
• Thomas Fidone II, Nebraska
• Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse
• Jackson Hawes, Georgia Tech
• Gunnar Helm, Texas
• Brant Kuithe, Utah
• Luke Lachey, Iowa
• Colston Loveland, Michigan
• Moliki Matavao, UCLA
• Bryson Nesbit, North Carolina
• Robbie Ouzts, Alabama
• Joshua Simon, South Carolina
• Mason Taylor, LSU
• Tyler Warren, Penn State

Offensive Linemen:

• Kelvin Banks Jr., Texas
• Anthony Belton, N.C. State
• Tyler Booker, Alabama
• Logan Brown, Kansas
• Will Campbell, LSU
• Connor Colby, Iowa
• Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon
• Hayden Conner, Texas
• Ajani Cornelius, Oregon
• Eli Cox, Kentucky
• Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, Florida
• Garrett Dellinger, LSU
• Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota
• Dylan Fairchild, Georgia
• Miles Frazier, LSU
• Charles Grant, William & Mary
• Joshua Gray, Oregon State
• Myles Hinton, Michigan
• Joe Huber, Wisconsin
• Donovan Jackson, Ohio State
• Emery Jones Jr., LSU
• Luke Kandra, Cincinnati
• Drew Kendall, Boston College
• Chase Lundt, Connecticut
• Jake Majors, Texas
• Marcus Mbow, Purdue
• Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State
• Armand Membou, Missouri
• Wyatt Milum, West Virginia
• Jonah Monheim, USC
• Jack Nelson, Wisconsin
• Hollin Pierce, Rutgers
• Tate Ratledge, Georgia
• Jalen Rivers, Miami
• Caleb Rogers, Texas Tech
• Jonah Savaiinaea, Arizona
• Josh Simmons, Ohio State
• Torricelli Simpkins III, South Carolina
• Jackson Slater, Sacramento State
• Marcus Tate, Clemson
• Branson Taylor, Pittsburgh
• Ozzy Trapilo, Boston College
• Jalen Travis, Iowa State
• Xavier Truss, Georgia
• Carson Vinson, Alabama A&M
• Clay Webb, Jacksonville State
• Cameron Williams, Texas
• John Williams, Cincinnati
• Jared Wilson, Georgia
• Grey Zabel, North Dakota State

Defensive Linemen:

• Tommy Akingbesote, Maryland
• Darius Alexander, Toledo
• Tyler Baron, Miami
• Tyler Batty, BYU
• Zeek Biggers, Georgia Tech
• Yahya Black, Iowa
• Warren Brinson, Georgia
• Vernon Broughton, Texas
• Jordan Burch, Oregon
• Jamaree Caldwell, Oregon
• Abdul Carter, Penn State
• Alfred Collins, Texas
• Howard Cross III, Notre Dame
• Fadil Diggs, Syracuse
• Ethan Downs, Oklahoma
• Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
• Joshua Farmer, Florida State
• Ashton Gillotte, Louisville
• Mason Graham, Michigan
• Kenneth Grant, Michigan
• Mike Green, Marshall
• Eric Gregory, Arkansas
• Ty Hamilton, Ohio State
• Derrick Harmon, Oregon
• Jared Harrison-Hunte, SMU
• Ahmed Hassanein, Boise State
• Tonka Hemingway, South Carolina
• Cam Horsley, Boston College
• Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Georgia
• Jared Ivey, Mississippi
• Cam Jackson, Florida
• Landon Jackson, Arkansas
• Sai’vion Jones, LSU
• Jah Joyner, Minnesota
• DeAndre Jules, South Carolina
• Kyle Kennard, South Carolina
• Steve Linton, Baylor
• Sean Martin, West Virginia
• Rylie Mills, Notre Dame
• Walter Nolen, Mississippi
• Omarr Norman-Lott, Tennessee
• Oluwafemi Oladejo, UCLA
• Payton Page, Clemson
• James Pearce Jr., Tennessee
• Aeneas Peebles, Virginia Tech
• JJ Pegues, Mississippi
• Jordan Phillips, Maryland
• Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Virginia Tech
• Jahvaree Ritzie, North Carolina
• Elijah Roberts, SMU
• Que Robinson, Alabama
• Ty Robinson, Nebraska
• Kaimon Rucker, North Carolina
• T.J. Sanders, South Carolina
• Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
• Nic Scourton, Texas A&M
• Elijah Simmons, Tennessee
• Tim Smith, Alabama
• Barryn Sorrell, Texas
• Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia
• Josaiah Stewart, Michigan
• Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M
• Bradyn Swinson, LSU
• Junior Tafuna, Utah
• Jay Toia, UCLA
• JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State
• Shemar Turner, Texas A&M
• Princely Umanmielen, Mississippi
• David Walker, Central Arkansas
• Deone Walker, Kentucky
• CJ West, Indiana
• Mykel Williams, Georgia
• Tyleik Williams, Ohio State

Linebackers:

• Eugene Asante, Auburn
• Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon
• Carson Bruener, Washington
• Teddye Buchanan, Cal
• Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
• Barrett Carter, Clemson
• Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Kentucky
• Power Echols, North Carolina
• Jay Higgins, Iowa
• Shemar James, Florida
• Kobe King, Penn State
• Jack Kiser, Notre Dame
• Demetrius Knight Jr., South Carolina
• Cody Lindenberg, Minnesota
• Nick Martin, Oklahoma State
• Bam Martin-Scott, South Carolina
• Francisco Mauigoa, Miami
• Jalen McLeod, Auburn
• Kain Medrano, UCLA
• Smael Mondon Jr., Georgia
• Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State
• Chris Paul Jr., Mississippi
• Tyreem Powell, Rutgers
• Karene Reid, Utah
• Carson Schwesinger, UCLA
• Cody Simon, Ohio State
• Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
• Jalon Walker, Georgia
• Jackson Woodard, UNLV

Defensive Backs:

• BJ Adams, UCF
• Zy Alexander, LSU
• Trey Amos, Mississippi
• Jahdae Barron, Texas
• Billy Bowman Jr., Oklahoma
• Cobee Bryant, Kansas
• Denzel Burke, Ohio State
• Sebastian Castro, Iowa
• Alijah Clark, Syracuse
• Kitan Crawford, Nevada
• Mello Dotson, Kansas
• Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina
• O’Donnell Fortune, South Carolina
• Zah Frazier, UTSA
• Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky
• Jordan Hancock, Ohio State
• Jermari Harris, Iowa
• Marcus Harris, Cal
• Tommi Hill, Nebraska
• Maxen Hook, Toledo
• Travis Hunter, Colorado
• Alijah Huzzie, North Carolina
• Will Johnson, Michigan
• Bilhal Kone, Western Michigan
• Rayuan Lane III, Navy
• Robert Longerbeam, Rutgers
• Jason Marshall Jr., Florida
• Mac McWilliams, UCF
• R.J. Mickens, Clemson
• Malachi Moore, Alabama
• Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
• Jabbar Muhammad, Oregon
• Andrew Mukuba, Texas
• Jacob Parrish, Kansas State
• Darien Porter, Iowa State
• Caleb Ransaw, Tulane
• Lathan Ransom, Ohio State
• Jaylen Reed, Penn State
• Shavon Revel Jr., East Carolina
• Quincy Riley, Louisville
• Jonas Sanker, Virginia
• Marques Sigle, Kansas State
• Jaylin Smith, USC
• Malaki Starks, Georgia
• Upton Stout, Western Kentucky
• Dorian Strong, Virginia Tech
• Azareye’h Thomas, Florida State
• Dante Trader Jr., Maryland
• Malik Verdon, Iowa State
• Justin Walley, Minnesota
• Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
• Isas Waxter, Villanova
• Nohl Williams, Cal
• Kevin Winston Jr., Penn State
• Hunter Wohler, Wisconsin
• Craig Woodson, Cal

Specialists:

• Andres Borregales, K, Miami
• James Burnip, P, Alabama
• Jeremy Crawshaw, P, Florida
• Ryan Fitzgerald, K, Florida State
• Tyler Loop, K, Arizona
• Ben Sauls, K, Pittsburgh

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