6 Underrated 2025 NFL Draft Prospects Who Will Thrive at Scouting Combine

Typically, the NFL Scouting Combine mythos is built upon what happened with eventual first-round prospects. Yet the event can help so many prospects throughout the process.

Yes, everyone loves to discuss when Calvin Johnson exploded for a 4.35-second 40-yard dash while wearing someone else's shoes. The runs by Chris Johnson, John Ross and now Xavier Worthy have been shown ad nauseam, and Byron Jones became a sensation with one workout.

Record-breaking and phenomenal efforts headline the process. Every year, under-the-radar workouts strengthen the cases for numerous individuals, who are exceptional athletes in their own right.

In this instance, an "underrated" prospect is someone who is not currently ranked among the B/R Scouting Department's top-75 prospects, thus someone projected to land somewhere in or near the first two rounds.

Instead, a half-dozen options have been identified as those capable of impressing during their time in Indianapolis while forcing scouts and decision-makers back to the tape and possibly to rethink their previous stances.

QB Tyler Shough, Louisville

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For quarterbacks, the NFL combine process isn't necessarily about wowing onlookers with their athletic profiles. It can and has happened, but today's prospects understand that basic metrics aren't what drive their value.

Instead, they're looking to impress in other areas, particularly during the interview process and on-field workouts.

Louisville's Tyler Shough is an enigma. He enters the league after seven years at the collegiate level, having played at three FBS programs. He'll turn 26 during his rookie season. Obviously, his winding collegiate path serves as an impediment to his overall draft value.

The combine can significantly help his case, though, because it's set up for him to succeed. He's a 6'5", 224-pound prospect, with the mobility to show he can create some space outside of structure. More importantly, he has significant natural arm talent. He can make all of the throws, which will be display once he's on the carpet at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Furthermore, his extensive experience moving between programs can prove to be beneficial in the eyes of talent evaluators. Shough has been named the starter at multiple stops, having to learn and execute multiple systems under different staffs. It's something that definitely played in the favor of Bo Nix last year.

However, injuries primarily held Shough back, specifically during his time with the Texas Tech Red Raiders. A broken collarbone, hurt shoulder and ankle injury limited his time in the lineup. So, medical evaluations come into play as well.

Clearly, a ceiling exists to where Shough could go during draft weekend. However, age isn't as limiting of a factor for the quarterback position, and some teams may see future starting potential.

RB Dylan Sampson, Tennessee

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An interesting scenario should play itself out in Indianapolis, where two running back prospects will likely vie to be crowned the fastest at the position.

Between Tennessee's Dylan Sampson and Virginia Tech's Bhayshul Tuten, the race to becoming the class' most explosive back should be on the line when these two work out at the NFL combine.

Sampson gets the nod here simply because he has a verifiable top time in the 100-meter event at the high school level. According to Tracking Football, the Tennessee ball-carrier tied for the second-fastest of anyone in the class. Granted, Tuten has supposedly run a 4.32-second 40-yard dash, per The Athletic's Bruce Feldman, but those numbers can vary greatly.

Really, the 40 isn't the be-all, end-all for a running back. Vision, patience, contact balance, etc. are all vital to be successful NFL runners. The reason why raw straight-line speed is being brought up in this instance is based on a potential differentiation point in a stacked RB class. Options who provide a legitimate breakaway threat can separate themselves from others who excel in different areas.

Samson was the real deal in 2024, running for an SEC-leading 1,491 yards and 22 touchdowns against some of the best defensive talent the nation has to offer.

Maybe someone else surprises. That's OK. But the 20-year-old prospect has plenty of juice, with the potential to impress at the combine.

WR Savion Williams, TCU

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Savion Williams didn't piece together the type of season many expected this past year, though his remaining upside will have NFL teams salivating over his potential.

He finished the 2024 campaign with 60 receptions for 611 yards and six touchdowns. At face value, those numbers aren't all that impressive for someone who could easily be a Day 2 draft prospect. Keep in mind the following, though: Williams played quarterback during his senior year of high school.

The 6'5", 225-pound prospect developed positively each year on campus and displayed a consistent upward trend. The NFL will expect the same at the next level.

Aside from an impressive frame and physique, Williams should move and test well, particularly in the explosive drills at the combine. According to The Athletic's Bruce Feldman, the wide receiver posted a 10'6" broad jump and 40-inch vertical prior to last season, and he clocked as fast as 22.5 mph on the field.

A standout workout will go a long way to build further belief in Williams' potential. He's built like an NFL-caliber X-receiver. He can immediately help a team as a kick returner. A possibility to include trick plays because of his arm and experience as a quarterback can be factored into the mix. But the athletic baselines will serve as the foundation of what he can become.

DL Jordan Burch, Oregon

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Jordan Burch has been on the evaluation radar for some time. The defensive lineman entered the collegiate ranks as a 5-star recruit.

For most of his time between the South Carolina Gamecocks and Oregon Ducks, though, he failed to live up to expectations.

In 2024, Burch began to look like the dominant force many expected him to be from the onset. He notched a career-high 8.5 sacks and batted down six passes. With his size (6'6", 290 lbs), length, versatility and explosiveness, he can be an every-down difference-maker. His testing in Indianapolis should further cement that assumption.

A realization must have occurred this past offseason, because the 23-year-old recommitted to his workout regimen and reshaped his body.

"He's done a great job this offseason changing his body," Oregon head coach Dan Lanning told Bruce Feldman last summer. "... He is really unique. He's put on 13 pounds of muscle. He's different and is playing to attributes."

Burch's combination of size and strength, coupled with his get-off and lower-body explosiveness, should be watched closely as one of the most impressive things at this year's combine.

Very few prospects have the ability to play along the defensive interior and effectively hold the point of attack, while also displaying enough athleticism to maintain a role on the edge. Burch does.

LB Smael Mondon Jr., Georgia

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The Georgia Bulldogs serve as one of the nation's pipeline programs, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

A total of 17 defenders have been drafted over the last three classes. This year, names such as Malaki Starks, Jalon Walker and Mykel Williams are considered first-round prospects. Linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. should be the next Georgia defender off the board.

Mondon started three seasons for the Bulldogs. The 6'2", 229-pound defender sits on the threshold of being undersized, even for a modern 'backer. But he packs quite a punch despite a smaller frame.

According to Tracking Football, the 22-year-old has a top-three player athletic index among this year's class, which correlates track performance based on how it relates to the football field.

The fact that Mondon is a standout athlete at this size and position shouldn't be a surprise. He joined Georgia originally as a 5-star linebacker recruit. He's a fantastic chase linebacker set to clean up plays or drop into space.

However, a tremendous workout in Indianapolis will help on two fronts. Not only will it intrigue scouts, but he'll also put to bed some lingering injury concerns. Mondon required foot surgery last spring that cost him multiple games in 2024. A clean medical evaluation coupled with a strong workout will help elevate his status.

CB Tommi Hill, Nebraska

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A common sentiment when discussing how to evaluate a prospect is that "tape don't lie." That's not always true, though. Not when all the information isn't common knowledge.

Case in point, Nebraska's Tommi Hill tried to play most of the 2024 campaign with plantar fascia before Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule shut the cornerback down for the season.

"He's tried to play," Rhule told reporters in November. "It's obviously tough for him. He's dealing with a lot, so I just shut him down. He's been invited to the Senior Bowl. Maybe he'll be ready for bowl practice, but he's out there, he's playing half-speed, three-quarter speed."

Hill had his moments at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. He also experienced some issues with his coverage, which may be a bit of rust as he continues in his recovery.

Medical evaluations are important for every prospect. The 22-year-old is one of the top options who could be affected by where he is in his recovery, what his current prognosis is and whether the previous injury will affect his workout. When he is fully healthy, Rhule told Feldman, "He's a 42-inch vertical, 4.3 (40) guy."

The NFL is always looking for elite athletes to handle coverage responsibilities. Hill must prove he's up to the task.