Another NFL Combine is in the books, and it’s time to look at who the biggest winners and losers were from the event. We use data from Pro Football Network’s Mock Draft Simulator to see who’s draft stock rose and fell the most, along with which big names helped or hurt themselves.
2024 NFL Combine Winners by Position
Quarterback Risers, Fallers Include Michael Penix Jr. and Spencer Rattler
With Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels not participating in drills or throwing at the NFL Combine, there were opportunities for others to step up. Updates to Pro Football Network’s Mock Draft Simulator show which players stepped up and which ones took steps back.
Michael Penix Jr. only participated in measurements, but it was enough to help his draft stock. A good wingspan and big hands (10.5″) showed why he’s able to make multilevel throws, and the southpaw moved up to 35th in the mock draft simulator.
Kedon Slovis was one of the biggest winners at the quarterback position. The former BYU Cougar participated in multiple events at the Combine, and he showed his explosiveness on top of his arm talent. Slovis moved up 113 spots thanks to his performance and brought back flashes of his 2019 self.
The biggest drop was from South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler. While the arm talent he possesses makes him an intriguing prospect, the inconsistent play was a concern. Throw in a disappointing Combine performance, and it leads to a drop in his draft stock of 30 spots.
Running Back Risers, Fallers Include Isaac Guerendo, Dillon Johnson
Some of the biggest winners from the NFL Combine were relatively unknown players. Guys like Isaac Guerendo weren’t on everyone’s radar but put on a show to elevate their draft stock. He ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash and posted a 41.5″ vertical jump to show off his explosiveness, and moved up to 240th in the simulator.
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One of the more disappointing performances came from Washington’s Dillon Johnson. He dropped 99 spots in the rankings, and a lack of explosiveness was the cause. His injury from the national championship game against Michigan might have played a factor, but it didn’t help his case.
Wide Receiver Risers, Fallers Include Roman Wilson, Xavier Legette
While everyone gushed about Xavier Worthy’s 40-yard dash time (and for good reason), he wasn’t one of the biggest winners. A pair of Michigan receivers surprised everyone with their testing numbers, raising some questions about the Wolverines’ offense.
Roman Wilson jumped up 28 spots, while Cornelius Johnson rose 77 spots himself. Questions about the Wolverines’ passing attack were largely placed on the receivers, but clearly, it wasn’t due to a lack of explosiveness out wide.
Xavier Legette posted impressive numbers for a bigger receiver but still took a hit in his draft stock. A deep wide receiver class doesn’t help his case, though he went from the seventh-best WR prospect to the 10th after the event. Still, someone’s getting a big-time weapon out wide despite his fall.
Tight End Risers, Fallers Include AJ Barner, Brevyn Spann-Ford
Brevy Spann-Ford posting explosive numbers would have broken the internet. While he slimmed down to 260 pounds, he wasn’t going to be the most explosive tight end in this class. His draft stock took a hit, though, moving down 100 spots in the simulator.
Another Michigan pass catcher had a big week as A.J. Barner moved up 100 spots thanks to the NFL Combine. Any concerns about the Wolverines’ options out wide are quickly evaporating, so maybe it was something else.
Ben Sinnott won big at the Combine, too. The former Kansas State tight end was a reliable player for the Wildcats, but we knew that he needed to post good numbers to help his draft stock. His vertical jump and broad jump helped that cause, moving him up 30 spots.
Offensive Tackle Risers, Fallers Include Roger Rosengarten, Tyler Guyton
Zero offensive tackles moved down in the simulator, showing how well this group performed at the NFL Combine. Taliese Fuaga, Patrick Paul, and Amarius Mims moved up the least, but they also were ranked fairly high.
Washington’s Roger Rosengarten helped his draft stock quite a bit, moving up 34 spots to 87th. Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton was considered a fringe first-round player but moved all the way up 12 spots to 28th after the Combine.
Offensive Guard Risers, Fallers Include Cooper Beebe, Christian Mahogany
Cooper Beebe took a little hit to his draft stock after the Combine, though there were some numbers that impressed. He ran a 5.03-second 40-yard dash at 322 pounds, which was impressive. His broad jump and three-cone drill also helped. Shorter arms and small hands appear to be the biggest reason for his drop.
Christian Mahogany was a rising star at one point in his college football career, and he’s looking to get back to that at the next level. His 40-yard dash time wasn’t blazing fast, but his 10-yard split impressed, as did his broad jump. His wingspan and hand size also led to a jump of 53 spots up to 78th in the MDS.
Center Risers, Fallers Include Jackson Powers-Johnson, Drake Nugent
Jackson Powers-Johnson gained plenty of traction this offseason, but the NFL Combine justified his draft stock. A potential first-round pick, Powers-Johnson helped his draft stock by moving up 15 spots to 22nd overall.
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The biggest decrease we saw was from Michigan’s Drake Nugent (down 60 spots). Nugent was an instrumental part of a dominant Michigan offensive line, but measurements hurt his stock.
EDGE Risers, Fallers Include Nelson Ceaser, Austin Booker
If you didn’t know the name Nelson Ceaser, you missed an entertaining 2023 season for the former Houston Cougar. Though he didn’t run the 40-yard dash, Ceaser’s film shows an explosive player who also knows how to use his length to his advantage. Ceaser moved up 96 spots thanks to his measurements and testing.
Austin Booker is a name to keep an eye on when it comes to sleepers. The former Kansas Jayhawk put together a career year in 2023. At the NFL Combine, he did enough to elevate his draft stock up 115 spots.
Darius Robinson shined at the Senior Bowl, which boosted his draft stock. He added to that at the Combine due to his wingspan and hand size. Robinson jumped up 28 spots to 41st overall.
Defensive Tackle Risers, Fallers Include Maason Smith, Evan Anderson
Within the last couple of years, LSU’s Maason Smith was considered a potential top-15 pick. An injury and a suspension kept him off the field for a while, and his draft stock took a hit since that time. He’s currently 107th in PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator, a 27-spot drop after the Combine this year.
Gabe Hall was a weapon for Baylor’s defense during his tenure. While his sprints didn’t surprise anyone, his overall performance moved him up 44 spots. Hall’s size and length will make him an intriguing prospect, and his explosive nature adds to his draft stock.
Linebacker Risers, Fallers Include Payton Wilson, Junior Colson
The linebacker position might have seen the most surprising results of any position at the NFL Combine. There were a number of names the people knew, but the results put even more players into the spotlight.
Edefuan Ulofoshio was one of the biggest risers from the Combine. We knew that he was a playmaker, but his testing helped him rise 131 spots in the Mock Draft Simulator. He ran a 4.56-second 40-yard dash while also producing a 39.5″ vertical jump and a 10’8″ broad jump.
Michigan’s Junior Colson (up 34 spots) and NC State’s Payton Wilson (up 26) also helped their draft stock with strong performances. Both are projected second-round picks, and their athletic profiles showed at the Combine.
The biggest dip we saw was from Clemson’s Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Just a couple of months ago, he was considered a potential first-round pick, but now he finds himself fighting to go in the second round. He dropped 46 spots after the Combine, so his Pro Day needs to be good to get him back toward the top.
Cornerback Risers, Fallers Include Renardo Green, Kalen King
One of the biggest risers at any position came from Florida State’s Renardo Green. The former Seminole ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash with a 37.5″ vertical jump and a 10’10” broad jump. He moves up 170 spots to 92nd overall.
Missouri’s Ennis Rakestraw gained some traction over the last month, with some analysts even projecting him to be a first-round pick. A couple of explosive tests helped his draft stock, which, paired with his film, helped him rise up 145 spots in the simulator.
Penn State’s Kalen King needed a strong performance to negate the concerns about his game. The former potential first-round pick struggled in the 40-yard dash (4.61 seconds), which put a big dent in his draft stock. He was a consistent faller in the simulator, but now he sits 111th overall.
Safety Risers, Fallers Include Kitan Oladapo, Kamren Kinchens
If you were a safety participating in the NFL Combine, you were better off being an underdog. Multiple big names saw their draft stock fall in the MDS, while a couple of relatively unknown players rose up.
Texas A&M’s Demani Richardson, USC’s Calen Bullock, and Miami’s Kamren Kinchens all were considered potential first-round picks at some point in their collegiate careers. After the Combine, none of them are in the top 32. Slow 40-yard dash times hurt Richardson and Kinchens, so they’ll need strong Pro Day performances to combat this drop.
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Oregon State’s Kitan Oladapo was a multi-year starter for the Beavers’ defense and needed to put up some decent numbers at the Combine to elevate his draft stock. While he wasn’t the most explosive player, he did enough to move up 82 spots.
Former Oregon and Fresno State safety Evan Williams was a name to watch at the Combine. He answered some big questions this past year as the starting safety with the Ducks and added a couple of impressive tests to help his stock. He jumps up 40 spots and should be a quality Day 3 pick in the draft.
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