The 2025 NFL Combine began Thursday afternoon with linebackers hitting the field as the second group, and here are some of the biggest standouts in the first day’s drills.
Linebacker Prospects Who Showed Up And Showed Out At The 2025 NFL Combine In Indianapolis
Jihaad Campbell, Alabama
Campbell is the most high-profile scouts’ top linebacker in the class, and he showed exactly why on Thursday night. He turned in a fantastic 9.85 Relative Athletic Score and registered as elite in every single athletic metric. His 10’7” broad jump was incredible and he flashed somewhat surprising speed with a 4.52-second 40-yard dash. His 10-yard split of 1.60 seconds was also a great sign of his athleticism and he left zero doubts about his profile as a first-round prospect after his performance.
Potential Team Fit: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Eugene Asante, Auburn
Asante didn’t test much, only running the 40-yard dash, but he made his mark in a big way. The first linebacker to run, he ran an impressive 4.48 while hitting over 22 mph on the radar gun. His 5.76 yards/second/second acceleration was third among linebackers and his change of direction skills were a sight to behold. His movement abilities, both laterally and in compact ways made him one of the most fun backers to watch roam around the field in the plethora of different drill setups.
Potential Team Fit: Las Vegas Raiders
Teddye Buchanan, California
Buchanan has the tools to show out in a big way during testing and that’s exactly what he did. He set the tone with a 40” vertical and followed it up with an equally high-graded 10’5” broad jump. He showcased his athleticism with an above-average 4.61-second 40-yard dash and a solid 1.61 10-yard split. The drills were where he really shined, perfectly translating his dazzling coverage abilities onto his on-field combine showing, easily setting himself up as a linebacker standout.
Potential Team Fit: New England Patriots
Teddye Buchanan Scouting Report
Kain Medrano, UCLA
Medrano has been known to be an athletically inclined backer and that was exactly what he showed in Indianapolis. He finished with the fastest 40-yard dash time out of any player that tested on Thursday and looked as fluid as ever in drills. His 9.75 RAS was even higher than some had expected of him and he looked like an NFL linebacker, full stop. His explosiveness also clocked in with some high marks, leaping his way to a 38” vertical jump and 10’5” broad jump, both in the 93rd percentile.
Potential Team Fit: Arizona Cardinals
Demetrius Knight Jr., South Carolina
The speed aspect was the only area Knight Jr. truly topped the charts in, but he simply refused to show any aspects of his game that weren’t developed to a high standard. He flowed through drills with visible comfort and always seemed to know exactly what he was doing. His 9.85 RAS is among the Top-50 best since 1987 and he has the NFL-level linebacker size and speed combination to be labeled as a legitimate prospect and combine standout.
Potential Team Fit: Los Angeles Rams
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images
