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2025 NFL draft: Stock up, stock down for these players following pro day workouts
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- 2025 NFL draft: Stock up, stock down for these players following pro day workouts
The 2025 NFL draft is fast approaching after the conclusion of pro days around the country.
Pro days are one of the final opportunities for draft prospects to showcase their skills in front of NFL personnel. Many athletes choose to participate in their school's pro day instead of the NFL combine . Meanwhile, athletes who weren't invited to the combine use the pro day to impress general managers, coaches and scouts.
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Who impressed and who hurt their draft status at their school's pro day?
USA TODAY Sports examines players whose draft stock is rising and falling after this year's pro days:
2025 NFL draft: Stock up/stock down
Stock up: QB Cam Ward , Miami
Ward told Titans brass at Miami's pro day that he was " solidifying " his place as the No. 1 pick and top quarterback prospect in this year's class.
The Miami product backed up his words by all accounts. Ward showcased his rocket arm, solid mechanics and accuracy throwing the football. He did have a handful of inaccurate passes during the session. But overall, he reinforced why he's the consensus top quarterback in this year's draft.
It also didn't hurt that Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi and head coach Brian Callahan were in attendance.
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The quarterback-needy Titans are on the clock.
CAM WARD PRO DAY: Miami QB shines in pre-draft workout
Stock up: EDGE Mike Green . Marshall
Green is an explosive edge rusher with rare athletic traits. He reportedly posted superb times in the 3-cone drill (6.85 seconds) and 20-yard shuttle (4.25) at Marshall's pro day. That was coming off an impressive performance at the Senior Bowl.
It wouldn't be surprising if Green were the first edge rusher selected in this year's draft. He led college football with 17 sacks last season. Next Gen Stats gave Green an athleticism test score of 88 at the NFL combine, which ranked first among defensive ends and edge rushers.
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According to Marshall's team website, 29 NFL teams attended the school's pro day. Most NFL observers were undoubtedly in attendance to see Green.
It's worth noting that sexual assault allegations involving Green have surfaced but he's denied the allegations multiple times.
Stock up: RB Ashton Jeanty , Boise State
All 32 teams attended Boise State's pro day.
Jeanty elected to skip several workouts, including the 40-yard dash and bench press.
The running back's decision to pass on multiple drills won't affect his draft status because the workouts he went through overshadowed what he didn't do.
The Boise State product cemented his status as the best running back in this year's class. Jeanty could be the earliest drafted running back since the Falcons selected Bijan Robinson , No. 8 overall in the 2023 NFL draft.
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Stock up: QB Jalen Milroe , Alabama
Sixteen NFL teams were spotted at Alabama's pro day, including Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, according to USA TODAY Sports Network. Those clubs saw Milroe run a blistering 4.40 40-yard dash, per SEC Network. Milroe's time ranks him among the fastest QBs of all time in the 40 .
While Milroe's 40 was the highlight of Alabama's session, the dual-threat quarterback also passed the football well to teammates Germie Bernard , Ryan Williams , Rico Scott, Jam Miller , CJ Dippre and Robbie Ouzts, per USA TODAY Sports Network .
Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are the consensus top two quarterbacks in this year's draft. Many believe Jaxson Dart will join Ward and Sanders as one of three quarterbacks drafted in the first round. However, Milroe's eye-popping 40-yard dash and overall performance at Alabama's pro day could make him an early Day 2 pick.
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Stock up: TE Mason Taylor , LSU
Taylor ran a 4.65 in the 40-yard dash, posted a 4.52 in the 20-yard shuttle and timed at 7.06 in the 3-cone drill. He also put up 28 reps in the bench press.
Many scouts have Taylor ranked as the third-best tight end in this year's class behind Penn State 's Tyler Warren and Michigan 's Colston Loveland .
Taylor was the most productive tight end in LSU history. His career 129 receptions and 1,308 receiving yards are the most in school history for a tight end.
Stock up: Colorado pro day participants
Deion Sanders' natural ability to create buzz and attention was on full display at Colorado's pro day. The event even warranted a USA TODAY live blog .
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Representatives from all 32 NFL teams attended the finale of this year's pro days. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders showed off his accuracy throwing the football and silenced some critics about his arm strength while he tossed several impressive deep passes.
Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter ditched gloves and caught balls from Sanders. Hunter was fluid and crisp as he ran routes, showing off his stirring athleticism.
The biggest beneficiaries of Colorado's pro day were the athletes who didn't get the celebrity attention of Sanders and Hunter. Sixteen Colorado Buffaloes participated in the pro day, per the team's social media page. One was wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr., who probably had the most productive outing in front of NFL teams. Horn ran the fastest 40-time at the pro day at 4.40 seconds , besting the 4.46 seconds he clocked at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis .
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Furthermore, Horn had the most spectacular catch of the day.
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Stock down: WR Luther Burden III, Missouri
The Missouri product was considered by many as the top NFL wide receiver prospect entering last season. But a down year that can be attributed to shaky quarterback play necessitated a dip in his draft stock.
Burden ran a good 4.41 40-yard dash and was solid catching the football at the NFL combine. Yet, the wideout didn't participate in any sessions during Missouri's pro day. His decision not to test at Missouri's event was a missed opportunity because he could've solidified himself as a first-round pick. There's a chance Burden slides into the second round after previously being a surefire first-round selection.
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Stock down: RB Cam Skattebo , Arizona State
Skattebo was a bruising, hardnose running back for the Sun Devils . He hardly ever went down after first contact. His 1,711 rushing yards last year ranked second in FBS behind Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty, while his 22 total touchdowns were an Arizona State single-season record.
However, Skattebo didn't quell concerns about his speed and explosiveness during a private pro-day style workout in front of NFL scouts. The downhill running back reportedly ran a 4.65 in the 40-yard dash after he elected not to participate in the event at the combine. His 4.65 time would've made him the slowest running back at this year's combine.
Stock down: EDGE Mykel Williams , Georgia
Williams has the measurables to be a standout edge rusher at the next level. He measured in at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds at the combine but skipped the on-field workouts.
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At Georgia's pro day, the pass rusher reportedly posted an unofficial time of 4.74 in the 40-yard dash. That mark would've been the fifth slowest time among edge participants at this year's combine.
Williams was hampered by an ankle injury last year. The ailment limited him to 21 tackles and five sacks in six starts. He had 14 sacks and 23 tackles for loss in 40 career games with the Bulldogs .
Williams is still projected to be a late first-round pick, but his pro-day performance didn't improve his draft status.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL draft stock up, stock down: Colorado pro day participants rise
