In Indianapolis, standout performances marked the Saturday workouts at the NFL’s annual scouting combine. Texas receiver Matthew Golden emerged as a highlight by clocking the fastest 40-yard dash time of the day with an impressive 4.29 seconds. This time was just narrowly behind the week’s fastest, recorded by Kentucky’s cornerback Maxwell Hairston, who ran a 4.28 seconds on Friday night.
The third out of four rounds of workouts included quarterbacks, running backs, and receivers. Golden’s speed helped Texas maintain its reputation for producing quick receivers. Last year, Texas’ Xavier Worthy set a combine record by running the 40-yard dash in 4.21 seconds at Lucas Oil Stadium. This weekend saw a total of ten receivers and three running backs logging times under 4.4 seconds.
Challenging closely behind Matthew Golden, Dont’e Thornton Jr. from Tennessee achieved a time of 4.3 seconds, and Chimere Dike from Florida posted a 4.34. Among other impressive times, Virginia Tech’s Jaylin Lane and Maryland’s Tai Felton had times of 4.34 and 4.37, respectively. Meanwhile, Golden’s college teammate, Isaiah Bond, and Iowa State’s Jaylin Noel managed to match each other at 4.39 seconds.
Matthew Golden chose not to participate in the vertical jump or broad jump activities. The running back category saw Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten excel as the fastest, completing the dash in 4.32 seconds. He was followed by Texas’ Jaydon Blue at 4.38, and SMU’s Brashard Smith with a time of 4.39.
Several receivers showcased outstanding vertical leaps, with Sam Brown Jr. of Miami and Jaylin Noel both jumping 41 1/2 inches high, while Lane recorded a 40-inch leap. For the broad jump, Noel reached an impressive 11 feet, 2 inches, followed closely by Nebraska’s Isaiah Neyor at 11-1 and Lane at 11 feet.
Among the most anticipated participants were Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter from Colorado and Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan, who both opted not to showcase their skills this session. The day’s list of non-participants also included top-ranked running back Ashton Jeanty and leading quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, who plan to perform at their respective college pro days instead.
Tuten led the running backs in vertical jump with a 40 1/2-inch leap, while DJ Giddens from Kansas State and Cam Skattebo from Arizona State both tied at 39 1/2 inches. Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins excelled in the broad jump event, reaching 11 feet, with Giddens, Tuten, and North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton following at 10-10.
A limited number of quarterbacks participated in running the 40-yard dash and the accompanying vertical and broad jumps, with only three quarterbacks completing the 40 and four competing in the jumps. In the cornerback category, Upton Stout of Western Kentucky excelled with 21 bench press reps, closely trailed by California’s Nohl Williams at 19 reps. Among safeties, Nick Emmanwori from South Carolina impressed with 20 reps, while Jaylen Reed and Kitan Crawford followed with 19 and 18 reps, respectively.
Alabama tight ends CJ Dippre and Robbie Ouzts set the pace for their category, with Dippre leading with 32 reps and Ouzts managing 26. Defensive players also showcased their power, with Ethan Downs of Oklahoma leading the defensive ends with 32 reps, while Maryland’s Jordan Phillips topped the defensive tackles with 29 reps. Teddye Buchanan from California and Oklahoma State’s Nick Martin led the linebackers with 26 reps each.
The final day of comprehensive workouts in Indianapolis is set to conclude on Sunday, with the offensive linemen showcasing their talents on the field.
