NFL combine 2025 takeaways: Grades for top TE prospects, plus other winners and losers from on-field workouts

March 1, 2025 6

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Penn State’s Tyler Warren, Michigan’s Colston Loveland and Miami’s Elijah Arroyo did not partake in Friday’s on-field tight end drills. Their absence was an opportunity for others, namely LSU’s Mason Taylor, who is the son of NFL legend Jason Taylor, to steal the show.

Here are some of the winners and losers from Friday’s on-field drills in Indianapolis, starting with a look at the measurements of the prospects in CBS Sports’ top 50 consensus rankings.

Player Name	Height	Weight	40-yard Dash	10-yard Split	Vertical Jump	Broad jump
Colston Loveland (Michigan)	6-5 6/8	248	—	—	—	—
Tyler Warren (Penn State)	6-5 4/8	256	—	—	—	—
Harold Fannin Jr. (Bowling Green)	6-3 2/8	241	4.71 seconds	1.56 seconds	—	9-foot-10
Gunnar Helm (Texas)	6-5	241	4.84 seconds	1.69 seconds	30 inches	—
Elijah Arroyo (Miami)	6-5 1/8	250	—	—	—	—
Mason Taylor (LSU)	6-5 1/8	251	—	—	—	—
Terrance Ferguson (Oregon)	6-5 3/8	247	4.63 seconds	1.55 seconds	—	10-foot-2
Oronde Gadsden (Syracuse)	6-4 5/8	243	—	—	—	9-foot-6

Grading the top-rated TE

Harold Fannin’s draft projection is athleticism-based, so the hope was that he would test better in Indianapolis. He had some hiccups, particularly in the sled drill, but also had some good moments.

Gunnar Helm’s first 40-yard dash attempt (4.93 seconds) was disappointing, but he improved upon that by nearly a tenth of a second. The rest of his performance was solid.

Mason Taylor did not do any of the athletic testing, but his on-performance work was fantastic. He looked in control and displayed soft but strong hands through a variety of the drills. His sled work was more than enough.

Grade: A-

Terrance Ferguson had impressive length when measured, and his athletic testing popped as well. When he took the field, Ferguson continued to look fluid through passing drills.

Oronde Gadsden II is a pass-catching tight end first and foremost, but he did not embarrass himself in the sled drill. When the lights came on for the pass-catching drills, he showed his comfort working amongst the cones and tracking the ball downfield.

Other winners

Thomas Fidone II, Nebraska

Fidone is an early entrant into the draft, but is certainly prepared. He is a massive human being. His well-rounded on-field performance was only surpassed by his athletic testing.

Joshua Simon, South Carolina

Simon had a monster wingspan and then executed one of the best athletic performances. His movement through passing drills was incredibly smooth and the ball stuck to his hands.

Other losers

Luke Lachey, Iowa

Lachey did well in the leaping portion of the evening. He had some drops through the pass-catching drills and certainly looks the part of an NFL tight end.

Elijah Arroyo, Miami

Arroyo chose to sit out of the athletic testing and on-field drills. His absence opened the door for Mason Taylor, Terrance Ferguson and others to potentially close the gap.

The 2025 NFL Draft is to take place from April 24-26 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly mock drafts and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects.

For live reaction from the festivities, check out Friday’s live blog.

Full list of 2025 NFL combine results and 40-yard dash times, plus winners and losers for every position

Tyler Sullivan