10 Biggest WR Winners At 2025 NFL Combine

Wide receivers took center stage at the NFL Combine during Saturday’s primetime slot. Often the most athletic participants on an annual basis, this year’s crop of pass-catchers did not disappoint. Elite athleticism was routinely on display.

With receivers like Travis Hunter and Tetairoa McMillan not participating, The “next” group of pass-catching prospects were jockeying for position in the 2025 NFL Draft. They were officially the sixth position group to conduct on-field work following the running backs, defensive linemen, linebackers, defensive backs, and tight ends. Saturday was a loaded day that saw receivers and quarterbacks work out simultaneously.

We've identified which wide receivers took the most advantage of their participation at this year’s NFL Combine.

Matthew Golden, WR, Texas

Matthew Golden ran the fastest 40-yard dash among all receivers at 4.29 seconds. That’s a blazing-fast result for a wideout who’s been garnering first-round buzz. His opening-round status is all but assured now. Golden is a natural field stretcher who is going to impact the way defensive coordinators game-plan for the offense he’s playing for next season.

Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri

Luther Burden III was among the high-profile receivers that opted to participate. That proved to be a wise decision by Burden, who ran a blazing-fast 4.41 at 6-foot, 206 pounds. The Missouri product was also flawless during the gauntlet drill. We’ve reached the point in the pre-draft process where what should be a surefire first-round pick is being underrated by the general public. Don’t overcomplicate his evaluation.

Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa

Jayden Higgins displayed rare movement abilities for a receiver who tipped the scales at 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds. Higgins had impressive vertical (39 inches) and broad jump (10-foot-8) results. Iowa State’s towering playmaker then ran the 40 in 4.47 seconds during his first attempt, an extremely impressive time considering his size. He concluded a winning evening by running a flawless gauntlet drill.

Dont'e Thornton, WR, Tennessee

Dont’e Thornton was the receiver in the second group who threatened Golden's position-topping time, running a blink-and-you-missed-it 4.30. Thornton took a massive step forward for the Tennessee Volunteers this season, his second campaign with the program, accumulating 26 receptions for 661 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged an unheard-of 25.4 yards per catch.

Tai Felton, WR, Maryland

Maryland’s Tai Felton had outstanding vertical (39.5 inches) and broad (10-foot-10) jumps, finishing top 10 in both lower-body explosion drills. Felton later ran a 4.37 40. The twitchy, creative playmaker checked off some boxes during his week-long visit to Indianapolis.

Jaylin Noel, WR, Iowa State

Jaylin Noel is a shifty receiver who dominated at the Senior Bowl. Noel carried that momentum over to the NFL Combine by leaping position bests in the vertical (41.5 inches) and broad jump (11-foot-2) results. Concluding the athletic portion of the workout was a blazing 4.39 40. The Cyclones playmaker will be plug-and-play at the next level.

Jaylin Lane, WR, Virginia Tech

Lower-body explosion was extremely evident throughout Jaylin Lane’s workout. Lane cleared 11 feet in the broad jump and was one of three receivers to reach 40 inches in the vertical. That explosion was evident on special teams, where he had two career return touchdowns and more than 100 kickoff and punt return attempts. Placing a bow on an eye-popping workout was a 4.34 40.

Chimere Dike, WR, Florida

Chimere Dike was a standout in both the broad jump (10-foot-8) and vertical (38.5 inches). The senior playmaker then ran the 40-yard dash in 4.34 seconds. Dike displayed sizable progress at Florida this past campaign after transferring away from Wisconsin, recording a career-high 783 receiving yards and 18.6 yards per catch. His pre-draft stock has been buzzworthy among scouts.

Arian Smith, WR, Georgia

Scouts were confident Arian Smith was going to fly in the 40 and he did not disappoint by posting a 4.36. A big play waiting to happen, his testing results hardly qualified as a surprise. Smith is a vertical threat who's still ironing out the technical kinks of his game, but there's no questioning his raw athleticism.

Jalen Royals, WR, Utah State

Jalen Royals looked incredibly smooth while running a 4.42 and a position-best 1.49 10-yard split at a compact 6-foot, 205 pounds. Royals has aced the pre-draft process at every turn, from the Senior Bowl to the NFL Combine. He's earned a top-32 grade from multiple teams.