A fast group of tight ends was followed by an even faster group of running backs. Players at both positions showed a lot of athleticism and caught the ball well. In fact, the running backs did more pass-catching drills than they did ball-carrying exercises. Here’s a look at who stood out from the tight end and running back workouts at the combine.

Jeremiyah Love/RB/Notre Dame

The top-rated running back in the draft deserves credit for completing the running back workout, then hanging around Lucas Oil Stadium to do receiver drills. Love’s testing numbers were terrific, as he timed 4.36 seconds in the 40, which was second-best at the position. Then he stood out during drills, especially catching the football.

He was smooth and fluid, displaying great footwork in ball-carrying drills and reliable hands catching the football. Love He showed off that speed in drills and was always in balance. It was a terrific performance for Love, who projects as one of the top three players in the draft.

Kenyon Sadiq/TE/Oregon

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Everyone knew Sadiq was athletic, but his workout on Friday was of Olympian proportions. He blazed through the 40, timing 4.39 seconds, which was a record for tight ends at the combine. He touched 43.5 inches in the vertical jump and 11-foot-1 in the broad jump and completed 26 reps on the bench.

Sadiq was branded as a good athlete who had to translate his physical skills onto the field, and during the 2025 season, he improved weekly. After this performance in Indianapolis, he’s jumped into the top 20, either by a team with a pick or a franchise that trades up to select him.

Eli Stowers/TE/Vanderbilt

Stowers has been on the scouting radar since he was a junior at New Mexico State. Scouts wondered about the athleticism of the 239-pound move tight end and how fast he really was. He exceeded their expectations on Friday, timing 4.51 seconds in the 40, more than one-tenth faster than people thought he would run.

Even before that, Stowers touched an eye-popping 45.5 inches in the vertical jump and reached 11-foot-3 in the broad jump. He’s always been a terrific pass catcher, yet these testing numbers now put Stowers in the conversation to be TE2.

Mike Washington Jr./RB/Arkansas

Washington’s draft stock has been climbing since September, and he put an exclamation point on his grade Friday. He was the fastest running back on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium, timing 4.33 seconds in the 40. That’s approximately two-tenths faster than scouts expected from Washington.

He was overcome with emotion on the sidelines after his performance and did not participate in position drills. He hit 39 inches in the vertical jump and 10-foot-8 in the broad jump before his 40-yard sprint. Washington was graded as a marginal free-agent prospect by scouts before the season began, and he’s now knocking on the door of being a top-100 pick.

Demond Claiborne/RB/Wake Forest

Claiborne was expected to be fast as well as athletic, and that’s exactly what he displayed at the combine. He timed 4.37 seconds in the 40, then practiced to that speed during drills. He was one of the better route runners from the running back position and caught the ball extremely well, extending his hands to snatch the pass away from his frame. Claiborne is one of the most underrated backs in this year’s draft and is very likely to end up in the late part of Day 2.

Roman Hemby/RB/Indiana

Like most of the national champion Hoosiers on hand at the combine, Hemby chose to bypass the testing until pro day but took part in position drills, where he looked exceptional. His footwork in ball-carrying drills was exceptional, as Hemby quickly made it through and around the bags, running with balance. He also caught the ball extremely well and was the favorite of the fans on hand in Indianapolis. Hemby will vie to be a late-round pick in the draft after receiving free-agent grades before the season.