Combine Mission Accomplished

In April, maybe the greatest WR class of all time entered the league: 

• Hall of Famers Marvin Harrison and Terrell Owens

• Pro Bowlers Keyshawn Johnson, Terry Glenn, Eric Moulds, Muhsin Muhammad, Joe Horn, Jermaine Lewis 

• 1,000-Yard WRs: Eddie Kennison, Bobby Engram, Amani Toomer, Patrick Jeffers   

But best of all, in May of that year Tom Cruise starred in Mission: Impossible, maybe the greatest movie of all time. And certainly one of Cruise's best action performances.

For several NFL prospects, the combine this past weekend was mission accomplished as they gave the athletic performance of a lifetime.

Given that every Saturday edition of the Fantasy Life newsletter is now dedicated to the NFL Draft, here are the skill-position players who really stood out to me at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine.

“A Lot of People Go To College For Seven Years”

QB Tyler Shough entered college in 2018. It's now 2025. Unless my math is wrong, that's seven years—and yet Shough still isn't a doctor.

He turns 26 years old in September, which makes him hilariously ancient for a rookie.

But Shough definitely isn't decrepit. At the combine he exhibited excellent athleticism.

• Size: 6-foot-5, 219 pounds

• 40-Yard Dash: 4.63 seconds

And then he looked good throwing the ball.

In the modern era, QBs need to be mobile enough to navigate and escape the pocket, and Shough showed in Indianapolis that he has the athleticism to do that.

A former four-star recruit who was decently efficient passing throughout his college career (8.4 AY/A), Shough now has a shot to go on Day 2.

Shough was one of the post-combine NFL Draft risers for Thor Nystrom, our Fantasy Life NFL Draft guru.

How Many RBs Go in Round 1?

Stud RB Ashton Jeanty is locked into Round 1. Everyone knows that.

He could legitimately go as high as No. 6 to the Raiders, and the Cowboys are favored to take him at No. 12. That's where I have him going in my most recent mock.

But entering the combine I thought he'd be the only RB to go on Day 1. Now? I think we might get three RBs, maybe four.

Who would these non-Jeanty backs be? Three dudes who did what they needed to do at the combine.

• Omarion Hampton: 6-foot, 221 pounds, 4.46-second 40-yard dash

• Quinshon Judkins: 6-foot, 221 pounds, 4.48-second 40-yard dash

• TreVeyon Henderson: 5-foot-10, 202 pounds, 4.43-second 40-yard dash 

For a guy to be a lead back in the NFL, he usually needs to weigh more than 200 lbs., and it's nice if he can run the 40-yard dash in under 4.5 seconds. All three of these guys checked those boxes this past weekend, especially Hampton and Judkins, both of whom had already gotten a little love in various mocks I'd perused in the weeks leading up to the combine. 

And even Henderson could sneak into the bottom of Round 1 à la Clyde Edwards-Helaire if a team falls in love with him.

All three guys played well in 2024.

• Omarion Hampton: 2,033 yards, 17 TDs in 12 games

• Quinshon Judkins: 1,221 yards, 16 TDs in 16 games

• TreVeyon Henderson: 1,300 yards, 11 TDs in 16 games

All of them could be strong contributors in the NFL.

I normally think it's foolhardy for a team to draft an RB in Round 1—but I could see multiple NFL decision makers doing just that in April.

All of them are big fantasy risers.

"Stay Gold, Ponyboy"

If you haven't seen the 1983 film The Outsiders directed by Francis Ford Coppola or read the 1967 novel by S.E. Hinton, you might want to evaluate your life.

I mean, I haven't seen the movie or read the book—but my life is fine: I think about sports all day, so clearly I have everything figured out.

Anyway, WR Matthew Golden ran like a ponyboy at the combine, likely cementing his Round 1 status with his position-best athletic testing on Saturday.

• Size: 5-11, 191 lbs.

• 40-Yard Dash: 4.29 seconds

With 987 yards and 9 TDs receiving, Golden was the No. 1 WR at Texas last year in his first season with the team. He's not just a speedster.

He almost certainly won't overtake WR Tetairoa McMillan, but after him Golden could be the next WR off the board in April. BTW, Tom Cruise was one of the stars of The Outsiders.

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Tyler Warren Ready to Take Flight

The pendulum has swung back and forth on the 2025 NFL Draft. Is this a draft where the two top consensus quarterbacks—Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders—go toward the top of the draft? Or does one of the passers slip while a pair of high-impact players are plucked at the top? This will be debated repeatedly all the way to the podium in Green Bay on April 24 when Commissioner Roger Goodell will end the speculation and read the name of the player selected first overall.

Matthew Freedman has been conducting mock drafts for this cycle since the middle of 2024. He has another edition of his mock draft, with players moving around the board. Some premium offensive players will go in the early picks of the draft, and these players could make an impact in fantasy football in 2025. Tyler Warren could go …

Can Travis Hunter Pull Off The Rare Double?

Football’s Shohei Ohtani is ready to take his talents to the NFL. But throughout the draft process there are many naysayers who are commenting on how difficult it will be to play both cornerback and wide receiver at the highest level. How it would be borderline impossible for him to pull off a feat last attempted by his college coach, Deion Sanders.

Then Hunter steps on the football field and runs a route like DeVonta Smith and shuts down an opposing wide receiver like he’s Sauce Gardner. “They say nobody has ever done it before, for real, the way I do it, but I tell them I’m just different. I’m a different person,” Hunter said. Maybe he is one of a kind. Coach Gene Clemons explores how possible it will be for hunter to pull off this double duty.

The 92nd Pick Has Been Traded Again!

You may know this better as “Geno Smith traded to the Raiders!” and for good reason—the two-time Pro Bowler is reunited with Pete Carroll andzzzzzzzzz ... I know, it's like 13 hours old by now. WE GET IT. Instead of rehashing a now-old storyline, here are some fun facts instead:
-That No. 92 pick the Raiders traded was part of the Davante Adams trade; it came from the Jets
-The Jets had gotten the No 92 pick from the Lions (original holders of No, 92) for Giovanni Manu last year during the draft
-Geno Smith's autographed rookie card from 2013 with a throwback 1986 look? You can get it for $40.
-Reminders: Las Vegas' OC is Chip Kelly. Seattle's is Klint Kubiak
-Poor Klint Kubiak went from a Saints mess to a potential mess in SEA
-We say potential because this can still be a Sam Darnold/DK Metcalf/Jaxon Smith-Njigba/Kenneth Walker/Zach Charbonnet offense that's pretty impressive
-In the latest mock, we have the Seahawks taking Mizzou OT Armand Membou. Got it?

Ready for more? THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING. For a breakdown of all the fantasy fallout, the GOAT Ian Hartitz did an instant spin on the news outside his gym last night. Check it out below within the trade breakdown from Jorge Martin!

Our favorite content from the fantasy football and NFL Draft watercooler, from us to you …

👀 How does Kendoodle sound? Untitled talks player fades in 2025.

💪 Aaron Rodgers to the Giants? If yes, please keep feeding Malik Nabers.

🏈 This RB placed No. 16 in the Rookie Super Model’s history. Pretty good sign of things to come.

💎 There are some small schools hidden gems to be found in this NFL Draft.

🤯 Big surprise who Thor has ranked No. 6 among running backs. Rock, chalk …

⛑️ Helping themselves at the NFL Scouting Combine. Others, not so much.

🙌 Jameis Winston and Cam Ward? Some QBs could be good mentors for incoming rookie class.

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