The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine kicks off on Thursday, February 27th. This will give a chance to over 300 of the top 2025 NFL Draft prospects to dazzle NFL scouts and evaluators in Indianapolis. Most will hyperfocus on the testing portion of the event, but it goes well beyond that.

As a part of the event, the prospects will also have the chance to participate in medicals and interviews as well. We often forget that these NFL teams are investing in people, and there is a lot that goes into these evaluations. With that in mind, there are several players who  have various concerns that they will need to answer next week. 

Here are several to monitor. 

WR Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona)

McMillan put together a tremendous three-year career for the Arizona Wildcats. During that stretch, he hauled in 213 receptions for 3,423 yards and 26 touchdowns. Outside of his production, there is a lot to like about McMillan. At an estimated 6-5 and 212 pounds, he possesses a huge catch radius and some of the best ball skills in the class.

The major concern with McMillan centers around the overall athleticism he brings to the table. While he separates well in the air, the talented pass catcher isn’t a great route runner and doesn’t possess very good long speed either. Wide receivers who win mostly at the catch point have been very hit or miss, and mostly the latter.

Can McMillan shock some folks and test better than expected? That’s the hope for those who like him, but can’t buy fully in with a lack of perceived athletic upside.

DT Walter Nolen (Ole Miss)

Nolen is coming off of his best season in 2024 in his long campaign with Ole Miss. In 13 games, Nolen recorded 48 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks. The 6-3, 300-pounder started to finally show off that five-star impact that once made him a hot commodity.

If it was just about talent, Nolen would have an argument to go inside the top 15 selections in April. The biggest test for Nolen in Indianapolis is to sell himself as a person to teams. There is some worrisome feedback regarding character for Nolen, which goes back to his high school days, and continued both at Texas A&M and with the Rebels. There are even a couple of NFL teams who have already taken Nolen off their boards.

EDGE Mike Green (Marshall)

Background checks and interviews are a part of this process that a lot of the general public doesn’t get privy to all of the information. For Green, it has been surfacing the last few weeks about an incident that he faced while a part of the Virginia Cavaliers program. The talented pass rusher also dealt with a similar situation while still at Lafayette High School. Virginia head coach Tony Elliott declined to go in-depth on the situation at the time but the severity is believed to be to the level that will cause Green to be removed from several team's boards entirely. 

People certainly can change and make up for past mistakes. It’s uncertain how much those cases will affect his draft stock, if at all. As a part of Green’s past, it’s something that teams will spend a lot of time digging into, and figure out if the issues are something they can get past

EDGE James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee)

From a talent perspective, Pearce has it all. He is long and incredibly athletic. In terms of bend, and closing speed, there may not be a pass rusher better in this class outside of Penn State’s Abdul Carter.

The questions surrounding Carter are twofold. One, his weight. Pearce is a very skinny pass rusher who still needs to upgrade his play strength big time. Seeing what weight Pearce comes in at in Indianapolis will have everyone’s attention.

There are also some questions from a work ethic perspective swirling around Pearce. He isn’t known as a poor teammate and doesn’t have any legal issues, but there are some who question his drive to be great. That’s the perception out there on Pearce, and something he will need to answer for prospective teams.

CB Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame)

Morrison missed the second half of the season dealing with a hip injury that required surgery. That came after the All-American cornerback also had surgery on his shoulder this offseason. Hips can be tricky for cornerbacks, and a shoulder issue for a player who already lacked play strength also isn’t ideal.

Not many people would question the coverage instincts that Morrison brings to the table, or the ball skills either. He is an incredibly intelligent cover man. The questions surrounding him relate to durability and play strength.

S Kevin Winston Jr. (Penn State)

Winston was lost early in the season after partially tearing his ACL. Getting that injury checked will be something to keep a close eye on. ACL injuries are not nearly to the level they once were, so it’s unlikely that lone injury ends up being a major deal. The issue is that some believe Winston could get red flagged next week with some long-term question marks being out there, coming from some past medical issues.

There are many sources in the know that believe Winston could suffer a massive slide come April. His combination of size (6-2, 205 pounds), explosiveness, and tackling ability is well-liked, but there are questions to be answered.