INDIANAPOLIS — The cornerback group kicked off Day 2 of drills at the 2025 NFL Combine today and while some wowed scouts with their athleticism, others disappointed in testing and field drills. Let’s take a look at some cornerbacks who rose or lowered their stock today at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Stock Up
Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky. 5-foot-11, 183 lbs.
Hairston ran the fastest 40-yard dash of the Combine so far at 4.28, and his vertical jump (39.5”) and broad jump (10’9”) placed second and third among the group, respectively. In a deep cornerback class that includes a number of lengthier, stronger prospects, Hairston needed to separate himself with explosive athleticism, and that’s exactly what he did.
Hairston is elite in zone coverage, displaying fast processing against concepts designed to stretch a safety’s range. His ball skills are some of the best in the class, with six interceptions across two seasons as a starter, including three returned for touchdowns, a school record. He’ll make a zone-heavy defensive coordinator very happy as early as Round 2 of the draft.
Caleb Ransaw, Tulane. 5-foot-11, 197 lbs.
Ransaw earned NFL Next Gen Stats’ top athleticism score of the group after running the third-fastest 40-yard dash at 4.33 seconds, charting the best vertical at 40” and tying (Hairston, Jacob Parrish) for the third-best broad jump at 10’9”.
The Tulane product is a capable nickel with strong run support skills. He’s decent in zone coverage and plays more physical than his build would suggest, but may not have the speed to keep up with the NFL’s top slot receivers. Depending on scheme fit, some teams may see Ransaw as a more capable safety.
Jaylin Smith, Southern Cal. 5-foot-10 ½, 187 lbs.
Smith ran a respectable but unextraordinary 4.45 second 40-yard dash, and his jumps were unremarkable. Where the former Trojan really impressed, however, was in field drills. Smith showed some of the cleanest footwork of the day and looked extremely comfortable flipping his hips in turn and high point drills.
Stock Down
Cobee Bryant, Kansas. 6-foot, 180 lbs.
Bryant earned first team All-Big 12 honors two years straight at Kansas, displaying his strong ball skills since a freshman year which saw him reel in two interceptions, one which he returned for a touchdown for an overtime win against Texas. He’s a versatile corner with experience outside and in the slot who isn’t afraid to play up in the run.
After electing not to participate in either jump, Bryant ran the fourth-slowest 40-yard dash of the group at 4.53. He also looked unprepared for field drills, dropping a ball right through his hands in the high point drill. He didn’t seem to be very in control of his length, as his long legs seemed to impede proper footwork when flipping his hips.
Zy Alexander, LSU. 6-foot-1, 187 lbs.
In an overall impressive day of 40-yard dashes from the cornerback group, Zy Alexander looked slow by comparison at 4.56 seconds, the third-worst time of the group. His vertical of 31.5” also placed third-lowest, and his broad was even more unimpressive at 9’8” which tied for last.
For a guy that’s been mocked as early as the second round, the numbers are incredibly underwhelming. His field drills looked decently fluid but didn’t stand out enough to overcome the seeming lack of explosiveness. Additionally, his length was one of his more heralded traits, but he measured in at 6-foot-1 after being listed an inch taller in college.
This piece was published in collaboration with The Talk of Troy, a student-led, multi-platform sports and culture program based in Los Angeles that prides itself on leading difficult conversations at the intersection of sports and culture. InfanityTV is the exclusive publisher of TOT’s on-site coverage of the 2025 NFL Combine. Find more of TOT’s content @TheTalkOfTroy on Instagram.
