Here's what each Combine-bound Husky must do to impress NFL scouts

The annual NFL Scouting Combine gives coaches and scouts a chance to accumulate important data on that year’s crop of aspiring professionals. This year, five Huskies were among the 319 players invited to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, where the combine will be held from Feb. 23 to Mar. 2. Let’s take a look at how Washington’s five attendees can best raise their respective draft stocks ahead of April’s NFL Draft.

Denzel Boston: Run a solid 40-yard dash

The Ringer’s Todd McShay is a big believer in Huskies wide receiver Denzel Boston.

“I actually think he might be the best receiver in this class,” McShay said of Boston during the Feb. 5 episode of The McShay Show. “I know he’s not going to run great in the [40-yard dash]. Give me a 4.52 at his size. [But] what about Denzel Boston isn’t NFL starter right away and like 80 catches?”

Boston, who stands 6-foot-4 and 209 pounds, isn’t a first-round prospect as a result of blazing speed. Instead, he overwhelms collegiate defenses by complementing size with excellent route running and ball skills.

The redshirt junior tallied 20 receiving touchdowns in two seasons as a starter for the Huskies, and that alone will see him drafted early. However, Boston’s draft stock, which currently sits at No. 20 overall (No. 4 WR) according to Pro Football Focus, could slip if he records a 40-yard dash time above 4.5 seconds.

Boston has reportedly been clocked at 4.52 seconds at some point during his career, which is a perfectly cromulent time for someone of his size. However, a time of 4.6 or more seconds could potentially lower Boston’s draft stock, which he can’t afford if he wants to be a guaranteed first-round pick.

Of course, the 40-yard dash isn’t everything. Ceedee Lamb, Michael Thomas, Cooper Kupp, Deandre Hopkins, and Mike Evans are just a few of the many former All-Pro wideouts who recorded times of 4.5 or more seconds. Plus, the combine will give Boston plenty of other chances to show off his upside.

Be that as it may, no drill attracts half as much attention as the 40-yard dash. Boston’s got a first-round grade as a result of his excellent production at Washington, but he could slide if teams start to question his explosiveness. Boston’s draft stock could soar even higher if he manages to dip into the 4.4-second range, but a time of 4.52 seconds or similar would likely secure his status as a first-round pick.

Jonah Coleman: Display explosiveness in cone and shuttle drills

Jonah Coleman opened his senior season by scoring an impressive 15 touchdowns across eight games, but his season hit a major roadblock when he suffered a left knee injury against Wisconsin in Week 11. The injury effectively sidelined Coleman until the Huskies’ LA Bowl victory, but it’s not the only thing pro scouts might be concerned about when it comes to the Stockton, Calif. native.

Coleman totalled 347 rushing yards, 150 receiving yards, and ten total touchdowns in three nonconference games against Colorado State, UC Davis, and Washington State. However, he didn’t reach 80 rushing yards in any of the five Big Ten games he played prior to his injury, despite having 13+ carries in each.

In Coleman’s defense, he was limited with injuries to his offensive line, and he maintained a scoring average of one touchdown per game before his injury. Regardless, scouts looking for their next franchise running back are usually seeking end-to-end production, not a pure red-zone threat.

If Coleman wants to establish himself as a bellcow back, he’ll need to impress scouts with short-area quickness in the three-cone and 10-yard shuttle drills. He’s a 5-foot-9, 228-pound bruiser, so his 40-yard dash time won’t make or break his draft stock, but he’ll need to display some burst and the ability to change direction if he wants to be drafted as a three-down starter and not a short-yardage piece. Solid performances there would also help assuage any lingering concerns regarding his health.

Carver Willis: Show off athleticism

Carver Willis, who started 10 games at left tackle for the Huskies in 2025 after transferring in from Kansas State, is a mobile offensive lineman with a high motor and good hands. Those skills have translated well in the run game, where Willis can elevate to the second level quickly. Check out this excellent rep from the Senior Bowl:

However, Willis isn’t quite as effective as a pass-blocker, which many have attributed to his shorter-than-average 33⅜-inch arms. He did well during one-on-one drilling at the Senior Bowl, but allowed a sack during the game when he was overpowered by Alabama’s LT Overton:

Willis’ struggles in pass protection have caused some scouts to label him as a future guard. Unfortunately, the combine’s non-contact atmosphere won’t allow Willis a chance to prove them wrong.

Instead, Willis should take this chance to turn heads with his athleticism. Guards need to be quick vertically and laterally, so keep an eye on Willis’ performances in the 40-yard dash, cone drills, and jumps.

Tacario Davis: Display quickness, especially in hips

Tacario Davis looked like a future first-round pick out of Arizona in 2023, where he finished with an overall Pro Football Focus (PFF) defense grade of 85.5 and a coverage grade of 87.5. However, both averages dipped below 62.0 during the 2024 season, after which he transferred to Washington.

Davis struggled to stay healthy in 2025, which is only part of why his draft stock has suffered. The former three-year Arizona Wildcat saw his two-year run of second-team all-conference selections end with Washington, where he never achieved a single-game Pro Football Focus coverage grade of 69.0 or higher.

When reading scouting reports for Davis, the same concerns keep popping up: He struggles to flip his hips and follow separating receivers. That can be an issue in the kind of press-man matchups Davis often lines up in.

There’s still a lot to like about Davis: He’s 6-foot-4, weighs 200 pounds, is a good tackler, and has plenty of starting experience. However, if he wants to impress professional scouts, he’ll need to get more fluid and mobile in coverage.

At the combine, Davis will need to focus most on the ‘backpedal and react’ drill, where he’ll drop into coverage and flip his hips as instructed by a coach. Scouts in attendance will want to see the kind of quick, fluid reactions that Davis will need to make when covering NFL wideouts.

The 40-yard dash will also be a key drill to watch, especially if Davis’ hips continue to hold him back. A great 40-yard dash time, combined with Davis’ long frame, could help mitigate any coverage concerns teams might have. However, Davis’ speed isn’t his best trait either, and it’s possible that a poor 40-yard dash time could have serious consequences.

Ephesians Prysock: Run fast, interview well

Davis isn’t the only 6-foot-4 cornerback and former Wildcat headed from Montlake to the NFL Draft. Ephesians Prysock, who transferred to Washington for the 2024 season, stands a good chance of being selected before Davis.

Why? Prysock is seen as a safer choice due to his fluid hips and excellent play recognition, which allow him to stay closer to receivers mid-route. He achieved a solid PFF coverage grade of 75.8 as a senior. He’s not a great tackler, but he’s effective as a block-shedder, which is reflected in the 81.6 PFF run defense grade he earned in 2025. He also performed fairly well throughout Senior Bowl week.

Because tackling isn’t tested at the combine, Prysock stands to gain the most in the 40-yard dash, where a fast time could turn him from a toolsy Day 3 pick into a legitimate Day 2 prospect with tremendous physical upside. 

To truly maximize his draft potential, Prysock should also focus on interviewing well with any teams who wish to meet with him. There, Prysock could get ahead of any concerns regarding his tackling or occasional grabbing tendencies and establish himself as someone motivated to improve. If Prysock can put it all together, he could rise rapidly up teams’ draft boards.