From The Couch – K-State Stars Impress At The NFL Combine
The NFL Combine is this weekend and a few ex-K-State football stars were impressive and turned some heads, improving their draft stock. Jacob Parrish, DJ Giddens, Marques Sigle, and former Wildcat quarterback Will Howard were all invited to the Combine. Wanna see how they did? Let’s get into it.
Athleticism scores for DBs are now official. Four earned elite 90+ scores:
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) March 1, 2025
🔹 CB Darien Porter (@CycloneFB): 93
🔹 CB Caleb Ransaw (@GreenWaveFB): 92
🔹 DS Nick Emmanwori (@GamecockFB): 91
🔹 CB Jacob Parrish (@KStateFB): 90
📊: https://t.co/p64vRez1Gn
🌩️: Powered by @awscloud pic.twitter.com/QsboOA5JzI
JM: Not only was cornerback Jacob Parrish the fourth-fastest defensive back in the 40-yard dash, he was ranked as the fourth-best athlete, according to this athleticism score. This is fantastic, but what also impressed me is his overall score compared to defensive backs going back to 1987.
Jacob Parrish is a CB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.27 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 182 out of 2480 CB from 1987 to 2025.
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) February 28, 2025
Splits projected, times unofficial.https://t.co/tAtrKRDuj8 pic.twitter.com/icQxfDZoeV
JM: Parrish impressed and turned some heads at the combine. My podcast partner Reggie Blackwell was the first person I talked to who told me how impressed he was with Jacob Parrish when he was able to watch a few practices when Parrish was a freshman. He said Parrish would be K-State’s best cornerback since Terrence Newman. He was right. I don’t think Parrish got enough love from K-State fans for what he did on the field. Here is a video of his 40-yard dash at the Combine…
4.36u for Kansas State Wildcat Jacob Parrish
— NFL (@NFL) February 28, 2025
📺: #NFLCombine on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/b1vbl0afsF
JM: Parrish’s height (5’10”) is one thing working against him playing in the NFL, but according to the NFL Mock Draft Database, he is projected as a fourth-round pick. He is likely not an immediate impact player but has the potential to start for an NFL team after a couple of seasons.
DJ Giddens suddenly having one of the best combine performances by an RB we’ve ever seen…
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) March 1, 2025
4.43 is BLAZING for him: pic.twitter.com/qHA5e2K560
JM: Parrish wasn’t the only K-Stater turning heads at the Combine. Running back DJ Giddens was extraordinary.
DJ Giddens is a RB prospect in the 2025 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.89 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 22 out of 1909 RB from 1987 to 2025.
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 1, 2025
Splits projected, times unofficial. https://t.co/7W0USdP0vn pic.twitter.com/ixrkRsnjKB
JM: By these numbers, Giddens was the number 22 running back since 1987. I read that five times to ensure I was reading it correctly. Giddens is projected to be a fourth-round pick in the draft, but that speedy 40-yard dash may improve his draft stock.
Marques Sigle had the fastest 40-yard dash among safeties (4.37s) @KStateFB
— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) February 28, 2025
According to @NextGenStats, Sigle's speed within the first yards of his run (15.13 mph) is the third-fastest mark by any prospect over the last three years, regardless of position.
📺: #NFLCombine on… pic.twitter.com/vXas8z7M9R
JM: Sigle was projected as an undrafted free agent, but this 40 time as the fastest safety on the board may get a team looking for speed to draft him.
These Kansas State DBs can FLY
— PFF College (@PFF_College) February 28, 2025
Marques Sigle runs a 4.37💨
pic.twitter.com/3QHg2ezVZe
JM: Another former K-Stater turning heads at the Combine is former quarterback Will Howard. Pat McAfee’s story below is pretty good…..
.@PatMcAfeeShow with a great story on Will Howard at the NFL Combine.
— Toby Hammes (@toby_hammes) February 28, 2025
Howard got to Indianapolis early and was practicing in a hotel parking lot at 11 p.m.
“Will Howard is ready to come out here and make a big impression.”
pic.twitter.com/hOWCeOZVsy
JM: Will Howard practicing in a hotel parking lot doesn’t surprise me at all. A few years back, I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan the night before a football game. I walked out into the parking lot to go to breakfast and the K-State football team was practicing in an open area of the lot. They stay in that hotel the night before home games. I snapped a couple of pictures at the time and posted them.
Howard is projected to be drafted in the third round of the draft. I wish him nothing but the best. He seems like a great guy with a great work ethic and he has a national championship to boot.
The NFL Draft begins April 24th.
