Day one of the 2025 NFL Combine has wrapped up, and we move on to day two. Two former Hawkeyes football players were in attendance on Thursday, Jay Higgins and Yahya Black and there will be three in attendance for workouts today.
Day 2 💪@luke_lachey @castro2x5 @_jmar27
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) February 28, 2025
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Day two at the NFL Combine is jam-packed with three former Hawkeyes stars. Sebastian Castro and Jermari Harris will represent the defensive side of the ball, and Luke Lachey will represent the offense as the most recent member of "Tight End U."
1. Jermari Harris, defensive back
Jermari Harris sat out the final few games of the 2024 season to better prepare for the 2025 NFL Draft. Harris was a zone specialist, and one of the best cornerbacks Iowa had on the field when healthy. His length and athleticism allow him to cover deep routes and defend passes at high rate.
Harris must shed the criticism that he can only play in zone coverage to entice more teams to take a chance on him. He will need to excel in the 40-yard dash and the 20-yard shuttle run to prove he can move quickly and be used in all defensive schemes.
He is slated to run the 40-yard dash in the first group around 2:00 p.m. central time and the 20-yard shuttle around 4:30 p.m.
2. Sebastian Castro, defensive back
Sebastian Castro was a late bloomer at Iowa and will enter the 2025 Combine as one of the older players. He is a physical, down-hill runner who can lay huge hits on unfortunate wide receivers. He excels in zone coverage when he can sit back and blow up the play from the back end.
He is adept at recognizing the play and staying in his lane. He attacks the play quickly, and with a tremendous amount of force. This can lead him to be too chaotic, but his hustle and drive are unmatched.
His most noted weakness is his lack of speed and quickness, so he must prove he has good burst and lateral movement. He is slated to run the 40-yard dash around 4:30 p.m. central time.
3. Luke Lachey, tight end
Luke Lachey will look to prove to scouts and general managers that he is the next great tight end to come out of "Tight End U." He is an underrated prospect in this year's combine due to his injury history while at Iowa.
Lachey has a huge frame, standing at 6 feet, and 6 inches tall, and can catch passes anywhere close to him. He has great hands for his size and can make tough catches in traffic. He is a serviceable blocker, but will need to improve his run blocking in order to stay on the field.
His speed and ability to separate from defenders are the biggest concerns scouts have. He has the size and skill to be an NFL player, but will need to show he has the speed and quickness to get away from defenders.
He is slated to run the 40-yard dash around 6:00 p.m. central time and the 20-yard shuttle run around 7:40 p.m.