ASU had four players invited to the NFL Combine on Wednesday, its highest number of invitees since 2022.
Cornerback Keith Abney, linebacker Keyshaun Elliott, offensive tackle Max Iheanachor and wide receiver Jordyn Tyson were among 43 athletes from the Big 12 invited to the event, with the Sun Devils tied with Cincinnati and Baylor for the third-most representatives in the conference behind Texas Tech, which had eight, and Utah and TCU, with five each.
After AP All-American running back Cam Skattebo received ASU's only combine invite in 2025, despite the team capturing the Big 12 Championship, head coach Kenny Dillingham emphasized ASU's need for sustained success if it was to receive more national recognition moving forward. After an eight-win season and a second consecutive bowl berth, Dillingham's vision appears to be on a positive trajectory.
Tyson, heralded as the best prospect of the four, has ranged between the first and third-ranked wideout on national big boards throughout the pre-draft process. The Allen, Texas, native hauled in 136 passes for 1,812 yards and 18 touchdowns across 21 games in his two non-redshirt seasons with ASU, the most over a two-year span by a Sun Devil since N'Keal Harry from 2017-18.
ESPN's Field Yates projected Tyson to be drafted No. 8 overall by the New Orleans Saints in his most recent mock draft, which would be the highest draft slot for an ASU player since 1976, when defensive back Mike Haynes was drafted No. 5 overall by the New England Patriots.
"Tyson is an explosive receiver with a lot of 'wow' plays littered throughout his tape," NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeramiah said. "He is a very fluid mover, and he incorporates a variety of releases and general creativity into his route-running. He has suddenness off the line and out of breaks down the field...After the catch, he has some wiggle to make defenders miss and excellent speed to pull away."
The Sun Devils have had just eight players selected in the top 10 in their history, with defensive end Terrell Suggs being the most recent in 2003.
Abney was ASU's highest-graded defender by Pro Football Focus in 2025, earning an 86.2 mark that ranked 11th amongst FBS cornerbacks.
Abney is widely expected to be a second-day pick, with ESPN's Matt Miller projecting him to be drafted No. 51 overall to the Carolina Panthers in his Feb. 2 two-round mock draft.
Iheanachor generated significant buzz in the national media after a strong display at the Senior Bowl. The 6-foot-5 1/2 tackle has climbed draft boards and recent weeks, being mocked as high as the second round, with Miller projecting him to be taken one spot ahead of Abney by the Detroit Lions.
"I would argue that he was the best offensive tackle in the game all week," Todd McShay, NFL draft analyst for The Ringer, said of Iheanachor's Senior Bowl performance. "I'm not saying he's a first-rounder, but there's no chance he gets out of the top 50 picks. Bank that right now."
Elliott, who also played in the Senior Bowl to much less fanfare than Iheanachor, is expected to be a Day 3 pick after finishing second among Sun Devils with 98 tackles last season.
Linebacker Jordan Crook, who led ASU with 101 tackles and garnered second-team All-Big 12 honors, was a notable omission from the invite list — perhaps a sign that Dillingham's vision for the program's national recognition is still on its way to being fully realized.