INDIANAPOLIS — With more teams putting an emphasis on speed and athleticism in their defensive front sevens, it was time for linebackers and defensive linemen to work out at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday evening.
Unfortunately, there were numerous top prospects from this group not working out in a full capacity due to either injury or choice. However, it was a chance for those Day 2 and 3 guys to step into the spotlight and put a brighter spotlight on their name.
Let's take a look at how the edge defenders, interior defensive linemen and off-ball linebackers performed.
EDGE DEFENDERS
Without many of the top edge defenders working out, it was a chance for the next blend of players to show what they had to offer. Unfortunately, guys like Yetur Gross-Matos and A.J. Epenesa didn't set themselves apart, so solid athletic and on-field performances from Carter Coughlin, Alex Highsmith, Alton Robinson, James Smith-Williams, Derrek Tuszka and Jabari Zuniga were worth paying attention to.
Tuszka's three-cone is so far the fourth-best among all players at this year's Combine, and second among defensive players.
40-Yard Dash
- Carter Coughlin, Minnesota — 4.57
- James Smith-Williams, NC State — 4.60
- Jabari Zuniga, Florida — 4.64
- Alton Robinson, Syracuse — 4.69
- Alex Highsmith, Charlotte — 4.70
Bench Press
- Kenny Willekes, Michigan State — 32
- Jabari Zuniga, Florida — 29
- Qaadir Sheppard, Ole Miss — 28
- James Smith-Williams, NC State — 28
- LaDarius Hamilton, North Texas — 27
- Julian Okwara, Notre Dame — 27
Vertical Jump
- Casey Toohill, Stanford — 39.0
- Terrell Lewis, Alabama — 37.0
- Jonathan Garvin, Miami — 36.0
- Carter Coughlin, Minnesota — 36.0
- Alton Robinson, Syracuse — 35.5
Broad Jump
- Jabari Zuniga, Florida — 127.0
- Carter Coughlin, Minnesota — 126.0
- Casey Toohill, Stanford — 126.0
- Jonathan Garvin, Miami — 125.0
- Alex Highsmith, Charlotte — 125.0
Three-Cone Drill
- Derrek Tuszka, North Dakota State — 6.87
- Curtis Weaver, Boise State — 7.00
- Casey Toohill, Stanford — 7.08
- Jonathan Greenard, Florida — 7.13
- D.J. Wonnum, South Carolina — 7.25
20-Yard Short Shuttle
- Casey Toohill, Stanford — 4.21
- Curtis Weaver, Boise State — 4.27
- Alex Highsmith, Charlotte — 4.31
- Alton Robinson, Syracuse — 4.32
- Jonathan Greenard, Florida — 4.34
Notable players not performing due to injury/choice: K'Lavon Chaisson (choice), Anfernee Jennings (choice), Khalid Kareem (shoulder), Julian Okwara (leg), Josh Uche (hamstring), Chase Young (choice)
INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Oklahoma defensive tackle Neville Gallimore's tape shows a 300-pounder who moves like a guy much smaller (as we profiled here this past week), and he confirmed that with a 4.79 40-yard dash time, which is the third fastest time in Combine history for a defensive tackle weighing over 300 pounds, per Trevor Sikkema of The Draft Network. Unfortunately, Gallimore was a little jazzed up during on-field workouts and was unable to keep his balance consistently. I refer to that as the "Ed Oliver Effect" — Oliver being a highly talented tackle prospect last year who has gobs of athletic talent for a guy his size, but who often plays like a raging bull and needs more patience.
Nebraska's twin Davis brothers, Carlos and Khalil, performed quite well on Saturday. Both around 310 pounds, Khalil ran the fastest tackle time at 4.75 (second-ever among defensive tackles at least 300 pounds) while Carlos was close behind with a 4.82. Khalil also put up 32 reps on the bench while Carlos had 27.
Another athletic interior defender, Ross Blacklock put on an athletic show in drills and workouts while at 290 pounds. He ran a 4.9 forty, finished top five in the vertical and short shuttle, and had quality scores in the broad jump (107.0) and three-cone (7.77).
40-Yard Dash
- Khalil Davis, Nebraska — 4.75
- Neville Gallimore, Oklahoma — 4.79
- Carlos Davis, Nebraska — 4.82
- Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M — 4.83
- Malcolm Roach, Texas — 4.84
Bench Press
- DaVon Hamilton, Ohio State — 33
- Khalil Davis, Nebraska — 32
- Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M — 31
- Larrell Murchison, NC State — 29
- Derrick Brown, Auburn — 28
Vertical Jump
- Malcolm Roach, Texas — 30.0
- DaVon Hamilton, Ohio State — 29.5
- Ross Blacklock, TCU — 29.0
- Larrell Murchison, NC State — 29.0
- Rob Windsor, Penn State — 28.5
Broad Jump
- Larrell Murchison, NC State — 118.0
- Malcolm Roach, Texas — 114.0
- Raekwon Davis, Alabama — 111.0
- Rob Windsor, Penn State — 111.0
- Darrion Daniels, Nebraska — 109.0
Three-Cone Drill
- Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M — 7.37
- Rob Windsor, Penn State — 7.47
- DaVon Hamilton, Ohio State — 7.72
- Raequan Williams, Michigan State — 7.72
- Darrion Daniels, Nebraska — 7.75
20-Yard Short Shuttle
- Rob Windsor, Penn State — 4.44
- Larrell Murchison, NC State — 4.51
- Carlos Davis, Nebraska — 4.52
- Ross Blacklock, TCU — 4.67
- Jordan Elliott, Missouri — 4.73
Notable players not performing due to injury/choice: Javon Kinlaw (knee)
OFF-BALL LINEBACKERS
It was Isaiah Simmons' world on Saturday, and we were all just living in it. Like Tristan Wirfs the day before him, Simmons had one of the best Combine workouts ever for his position, measuring in at 6-4, 238 with over 33-inch arms, running the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds, and putting up a 39.0-inch vertical and 132.0-inch broad jump. According to NFL Research, Simmons is the first player since at least 2003 at the Combine to record a vertical of at least 38 inches, a broad jump of at least 11 feet, and a 40-yard dash of 4.4 seconds or less while weighing 230-plus pounds.
A pair of likely Day 2 linebackers, Malik Harrison and Willie Gay Jr., both showed up in a big way. Gay Jr. finished top five in the 40, bench press, vertical and broad jumps while also looking smooth as ever in drills. Harrison only finished top five in the three-cone, leading all linebackers and so far ranking third among all players at this year's Combine, but it was one of the best times among off-ball linebackers in the last 10 years. He also looked very polished in on-field drills.
While most people are familiar with the Temple and Wyoming football programs, both could be considered "mid-majors." Temple's Shaun Bradley and Wyoming's Logan Wilson represented well for the smaller programs, the pair both showing quality athletic scores and fluid movement and ball skills in on-field work. They'll be a couple of smaller-school names to keep an eye on in the middle rounds of the draft.
40-Yard Dash
- Isaiah Simmons, Clemson — 4.39
- Willie Gay Jr., Mississippi State — 4.46
- Davion Taylor, Colorado — 4.49
- Patrick Queen, LSU — 4.50
- Shaun Bradley, Temple — 4.51
Bench Press
- Khaleke Hudson, Michigan — 30
- Joe Bachie, Michigan State — 26
- Zack Baun, Wisconsin — 24
- Shaquille Quarterman, Miami — 23
- Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State — 21
- Five others tied at 21
Vertical Jump
- Dante Olson, Montana — 42.0
- Willie Gay Jr., Mississippi State — 39.5
- Jacob Phillips, LSU — 39.0
- Isaiah Simmons, Clemson — 39.0
- Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma — 38.0
Broad Jump
- Willie Gay Jr., Mississippi State — 136.0
- Isaiah Simmons, Clemson — 132.0
- Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma — 129.0
- Davion Taylor, Colorado — 127.0
- Jacob Phillips, LSU — 126.0
Three-Cone Drill
- Malik Harrison, Ohio State — 6.83
- Cale Garrett, Missouri — 6.91
- Joe Bachie, Michigan State — 6.93
- Davion Taylor, Colorado — 6.96
- Zack Baun, Wisconsin — 7.00
- Dante Olson, Montana — 7.00
20-Yard Short Shuttle
- Cale Garrett, Missouri — 4.13
- Evan Weaver, California — 4.21
- Shaun Bradley, Temple — 4.24
- Mykal Walker, Fresno State — 4.25
- Davion Taylor, Colorado — 4.26
Notable players not performing due to injury/choice: Markus Bailey (knee), Akeem Davis-Gaither (foot), Troy Dye (knee), Kenneth Murray (hamstring, ran 40), Michael Pinckney (hip), Patrick Queen (hamstring, ran 40)
RECAPPING THE COMBINE WORKOUTS
- Thursday: QBs, WRs And TEs
- Friday: RBs, OL And STs
- Saturday: DL And LBs
- Sunday: DBs
