2023 NFL Scouting Combine: Edge Rusher Notes
I hate intro paragraphs so why waste any time? The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is here. Come get your edge rusher notes. Let’s do it.
The speed is there for Adetomiwa Adebawore. Bigger frame guy too and ran a (4.49). A really good time for someone that might realistically kick inside. Posted ridiculous jumping numbers too. Best broad ever for a defensive linemen. Looked pretty good in the drills. Bag drills were good, not excellent. Hands? Meh. Thought he looked worse than the broadcast thinks but overall good. Looks like he has some anger yelling during the drills which I like. By far most impressive thing he did was dropping in coverage. Blew it out of the water for a guy his size at 280 plus.
AJ Anderson no 40 time. The drills exposed why. Looks really slow.
Hababkkuk Baldonado bad in the on field. Narrow stance. Fell on the wave drill. Slow feet in the bag drills. Really upright. Stock tanking. Thought he was terrible in every aspect. Balance is trash.
Robert Beal Jr. Easy mover but not the twitch Nolan Smith has but can go. Bit stagger but overall okay day. Felt like when it was time to turn up the gear he couldn’t do it. I should give him more credit because 4.48 is REAL good. Maybe I was expecting closer to Nolan moving around cause that didn’t happen. Better than expected in coverage. Might be fair to say up and down day. Looked best in space for me. Really showed off the hands.
Brenton Cox Jr. Not going to lie, I would have loved to see a better time. Of course, that’s been the concern here. Power is no doubt. We’ve seen that in the past. What was the speed? We got our answer and it wasn’t great. The power will be there. 4.82 is fine I guess.
The wave drill was fine. In control but slow motion. Never see the MPH get ranked up. Bag drill was good. Eyes up the whole time. I just worry about the play speed.
YaYa Diaby was flying during the 40. 4.51 is legit. Definitely, a bolt of lightning compared to Cox. Wants to be fast. Hands were bad. Overall solid day. More work may need to be done here.
Isaiah Foskey way too tight. Can move and run but balance looks like an issue. Limited burst. Gains no ground moving the feet. Soft hands. Cheated pass rush drill. I don’t see it at all.
Ali Gaye no 40 time. Bad eyes in the bag drills. Not super smooth. Also shut it down early.
Nick Hampton looks small. Converted running back so that tells you a lot. Explosion didn’t blow you away when you consider that fact. Looks like a spazz. All over the place. Looks awful for what should be someone that is athletic from a past background.
Dylan Horton no 40 time. Wasn’t impressed at the Senior Bowl. Slow as dirt. Horrible change of direction. Looks like he needs to hop in order to get to point B. He’s terrible and I don’t care what anyone else says.
KJ Henry ran a (4.63) and then came up hobbling on the second run. This SUCKS because he has so much potential. Would have killed the drills. So disappointing. I thought the time might be a touch better but I’m not going to complain about that number.
Thomas Incoom. Not a ton here. Did his job. Moved okay. Nothing blowing me away but performed. Didn’t kill it in coverage but not going to hold that against him. Probably the biggest mystery for me.
Tyler Lacy ran a really slow time for a edge guy. Don’t see anything here. He’s there. That’s the biggest compliment I have.
Not sure why Isaiah Land was even in this group. Should be a stand up linebacker. The pure time was fine but nothing crazy for what you want in a stand up player. Didn’t know how to proceed from there. Bag drill was painful slow. Idk man…
Will McDonald no 40 time but really light on his feet. Apparently doing the drills with a bad fever. Really good hips. I do like what I saw but does he have a second pitch? Is it all speed? What happens if he gets line up across someone that can handle it? Great hips. Have to give that to him. Looks a bit lanky but skinny. I know he can rush. We saw that plenty at the Senior Bowl.
Isaiah McGuire has average feet. Nothing stands out that blows you away. Quicksand moments are there.
I’ll be the first to admit; I love Mike Morris. I just don’t think guys like him grow on trees as a 3-4 edge guy. The drills didn’t get as well. Bad slip and it happened more than once. To describe his performance as bad might be an understatement. Shut it down early too which isn’t great.
Caleb Murphy had 25.5 sacks this year. Only problem is it came at Feris State. Limited athlete. Upright but not a terrible mover. Below average day overall.
Jose Ramirez quick feet but out of control. Wants to be fast. Wants to move and get to point B. Really like the way he went through the pass rushing drills. Tight around the bag. Might actually be something here.
Tavius Robinson had some nice hip sinks. Easy mover. Might take an extra half second that makes him not elite but looks solid.
Nolan Smith is ridiculous and I just don’t know why you don’t listen. The jumping numbers were crazy good (10-8 broad, 41.5 vert). No on field drills and I don’t care. Official 40 time was 4.39.
Don’t know why Tuli Tuipulotu didn’t run and that one bothers me. Mostly because that’s the red flag I have on him. I like the player but what was his speed? Well, he was out of control on the wave drill. Much better in bag agility drill. Turns the corner no problem. The hands were great. Best pass rusher through the swim drill by a mile.
I do like what I saw from Lukas Van Ness. Has a hockey background and can move around. No issues in movement skills. Plus in coverage too. I mean the guy didn’t start at Iowa so what do you really want from me here?
Keion White is a coward for not running. Let’s just call it how it is. No, Daniel Jeremiah. You can’t blow him for being fast and then have him not run. Keep in mind, he did it AFTER he didn’t run. But we already know I’m better than Jeremiah so let’s keep it moving. You can tell the power is there. I’m far lower than consensus if you can’t tell already.
Wave drill wasn’t impressive. Slow feet. Not sinking the hips. Tight hips.
Byron Young MOVING man! Ran a great time (). I was wishy-washy here but I’m now IN. Good in the drills. Easy mover. Knees are better than the feet. Hand work was a positive. 4.43 time is ridiculously good. Not a natural hands catcher but I’m nitpicking at that point.
*No Zach Harrison today. Illness apparently. Shame cause he would have tested well.
*Will Anderson was with the linebackers. Don’t ask me why. He should have been in this group so will be ranked in this group.
Vendetta Sports 2023 NFL Scouting Combine Edge Rusher Rankings
1. Will Anderson (Alabama)
2. Nolan Smith (Georgia)
3. Tuli Tuipulotu (USC)
4. Byron Young (Tennessee)
5. BJ Ojulari (LSU)
Just missed KJ Henry (Clemson)
