2024 NFL Scouting Combine: Defensive Line Notes
The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine is finally back! Unlike the uneducated dummies who decided to skip the event, Trey is on his couch for the next four days grinding. I’m here to tell you the truth. Not the nonsense you hear on TV. Hopefully, by now you know I only shoot you straight and my track record should speak for itself.
Let’s get right down to business. Here are your defensive line notes for the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine.
*Not sure what was going on with Jordan Jefferson at LSU. I think he did one drill and that’s it. Didn’t run either. Something to look further into.
*Link to official combine results.
DeWayne Carter (Duke)
No explosive knee bend. Can dip and move but slow in the change of direction. Tight in the hips. Screwed up the wave drill trying to cheat the drill. Slow feet struggling to go the other way. Eyes down on the bag drills. Would love to see a bit more punch but had something. Maybe I’m being a bit harsh cause it wasn’t all bad. Looked way better going downhill, which is mostly what he will be doing anyway. Not like he can’t bend. Gets the job done.
Jaden Crumedy (Mississippi State)
Stuck in quicksand. Really high. Feet stuck in the mud stumbling. Nothing special. Feet aren’t fast enough and too straight-legged. Like in a gross stanky leg way. Continues to get stuck in the bag drills. Terrible in pass rush. No punch.
Tyler Davis (Clemson)
Not explosive but not a terrible mover. Bit slow changing the chains. Not light on his feet. Too many steps to get where he wants to go. Solid knee bend in the bag drills. Nice base when going straight. Not fast but in control. Eye level positive for the most part. Nice swim. Can turn the corner. Really like the base.
Brandon Dorlus (Oregon)
Can sink and move but slow. Bit too upright. Doesn’t look like a defensive tackle. Eyes down and struggles to bend. Looking down a lot. Kinda looks like a talented wild child with a lot of flaws.
Justin Eboigbe (Alabama)
Feet all over the place. Not going in a straight line. Slow in the change of direction. Doesn’t trust his feet. Not typical Bama athlete. Gets stuck on his heels sometimes. Egregious in the pass-rushing drill. Ugly turning the corner. I’m less impressed than I was before the day.
Braden Fiske (Florida State)
Really impressed. Ran a blazing time (). Moves really well but out of control. Totally ate it on a drill where he just went down but tried to save it by sliding. Really quick feet and can bend. He’s almost going too fast sometimes. Like the fact that he’s not pausing. Good chain reactor.
This man just goes. Awesome knee bend. One of the few in this group with greasy knee bend.
Gabe Hall (Baylor)
Few things with Gabe Hall that I found concerning. Overall, had a good Senior Bowl. Problem is he only one with one pitch (swim move). Today, just looked really upright and stiff. Not sure he’s got anything beyond a swim move. Not the best eye level. Decent pure mover but not in the ways you want. Back bender. Absolutely brutal in the towel drill. Going to end up being a fatal flaw I don’t think he can overcome.
Marcus Harris (Auburn)
All over the place. Stumbling and super tight hiped. Out of control. Can’t follow the line. Body doesn’t want to do what his brain tells him to. Can’t bend knees. Not tight going around the corner.
McKinnley Jackson (Texas A&M)
Not bad. Pretty good for a guy his size. Feet move well. Sinks the ass and goes. Not super coordinated and gets gassed as the reps go on. Can be a bit sluggish sometimes and screwed up a drill having to restart. Moves well for his size but not freakish. Hips are way too tight. Kinda concerning that he couldn’t land the towel in the hoop to save his life. Gave me some Kenyon Green dummy vibes (also a Texas A&M guy and they have knuckleheads).
Kris Jenkins (Michigan)
Very impressed. Sinks the hips and very in control in the movement drills. Feet are churning and digging into the ground with force. Light mover. Went a bit too fast in the bag drills but the feet are what you want. Arms tied to the feet. Big fan. Not a total clinic. A few hiccups but all mostly minor. Classic three technique but one that’s going to thrive. Probably had the best towel drill workout along with Murphy at Texas.
Logan Lee (Iowa)
On the smaller end. Looks like a pass rusher. Move pretty good in space. Not explosive but in control. Workout was positive but I just can’t see how he’s an every down defensive tackle. Doesn’t look like one.
Zion Logue (Georgia)
Slow as dirt. Slow reactor. No twitch. Not special in any way. Doesn’t look like a Georgia player. Can’t play a lick.
Fabien Lovett Sr. (Florida State)
Didn’t run. Terrible in the drills. Fell over in his first rep. Choppy steps that don’t go anywhere.
Byron Murphy (Texas)
Really good. Like the hips. Can turn and go. Feet are quick and in rhythm. Glides well in the bag drill. Good play speed. Super fluid. Dips and doesn’t lose speed. Good slap to him in the bags.
Myles Murphy (North Carolina)
Just kinda there. Way too high but didn’t totally look out of place. Plays with good leverage and trusts his eyes to an extent. Back bender going around the corner which is a bad sign. Don’t love the base. Feet are choppy but narrow. Just too high.
Ruke Orhorhoro (Clemson)
Really nice getting the arms tied to the feet. Nice base. Moving pretty well. Plus athlete. Can tell there is something to work with here. Built well. Growing on me. You can tell he’s really raw. Lump of clay that needs work but he can play. Not quite twitchy.
Keith Randolph Jr. (Illinois)
Feet too narrow. Tripping over himself. Not covering ground. Too high. Not quick enough getting going.
Maason Smith (LSU)
Bit stiff but clearly athletic. Bit thin in the lower body but tall and long. Bit clumpy in the feet but can move. Bit of a mystery but there is clearly something here. I’m actually more confused than before. Former number one overall recruit and does not look like it all the time. Pretty good getting around the corner.
T’Vondre Sweat (Texas)
Freak. Not going to look perfect in these drills but he’s grooving. I’ll take what he showed. Way more graceful than he should be for his size. Reacts well and doesn’t take forever to get the body going where it needs to. To do this at 366 speaks volumes. Wanted to kill someone doing pass rush. I think he clubbed a guy in the head. Look, it is what it is with some of these drills. I’ll take what I’m getting today. More than pleased. I have a man crush and I’m not afraid to admit it.
Leonard Taylor III (Miami
Meh. He’s there. JAG.
Mekhi Wingo (LSU)
Really nice feet. Fast time. Smaller side. Change of direction good. Sinks and goes. Head and eye level up. Actually has twitch. Speed and plays with it. Really fast. Mover and groover.
Vendetta Sports Media Post Combine Defensive Line Rankings:
1: Kris Jenkins (Michigan)
2: T’Vondre Sweat (Texas)
3: Jer’Zhan Newton (Illinois) *didn’t workout*
4: Byron Murphy (Texas)
5: Braden Fiske (Florida State)
6: Maason Smith (LSU)
7: Michael Hall (Ohio State)
8: Tyler Davis (Clemson)
9: Mekhi Wingo (LSU)
10: McKinnley Jackson (Texas A&M)
*Full finalized rankings will come closer to the draft.
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