Watching defensive linemen go through drills is one of my favorite parts of the Combine, and that’s why I love that the NFL made the change to have them lead off the festivities a couple of years ago. There are some big-time talents off the edge to go along with some potential game-wreckers on the interior as well. I will note that some of these edge rushers will actually take part in the linebacker workout, but for the sake of comparisons, I will keep them with this group here.
These are the players who analysts expect to see perform best in the athletic testing portion of the workout”
Dallas Turner (Alabama) – A former five-star recruit out of the powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Florida, Turner has all the tools of a Pro Bowl pass rusher. He’s long, quick, loose, explosive, and really slippery on the corner to avoid blockers and get home to the quarterback. An All-American who finished with 13 sacks in 2023, Turner should be one of the best testers in this year’s edge group, which has many analysts believing he could be the first defensive player off the board in April.
Byron Murphy (Texas) – Another true junior, Murphy was not quite the heralded recruit that Turner was, but wasn’t far off when he came out of DeSoto High School in Texas (the same program that developed Von Miller). Murphy is a 280-pound defensive tackle with explosive traits to go with impressive lateral quickness and body control. He was unblockable at times for the playoff-bound Longhorns and was one of the most disruptive linemen in the country by pretty much every metric. A two-way player who was stout against the run to go along with his pass rush potential, Murphy should be the first interior lineman to hear his name called this spring.
Kris Jenkins (Michigan) – In case you were wondering, yes, he’s the son of THAT Kris Jenkins (the former Pro Bowl tackle for the Panthers and Jets). Jenkins is a stout interior player with disruptive physical traits. While his father was more known for his dominance as a run defender, Jenkins has more pass rush tools thanks to his athleticism. The Athletic publishes a yearly Freaks List by Bruce Feldman, highlighting the top athletes in college football, and last summer Jenkins had some mind-blowing numbers connected to his name. Feldman reported that Jenkins turned in a 7.16-second time in the 3-cone drill, 4.33-second short shuttle, 116-inch broad jump, and a 34-inch vertical leap. All four of…
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