Thursday was a busy day at the NFL combine as defensive linemen, edge rushers and linebackers all did their weigh-ins and testing. These are important position groups for the Rams as they seek to bolster their defensive front, so they should’ve had a close eye on the numbers from players on the field Thursday.
While a number of players stood out for their impressive performances, these nine could be potential targets for the Rams in the draft.
1
Georgia OLB Nolan Smith
Smith might’ve had the best day of any player on Thursday. Not only did he run 4.39 in the 40-yard dash, which was incredible, but he jumped 41.5 inches in the vertical. That’s equally impressive and it shows the type of explosiveness and athleticism that Smith brings to the table.
He should be one of the top targets for the Rams at No. 36, but he may not get there after his combine performance.
😳 Per the NFL Network, Nolan Smith is the heaviest player to have a vertical over 40" & a 40-yard dash less than 4.4 in NFL combine history.
Nolan ran an official 4.39 40-yard dash and jumped a 41.5" vertical at 238 lbs.
— Jon Tweets Sports (@jontweetssports) March 3, 2023
2
Pitt DT Calijah Kancey
There’s something about those Pitt defensive tackles. At 6-foot-1 and 281 pounds, Kancey ran a 4.67 in the 40-yard dash, the fasted time ever at the combine by a defensive tackle. The player he beat? Former Pitt standout and future Hall of Famer, Aaron Donald. Kancey may not have prototypical size for a defensive tackle, but he has the athleticism to hold up against interior offensive linemen.
Couple of @Pitt_FB DLs on the Simulcam. 🤝@Ckancey8 | @AaronDonald97
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/0y224YXeA5— NFL (@NFL) March 2, 2023
3
Northwestern DL Adetomiwa Adebawore
Adebawore really flashed on Thursday with an eye-popping performance. He ran a 4.49 in the 40 at 282 pounds, the fastest time by a player 280-plus pounds since 2000. His 37.5-inch vertical was also a huge win for him, as was his 10-foot-5 jump in the broad. He’s a player for the Rams to watch now on Day 2 or early on Day 3. The biggest question with Adebawore is where he’ll line up at the next level.
Northwestern EDGE Adetomiwa Adebawore put up an elite combine performance for his weight (282 lbs), earning a 97 athleticism score pending shuttle drills.
Combine Ranks since 2003 (275+ lbs):
🔹 4.49 40-yard dash (1st)
🔹 10' 5" broad jump (T-2nd)
🔹 37.5" vertical (3rd) pic.twitter.com/oDHpgHxDHS— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) March 2, 2023
4
Clemson DT Bryan Bresee
Bresee is a big man who stands 6-foot-5 and 298 pounds. But he’s also a great athlete, as evidenced by his 4.86 in the 40-yard dash. Not only did he test well and show off his speed, but he looked comfortable in positional drills. He may not reach the Rams at No. 36 but if he does, he’ll be a player to consider in Round 2.
.@ClemsonFB DL @bryan_bresee showing off the clean footwork.
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/2i5UDoPRA5— NFL (@NFL) March 2, 2023
5
USC OLB/DE Tuli Tuipulotu
Tuipulotu was listed at 290 pounds while at USC. This week, he weighed in at 266 pounds. That makes him a true tweener at defensive tackle/edge rusher. In the Rams’ scheme, he would fit well as a hybrid edge rusher who can line up at outside linebacker and move inside in sub-packages.
Clean feet from Tuli Tuipulotu. pic.twitter.com/iKJokGs4lw
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) March 2, 2023
6
Texas DT Moro Ojomo
Ojomo ran a 5.04 in the 40 and had a 33-inch vertical, the latter of which is one of the better jumps for a player his size (6-3, 292 pounds). He looked agile in pass-rushing drills on the field, which is where he really stood out during his combine performance. He could be a Day 3 target for the Rams.
Moro Ojomo on the rise, here's his Run and Club drill with commentary pic.twitter.com/9Nld3b6wsi
— Nash (@NashTalksTexas) March 2, 2023
7
Iowa OLB/DE Lukas Van Ness
Van Ness was already viewed as a first-round prospect and he may have just confirmed that he won’t be there for the Rams in Round 2. He could be a trade-up candidate, however. At 272 pounds, he ran a 4.58 in the 40-yard dash and tested well in agility drills such as the short shuttle and three-cone drill. His athleticism is very evident, but he’s another tweener who will need to find his best position in the NFL, either on the edge or as a 5-tech.
Lukas Van Ness had himself a day.
Tested as 97th percentile athlete in RAS via @MathBomb pic.twitter.com/1jgzor54Ge
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) March 3, 2023
8
Tennessee OLB Byron Young
Young’s biggest question mark is his age because he’ll be 25 this month, which will undoubtedly hurt his draft stock. However, he showed he’s an athlete after jumping 38 inches in the vertical, 11 feet in the broad and running a 4.43 in the 40-yard dash. He’s slightly undersized for an edge rusher at just 6-2 and 250 pounds, but it was great to see him excel in the testing phase.
Oh my! VFL Byron Young running a 4.51 and then a 4.48 in the 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine. That is booking for a big guy! Also 38” vertical and 11ft. broad jump @wvlt pic.twitter.com/Gdnyws6BTc
— Rick Russo (@wvltrick) March 2, 2023
9
Tulane LB Dorian Williams
Williams tied for the fourth-fastest 40-yard dash time by a linebacker this year, running an official 4.49 on Thursday. The Rams are unlikely to spend one of their early-round picks on a linebacker, even after cutting Bobby Wagner, but Williams could be a target on Day 3 to pair with Ernest Jones inside. He also jumped 10 feet in the broad and has 33 3/4-inch arms, so he has a nice blend of length and athleticism at linebacker.
Speedy group of LBs.
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/4XxNMCI35C— NFL (@NFL) March 3, 2023
