Former FSU defensive lineman Braden Fiske was among those making noise at the 2024 NFL Combine on Thursday.
Fiske, among 12 different Seminoles present in Indianapolis for the Combine, turned heads in multiple ways at the event — especially on the 40-yard dash.
The 6-foot-3, 292-pounder ran an unofficial 4.78-second 40-yard dash, which is notable for a player of his size. It was also the fastest time recorded by any defensive tackle who chose to take part in the 40-yard dash.
But the impressiveness of that time expands far beyond those in his position group… and beyond the prospect at this year’s Combine. That 4.78-second 40-yard dash time was 0.02 seconds faster than that of Kansas City Chiefs standout Patrick Mahomes, largely considered by analysts to be the best active quarterback in the NFL.
The NFL took to X (formerly known as Twitter) with a video of Mahomes from the Combine when he was preparing for the 2017 NFL Draft, where he was ultimately selected by the Chiefs with the 10th overall pick.
It was a quote post of one of Mahomes’ posts that was clearly a joke.
“As the combine starts this week! All i ask is that [the NFL Network] doesn’t use my 40 overlay anymore,” Mahomes wrote.
whoops 😅 https://t.co/XaWH8bp2fn pic.twitter.com/gmWUY7MEkE
— NFL (@NFL) February 29, 2024
Despite the fact it was all in good fun on Mahomes’ end, how well Fiske performed in this drill, among several others, should not be discounted. Especially with the difference in positions between him and Mahomes and the average 40-yard dash times recorded by defensive linemen.
Fiske also led his position group in the vertical jump and the broad jump, recording 33.50 inches in the vertical jump and 9’9″ in the broad jump.
He played five years of college football at Western Michigan before transferring to Florida State for the last season of his career. He recorded 43 total tackles, 9 tackles for loss, and 6.0 sacks in his lone season with the Seminoles.
Expect him to go in the late first round or early second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
