The NFL Scouting Combine kicked off with a bang on Thursday afternoon by starting with the defensive lineman and linebackers. There was a lot of intrigue with this group, especially at the top.
Alabama EDGE Will Anderson was the only one of the top pass rushers to participate in drills, but there were other first-round talents that ended up showing out in a big way.
Here are the eight players that impressed in the first day of the combine.
Pitt DT Calijah Kancey
Kancey came in as an undersized defensive tackle that needed to show he was the same great athlete during drills. He did that and then some. Kancey ran the 40-yard dash in a combine record for interior lineman at 4.67 seconds (100th percentile). He paired that with a 10-yard split of 1.64 seconds (95th percentile). At just 6’1″ and 281 lbs, he needed to show something and he did just that.
Wisconsin DT Keeanu Benton
The Badgers nose tackle was a really good player in college and performed really well in athletic testing for a player that weighed in at 309 lbs. In drills, Benton displayed some impressive fluidity in his movements and excellent power in his hands. For a team that needs a run stuffing tackle that has some upside rushing the passer, Benton will be a great choice for a team on day two.
Wisconsin DT Keanu Benton tested the best of the heavier guys
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 309 pounds
Arm Length: 33 7/8-inches
40-yard-dash: 5.13s
10-yard-split: 1.79s
29.5-inch vertical jump
9-foot-3-inch broad jump— Matty F. Brown (@mattyfbrown) March 2, 2023
Florida DT Gervon Dexter
After an inconsistent career at Florida, Dexter needed to have some excellent testing to make up for it. He did just that with a 92nd percentile 40-yard dash with a 96th percentile height. A player that can play all over the interior, Dexter looks to be a late day-two selection right now. Due to his 20-yard split, he might be off of the Vikings’ board, but Dexter made himself some money.
Gervon Dexter with a very nice day of athletic testing
HT: 6-6 (96th percentile)
WT: 312 (70th percentile)10-yard: 1.81 (20th percentile)
40-yard: 4.88 (92nd percentile)
Vert: 31” (72nd percentile)
Broad: 9’8” (77th percentile)— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) March 2, 2023
Northwestern DL Adetomiwa Adebawore
On tape, Adebawore plays the game like he’s the purple Power Ranger. He is excessively powerful and showed to be a very athletic player in the trenches. His 40-yard dash time was insane at 4.49 seconds. A member of Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List, Adebawore also jumped incredibly well with a 94.8th percentile vertical jump and a 95.5th percentile broad jump. He will be a great addition to a team that wants a 5-technique that can also slide inside.
Official 4.49 40-time for Northwestern DL Adetomiwa Adebawore at 6-foot-2, 282 pounds.
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) March 2, 2023
Georgia EDGE Nolan Smith
What a combine for Smith. He ran the second-fastest 40-yard dash for an edge rusher ever at 4.39 seconds. That time is only behind Virginia Tech’s Amare Barno who ran it last year in 4.36 seconds. His 10-yard split is still unofficial at 1.52 seconds, but that would be the fastest-ever for an edge rusher.
Smith also jumped 41.5″ in the vertical jump and 10’8″ in the broad jump, both of which are really good numbers for an edge rusher. He has been mocked four times so far to the Vikings and with this performance, that number will almost certainly go up.
Look at who Smith’s numbers compare to all-time.
Nolan Smith had a day! pic.twitter.com/R50Be72ue9
— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) March 2, 2023
Louisville EDGE YaYa Diaby
The Louisville product is built like a prototypical 5-tech and has some juice as a pass rusher. At 6’3″ and 263 lbs, Diaby registered a 4.51 40-yard dash, a 1.56 10-yard split (2nd on the day to Smith), a 37″ vertical jump and 10′ broad jump. As a bigger guy, Diaby’s testing is huge for his draft stock as there will be less questions about his athleticism.
Auburn LB Owen Pappoe
The Auburn linebacker has some really interesting film. He flashes brilliance at the point of attack but is very inconsistent. One thing that would help raise his draft stock was a great set of athletic testing. He did just that with a 4.39 second 40-yard dash and a 10-yard split of 1.52. Pair that with two really good jump scores and his stock took a really nice boost.
Iowa EDGE Lukas Van Ness
The Iowa edge wasn’t a starter with the Hawkeyes and is an interesting prospect. He isn’t very developed and plays like a bull in a china shop. How he tested was going to determine his stock. Well, he tested incredibly well with an unofficial 9.75 relative athletic score including a 4.58 second 40-yard dash and a 4.32 short shuttle. Van Ness, as Thor Nystrom said, likely just punched his ticket into the top 20.
Lukas Van Ness just punched his ticket into the top-20.
His nickname at Iowa was “Hercules.” Brugler says he has the explosive power of a grizzly. Jeremiah calls him a Bull in a China shop.
Kirk Ferentz started him zero times. pic.twitter.com/c3NoJqS9qX
— Thor Nystrom (@thorku) March 3, 2023
