Finding Broncos: Defensive Front Seven Up First at NFL Combine
Every NFL team, including the Denver Broncos, makes their home in Indianapolis, Indiana, for the next week as the NFL Combine is about to get underway. Press conferences, interviews, and medicals are all already underway, but the gem of the combine is always the remeasurements and the on-field workouts.
The first group are the defensive linemen, linebackers, and edge defenders. You can never have too many edge rushers, and the impact of high-quality interior pass rushers on the defensive line is skyrocketing. While linebackers don't have the value that the other two positions do, they have a chance to stand out in a weak class, and linebacker is a position in which you can typically land starters throughout the draft.
As the Broncos need help on the defensive line and edge room, they could also be looking to replace Josey Jewell, as Drew Sanders seems to be moving to the edge full-time. There are 26 defensive linemen, 29 edge defenders, and 25 linebackers at the combine. The Broncos have plenty of options, but ten could stand out the most for them.
Interior Defensive Line
Byron Murphy | Texas
Murphy is viewed as an undersized defensive lineman who worked his way to the position from running back. He is expected to test out the combine exceptionally well and could work his way into the conversation for the Broncos at 12 overall.
During his three years at Texas, he played 1,128 snaps on defense, picking up 76 total pressures, 45 of them in 2023, and nine total sacks, with six in 2023. He was only penalized once and missed 11 tackles over those three years. Most of his playing times came working the B-gap, but he occasionally moved to attack the A-gap.
Leonard Taylor III | Miami
The testing for Taylor is expected to be good, and you can see it on tape, especially with how quick his get-off is. However, there is an issue when evaluating his tape: how he was used in that Miami defensive front. To see him appropriately used, you must return to the 2022 tape.
While playing 341 snaps in 2023, 202 came working as nose tackles. He picked up 21 pressures still, but only one sack. In 2022, where he played 329 total snaps, with 275 working as a 5-technique, he picked up 25 total pressures and four sacks. His get-off at the snap is great, and it needs to be that 4i/4/5 technique.
McKinnley Jackson | Texas A&M
There are some concerns about Jackson's length, but he is a strong nose tackle who can offer up some juice to get after the quarterback. His testing will be vital as there are flashes of good athleticism for his size on tape, but it isn't there consistently. If you can tape into it more, there might be a little more ability to move him around your defensive front, depending on the down and distance.
Over four years at Texas A&M, he played 1,391 total snaps on defense, picking up 55 total pressures and eight sacks, with two passes batted down. The concerns about his length sometimes show up with his tackling, where he missed 20 tackles over the four seasons and was penalized eight times.
Edge Defenders
Eyabi Okie | Charlotte
When watching over the Shrine Bowl practices, Okie stood out immediately. He was quick off the snap and had some beautiful pass-rush moves to win his reps almost instantly. However, he has six years of college football under his belt at five different schools due to some off-field issues that will be dug into at the combine.
Starting his journey at Alabama, Okie was a linebacker, and it was reported that he wasn't attending classes. He was dismissed in August 2019 and landed at Houston, where he couldn't play and was dismissed due to off-field issues. From there, he went to UT-Martin in 2021, where he picked up seven sacks, and then to Michigan in 2022, where he added another four sacks. He picked up 30 pressures and five sacks during his lone year at Charlotte.
Mohamed Kamara | Colorado State
There are tools to work with for Kamara, but major concerns about his size exist. His size was a problem at the Shrine Bowl as he struggled to win reps. However, when he could win reps, it was because of his explosive first step.
With five years and 1,944 snaps played at Colorado State, he picked up 150 pressures and 32 total sacks, 117 pressures, and 20 sacks in the last two years. The missed tackle count is high, mainly due to the lack of bulk on his frame, which is a primary concern with whether he has more room for mass on his frame.
Myles Cole | Texas Tech
Myles Cole had some great reps at the Senior Bowl and some bad ones. His inconsistencies are on tape, but the athletic movement skills are also there. He is hard to block when he is on, but there are also questions about his effort and conditioning.
He played 570 snaps in 2023, picking up 27 pressures and four sacks. When his pass rush gets stalled, he does a good job of getting his hands up and clutter-throwing lanes. There is the versatility to move him around, and he has plenty of tools to work with.
Eric Watts | UConn
Watts is a compact pass rusher with 2,249 snaps played in four years. While his sack numbers are not great, with 12 in his career, he picked up 103 total pressures. Teams must find the best way to use him, but there is enough to last as an edge in the NFL.
Linebackers
Junior Colson | Michigan
Colson is the modern mold of an NFL linebacker with length, athleticism, and instincts. He was a leader on the NCAA Champion team and has plenty of experience. He has enough development to be a starter right away in the NFL, and he can have a versatile role on defense.
Curtis Jacobs | Penn State
The size and length may not be ideal for the NFL, but he can move around the field and has a good nose for the ball. There are concerns about his coverage abilities, but he is a capable run defender between the tackles and outside, and he offers up good ability as a pass rusher.
Tyrice Knight | UTEP
While he didn't always play in the most challenging competitions, he dominated the lower competition while doing well against the tougher guys. Over four years, Knight has played 2,714 snaps on defense and made plays in coverage as a run defender and a blitzer. His athleticism and short-area quickness are going to be under the microscope.
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