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NFL Combine: D-line and Linebacker Winners

Who stood out among the defensive line and linebackers during combine drills? Coach Gene Clemons has his picks.
Gene Clemons|
NFL Combine: D-line and Linebacker Winners
NFL Combine: D-line and Linebacker Winners

If you were waiting for speed to take a backseat to something else at this year's NFL combine, sorry to disappoint because that was not the case after Day 3 of on-field drills and workouts starring the defensive linemen and linebackers.

These massive defensive linemen and linebackers were flying, and the good news is that the players we identified as "must-watch" guys for the Giants all showed up and showed out.

Kayvon Thibodeaux (Oregon) only completed in two drills during the combine but answered a couple of the questions that people had for him. He ran a sub-4.6 forty (4.58), showing that his speed is legit.

He also showed a good strength base with 27 reps on the bench press. He did nothing to dim his status as one of the top defensive players in the draft, but he also didn't separate from anyone.

Jermaine Johnson (Florida State) ran a 4.58 forty, had a 32" vertical jump, and a 10'4" broad jump. Those were great numbers for a Johnson on par with the other elite-level defensive ends.

Christian Harris (Alabama) was fast (4.44 forty-yard dash) and explosive (34.5" vertical jump and an 11' broad jump). Chad Muma (Wyoming) was a slower but equally explosive (40" vertical and 10'9" broad jump) version of Harris.

Troy Andersen (Montana State) performed like a guy who used to be a running back. He was slightly faster than Harris (4.42 forty) and similarly explosive (36" vertical, 10'8" broad jump).

Those guys helped their stock during the combine, as they all had good reps during the on-field workouts.

Here are some more winners from the defensive line and linebacker combine workouts.

DE Travon Walker, Georgia

Walker had the best day of the three defensive ends that we recommended you watch. He ran a 4.51 forty jumped 35.5" on the vertical and 10'4" on the broad jump.

Even more impressive was his agility drill performance. While many of the top prospects avoided those drills, Walker not only completed but laid down a sub-seven-second 3-cone drill (6.89) and a 4.32 20-yard shuttle.

At 6'5" and 272 pounds, that level of speed and agility is incredible. He is bigger, faster, and just as agile as Aidan Hutchinson, who also had a fantastic day.

He could be an option for the Giants if they decide to kick Dexter Lawrence inside to the nose, which we think would make for a scary front three.

DT Jordan Davis, Georgia

Davis is 6'6" and 341 pounds. He was already a top prospect in this year's draft and guaranteed to go first round. After his performance in the combine, it may be difficult for him to get out of the top five picks. Davis recorded an incredible 4.78 forty time. 

He jumped 32" on the vertical jump and 10'3" on the broad jump. All three of those numbers are easily identifiable when you watch his film. His get-off is fantastic, and he displaces an offensive lineman and resets the line of scrimmage. 

That level of explosion is crazy for that amount of mass. He will make the Giants make legitimate decisions about what they will do early on in the draft.

DE Amare Barno, Virginia Tech

Whenever you are a defensive end, and you run a time usually afforded a speedy defensive back, you will draw attention. Well, Amare Barno ran a 4.37 in the forty-yard dash, and he earned some attention. 

The level of speed he exhibited on the forty and during the on-field workouts warrants evaluators to go back to the film and watch his reps again to see if he was misused or is just coming into his own late in his college career. 

This will make every team stand up and take notice, and today there are a lot of scouts with their eyes in a computer watching Barno, so the mission has been accomplished.

DT Travis Jones, UConn

Jordan Davis was not the only big defensive lineman who flashed freakish size and athleticism. But his status overshadowed Jones, who put on a display for a 324-pound human. He ran sub-five seconds in the forty (4.92), jumped 28.5 inches in the vertical, and almost 10 feet in the broad jump (9' 2"). 

Jones has already been rising up boards, but this performance will definitely put him in a different light. He could be the answer if the Giants want to go defensive tackle in the draft but don't want to invest the draft capital in Davis.

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Gene Clemons
GENE CLEMONS

Gene "Coach" Clemons has been involved with the game of football for 30 years as a player, coach, evaluator, and journalist.  Clemons has spent time writing for the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, Bridgton News, Urbana Daily Citizen, Macon Telegraph and footballgameplan.com.  He has a YouTube channel called "Coach Gene Clemons" where you can find his popular "X&O The Joes" series as well as other football related content. 

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