Ravens Combine Notes: 3 Names That Excelled On Day 1
Day 1 of the 2024 Scouting Combine is in the books, and a team like the Baltimore Ravens should come away very pleased with what transpired in Indianapolis.
Some of the top defensive linemen and linebackers in the country worked out in Indy with plenty of standouts throughout each drill.
Here are three names that not only performed well but should make life interesting for a Ravens team with plenty of holes on their 2024 defense.
© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jalyx Hunt - DE, Houston Christian University
Let's get the obvious out of the way, there were plenty of stars at edge rusher on Thursday afternoon. For a position group that is full of first and second-round talents, one of the best performances came from a player you'd least expect.
Jalyx Hunt is a former safety and doesn't have a lot of experience as an edge rusher for Houston Christian University. That being said, he was one of the best at the 40-yard dash and was excellent in drills.
Hunt is a prototypical project at the position, and there's no guarantee he pans out. For a team like the Ravens who loves taking these kinds of projects late in the Draft and allowing them time to develop, he could be an excellent late-round steal.
Braden Fiske - DT, Florida State
The most impressive performance Thursday did not come from an edge rusher.
It came from Florida State's defensive tackle Braden Fiske.
Fiske led all tackles at the 40-yard dash, vertical, and broad jumps. He was also incredibly smooth in drills to the point where he might have even put himself in first-round territory.
Even if they were to bring back Justin Madubuike, the Ravens are going to need more depth at defensive tackle. Fiske is the kind of plug-and-play interior defender with excellent speed and pass-rushing ability to get home to starting quarterbacks early in his career.
Payton Wilson - LB, NC State
Patrick Queen's pending free agency looms large with the Ravens' dynamic defense. While Roquan Smith is still an All-Pro caliber player at the position to minimize the former first-round pick's loss, Baltimore could use some depth at linebacker. '
They may not have to go into the first round to get a great one, either.
Wilson, the linebacker out of NC State, was superb in drills Thursday. He used his excellent speed and balance to flawlessly move through drills and pivot at the sight of the ball.
He's not the best linebacker in his class, but he certainly has tremendous upside and could be a project linebacker the team takes a chance on.
