NFL Combine winners among Defensive Line and Edge prospects feature some surprising sleepers
Following along with the NFL Combine is always a lot of fun. There's all the spicy comments from podiums, the weigh-ins and measurements that can sometimes surprise, and of course the forty-yard dashes in spandex that everyone loves. But when the dust settles at the end of each day, how can we really tell who […]
Following along with the NFL Combine is always a lot of fun. There's all the spicy comments from podiums, the weigh-ins and measurements that can sometimes surprise, and of course the forty-yard dashes in spandex that everyone loves. But when the dust settles at the end of each day, how can we really tell who "won" and helped their draft stock?
The best way? Create a custom Athletic Composite score that pulls together 20+ years of historical NFL Combine data, analyzes the results of this group of incoming prospects, and assigns a singular percentile score for a player's athleticism.
Or at least that's what we did here at A to Z Sports. As you can see in my post below, here were the top ten performances among defensive line and edge prospects at the NFL Combine today.
Chop Robinson, EDGE Penn State
The absolutely most dominant A to Z Sports Athletic Composite performance of any defensive line or edge performance came from Chop Robinson, EDGE Penn State. He posted 90th% marks or better for all three key areas with his speed score (adjusts for his size), burst score (his jumps), and agility score. His 4.48 forty-yard dash at 254 pounds should be impossible. His 10'8" broad jump was over 97th percentile. And his short shuttle was around the 90th percentile. Insane athleticism.
90th Percentile NFL Combine Athletes
Beyond Chop, Cedric Johnson (Ole Miss), Myles Cole (Texas Tech), Mohamed Kamara (Colorado State), Jalyx Hunt (Houston Christian), Marshawn Kneelan (Western Michigan), and both Jared Verse and Braden Fiske from Florida State posted 90th percentile A to Z Sports Athletic Composites or better.
Verse and Fiske were a deadly duo up front for Florida State's undefeated defense last fall, so it makes sense that they would perform well. Fiske wowed with his speed at 4.78 seconds in the forty weighing in at 292 pounds. Verse showed elite speed and burst with a 4.58-second forty time and 95th percentile jumps.
A trio of small school studs surprised many at the NFL Combine, but not those familiar with their game.
Mohamed Kamara out of Colorado State had the third highest pass rush pressure rate off the edge in this class behind only Laiatu Latu (UCLA) and Dallas Turner (Alabama). It's no surprise that he possesses a 93rd percentile Burst Score (via his jumps) and a 90th percentile Agility Score. Crazy athletic.
Jalyx Hunt of Houston Christian is a raw lump of clay with immense potential as Shane Hallam of Draft Countdown describes him in the post below. He tied for the lead in the broad jump today and was well above average in his vertical as well.
And lastly among the 90th percentile athletes, Marshawn Kneeland performed well in his forty-yard dash and jumps, but he was elite in his agility drills, posting 96th percentile marks there.
80th Percentile NFL Combine Athletes
Once we get past the top few names and get into the 80th percentile range guys or just a bit better the prospects seem a bit more human for the most part. However, this tier does include Laiatu Latu and Byron Murphy, the two nationwide leaders in pressure percentages at their positions in this draft class.
Latu's 4.64-second forty-yard dash doesn't sound elite, but he ran that weighing nearly 260 pounds. Byron Murphy, same thing, he ran a 4.87-second forty-yard dash but that's incredible at 300 pounds.
If you want to follow along live in the coming days for up-to-the-minute detailed NFL Combine results follow me @FF_TravisM on X and feel free to share any questions you may have there.
