How do the Los Angeles Rams use the NFL Scouting Combine to evaluate defensive tackles?
The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine has officially arrived. The entire NFL world descends on Indianapolis to meet with draft prospects for interviews, medical checks, and athletic testing. However, the Los Angeles Rams don't send a particularly heavy presence to the Combine. Neither GM Les Snead nor head coach Sean McVay will be in attendance this […]
The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine has officially arrived. The entire NFL world descends on Indianapolis to meet with draft prospects for interviews, medical checks, and athletic testing.
However, the Los Angeles Rams don't send a particularly heavy presence to the Combine. Neither GM Les Snead nor head coach Sean McVay will be in attendance this year, once again.
Many teams use the Combine to test measurables for each prospect that lines up with how they view the position. For many teams, a certain arm length or a certain threshold on the broad jump will determine if they take a player or not.
How do the Rams use the Combine to evaluate each position?
The Rams have a quality starter in Kobie Turner and an ascending player in Braden Fiske occupying their top two starting spots at defensive tackle, but nose tackle Bobby Brown III is a free agent and the Rams lack little depth behind the two.
While I don't think they should invest an early pick up front here like I've seen in some mock drafts, they should definitely invest at least one pick in shoring up their defensive line.
What do they tend to look for at defensive tackle at the NFL Combine?
| Name | 40-yard dash | Vertical Jump | Broad Jump | 3-Cone | Short Shuttle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Michael Brockers | 5.36s | 26″ | 105″ | 7.46s | 4.81s |
Aaron Donald | 4.68s | 32″ | 116″ | 7.11s | 4.39s |
Greg Gaines | 5.16s | 31″ | 109″ | 7.75s | 4.67s |
Bobby Brown III | 5.04s | 33″ | 113″ | 7.62s | 4.58s |
Kobie Turner | N/A | N/A | 96″ | 7.08s | 4.49s |
Braden Fiske | 4.78s | 33.5″ | 117″ | N/A | 4.37s |
Out of every position room, this one might be the most obvious for the Rams in terms of tendencies. Everyone but Brockers came in above 31" in the vertical jump. With the exceptions of Brockers and Turner, every defensive tackle has crossed 109" in the broad jump as well.
When looking for pass-rushing defensive tackles, the Rams put heavy attention on their agility drills and 40-yard dash times. Aaron Donald, Kobie Turner, and Braden Fiske hit 4.49 seconds or faster on the short shuttle, 78th percentile and above. While Fiske didn't test his 3-Cone, Turner and Donald both posted similar times close to 7 seconds, both exceeding the 97th percentile.
The Rams don't place a heavy amount of emphasis on explosive drills for run-stuffing defensive tackles. Greg Gaines tested slightly below average, while Bobby Brown III hit 33" and 113" in the vertical and broad jump, respectively. Both of Brown's marks were 88th percentile or better.
