The NFL Combine can make or break a player’s draft stock. That concept has sparked debate among fans for years. Many believe you can’t learn much from watching football players run around in shirts and shorts.
Defensive players stole the show this year.
Unlike offensive players, defensive prospects rely equally on measurables and drill work. While some offensive players measured better than expected, defensive players actually broke Combine records.
Several defensive players on this All-Risers team were already graded as first-round talent. Their Combine performances elevated that status even higher. One player moved from the middle of the first round to potentially the top five.
This was always going to be a defense-heavy draft. The Combine revealed why.
At least three players from the defensive side earned first-round or borderline first-round projections. The real intrigue comes from guys expected to go late on day two or day three who’ve moved up significantly.
Defensive Tackles
Lee Hunter – Texas Tech was projected as a top-50 player before the Combine. Most expected him to fall behind two other interior defenders, Caleb Banks and Peter Woods. Banks only played three games in 2024, while Woods regressed and faces alleged motivational concerns.
Hunter showed he belongs in that conversation. Based on interviews and other factors, maybe even ahead of those two.
Zane Durant – Penn State put up solid numbers with 25 tackles and four sacks, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Durant performed like a much smaller player than he actually is.
His athleticism was on full display during drills. Teams might see him as more than a standard 4-3 defensive tackle. A player like Durant could provide opportunities for more creative defensive fronts.
Defensive Ends
Malachi Lawrence – UCF shouldn’t surprise anyone who watched NFL Network’s Combine coverage. Analyst Daniel Jeremiah talked him up more than any other player.
The 4.52 forty-yard dash and 40-inch vertical were just the beginning. He dominated most of his drill reps.
Lawrence could have improved his draft stock by a full round or more. According to Jeremiah, most teams were already aware of this potential.
Romello Height – Texas Tech dispelled the biggest narrative working against him. Texas Tech had an impressive defense, but it was mostly David Bailey’s show. It’s the classic “nothing grows strong in the shadow of a large tree” scenario.
Height put that narrative to bed. He consistently ranked among the better performing edge players, drill after drill.
He won’t go anywhere near Bailey’s range, but don’t be surprised if he goes relatively early on day two.
Linebackers
Sonny Styles – Ohio State shouldn’t surprise anyone. His 4.46 was the fastest forty time among linebackers.
Then came his 43.5-inch vertical that left jaws on the floor. His 1.56 ten-yard split should also catch NFL front offices’ attention.
Styles was always on the verge of a first-round projection in the 15-25 range. Before linebackers even finished their workout, people at the Combine and watching at home began asking: Is Sonny Styles a top-five pick?
Kaleb Elarms-Orr – TCU might only surprise non-TCU fans. His 130 tackles and 11 tackles for loss suggest everyone else should have been paying attention before the Combine.
Like Height and Styles, Elarms-Orr jumped off the screen on almost every drill rep. Take the names away and you’d struggle to say Elarms-Orr wasn’t one of the best two or three linebackers working drills.
If he was a late day-two to day-three projection, that’s about to change.
Safeties
Dillon Thieneman – Oregon was already competing for position at the top of safety projections. No one’s getting ahead of Caleb Downs, but there was a battle for number two.
Thieneman and Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeill-Warren were fighting for that spot. McNeill-Warren looked good, but Thieneman looked much better than expected.
Thieneman doesn’t have the height and range of McNeill-Warren. He showed his intensity and focus in drills and solidified his position in the conversation to be selected in the top 50.
Bud Clark – TCU is a perfect example of resetting expectations. Clark could have been undervalued based on the quality of players at other positions.
His 2024 numbers were solid but not flashy enough to suggest top-50 to top-100 range. His consistent drill work should change that perception.
A 4.41 forty with a 1.56 ten-yard split and nearly 40-inch vertical should help his draft stock.
Cornerbacks
Colton Hood – Tennessee has played for three Power Four schools (Auburn, Colorado and Tennessee). His potential wasn’t fully unlocked until he reached the Volunteers.
He was falling behind in perception. Mansoor Delane and teammate Jermod McCoy will likely still go ahead of him, but could he close the gap?
His tape is good enough. He married that tape with strong testing. His 4.44 forty time and 40.5-inch vertical added something to his draft resume.
The only question: Did he do enough to get ahead of Avieon Terrell and Brandon Cisse?
Toriano Pride Jr. – Missouri represents a somewhat common but not yearly occurrence. Pride was almost completely overlooked in cornerback projections.
The tape is solid, but questions about “traits” came up. At 5’11″/190 pounds, he’s not too small or weak for the position.
A player who could have slipped minds changed that narrative. He ran a 4.32 forty and nearly 40-inch vertical as someone many thought wasn’t a candidate to impress.
The draft process is only halfway complete. Many of these defensive players have effectively changed their trajectory. As more interviews, pro days and final evaluations happen, their stock could improve further.
One thing’s certain: This draft expects to be very defense-heavy, especially early.
