Defensive standouts at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine

On Monday, we took a look at some of the lesser known offensive prospects who impressed over the weekend at the NFL Scouting Combine. Today, we’ll be looking at the other side of the ball. Players like Christian Gonzalez of the Oregon Ducks and Lukas Van Ness of the Iowa Hawkeyes had stellar workouts that cemented their position as first-day prospects. However, beyond these big names, a handful of lesser known players stood out with impressive performances. Leading up to the combine, none of the players listed below were considered to be Day One prospects.

As I stated in the previous piece... Combine testing is only one facet of a player’s draft profile, of course, but it at least provides some context for player evaluation and comparison heading into the draft. Read on for the official measurements for some of the under-the-radar defensive players who stood out over the weekend! Along with each player is a draft profile blurb from either The Draft Network, as well as their ranking in the Athletic’s consensus Big Board if ranked.

Note: All combine measurements originally reported by The Athletic.

Edge

Northwestern DL Adetomiwa Adebawore (Ad-Aye-Tom-U-Wa Ad-O-Bar-Aye) projects as a hybrid defensive lineman at the NFL level. Having played as a standup edge, a 5T, a 4i, and a 3T with the Wildcats, there’s no shortage of samples of what Adebawore can offer in the NFL. There’s the mass to play head-up on tackles and the quickness to shoot gaps inside, leaving teams with a few different projections for NFL success.

The Draft Network

Defensive Tackle

Overall, Dexter is a prospect that has physical tools that will instantly give him an opportunity to be a starter in the NFL. The question for Dexter will be whether he will continue to develop his skill set to be an impactful starter in the NFL to match those rare physical traits.

The Draft Network

Linebacker

Against the run, Orji appears to be comfortable on the backside of a defense where he has time to diagnose the play away from him and play in pursuit. Orji has good acceleration to ball carriers and shows to be an effective tackler. Orji also showcases his athletic ability when he is on called run blitzes. Orji does a good job timing up the snap and getting past offensive linemen to become disruptive in the backfield and make a tackle on the ball carrier.

In pass coverage, Orji shows to be an instinctive player who has the opportunity to match up with tight ends and running backs out of the backfield. In man-to-man coverage, Orji has the smooth hip transitions to turn and run with receivers and carry them vertically up the field. In zone defense, Orji does a good job of getting depth and being disruptive. It appears that Orji has a good understanding of route combinations and will jump routes to make a play on the football.

The Draft Network

Corner

*Note: I’m featuring two corners here because these two former Maryland Terrapins tested off the charts.

Banks is a physically impressive cornerback with plus-level height and length. He also has rare reactionary athleticism for a corner his size, showing the ability to flip his hips run vertical, then sink his hips and break back downhill toward the ball.

The Draft Newtork

Throughout his career at Maryland Bennett has been productive on the football, tallying multiple interceptions and PBUs in his career. Bennett’s technique also allows for him to be an asset in run defense. Bennett does a fairly good job of closing to blockers and inserting himself on run plays becoming a willing tackler on the perimeter.

The Draft Network

Safety

Brown’s first-step suddenness, closing burst, and rally to the football are important variables that serve as cornerstones of his play. The Illini have moved him all over the field; he’s dropped low to play subpackage linebacker and fit the run, he’ll push out and play deep safety, and he’s matched tight ends in the slot. The versatility is here to build upon for Brown and he should be considered someone who does not have a lot of limitations from a functional athleticism standpoint.

The Draft Network