Thursday NFL Scouting Combine takeaways: Mountainous defender is still pretty fast
The NFL combine can be a make-or-break week for NFL Draft prospects as they get to show coaches and executives their size, strength and athleticism. After a couple of days full of interviews and meeting with teams, players actually started physically working out on Thursday to show what they can do.
Defensive linemen and outside linebackers got things started, so let's get some takeaways on the players that stood out.
1. Braden Fiske is rapidly rising up draft boards. Florida State defensive tackle Braden Fiske was already starting to climb draft boards and mock drafts entering the combine, and he didn't do anything to slow that progress down on Thursday. Not only did Fiske show athleticism with the highest vertical leap (33.5 inches) and longest broad jump (nine feet, nine inches) among defensive tackles, he also turned in a fantastic 40-yard dash time of 4.78 seconds.
He knew it was a great time, too.
Fiske is quickly putting himself in a position to be a Day 2 pick.
2. Chop Robinson can fly. Every year there seems to be at least one Penn State player who wows scouts and NFL personnel at the combine. This year it's edge-rusher Chop Robinson who turned in a blazing 40-yard dash time of 4.49 seconds.
It was a day of mixed results for Robinson and highlighted both his strengths and weaknesses. On one hand, he is as fast as any edge-rusher in the draft. On the other hand, his 32.5-inch arm length and 76-inch wingspan were among the smallest of the edge-rushers. He is not going to overpower people or bring imposing size, but he will out-run everybody.
3. T'Vondre Sweat is a mountain of a player. Sweat raised some eyebrows at the Senior Bowl when he elected not to weigh in. He did so at the combine on Thursday and checked in at 366 pounds, making him one of the heaviest players to ever appear at the combine. That size does not limit his mobility, however, and he showed some smooth footwork and turned in a strong 40-time.
4. Payton Wilson lights up the 40-yard. Wilson was a wildly productive five-year player at North Carolina State and is coming off a dominant 2023 season that saw him record 138 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, three interceptions and a defensive touchdown.
That production alone will put him on the map for NFL executives.
Then he went out and turned in a 4.4 40-yard dash time that was tops on the day.
5. Dallas Turner puts on a show. Turner is the type of player the combine is made for. Not only was he a productive player at an NCAA powerhouse (Alabama), but he also crushed every single workout, including a 40.5-inch vertical leap and a 4.47 40-yard dash.
Just for comparisons sake, that 40-yard time would have seen him outrun past Crimson Tide alum (and NFL superstars) quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Derrick Henry.
6. Brock Bowers unsure if he will run at combine. The Georgia tight end is not only the top player in the 2024 class at his position, but he is expected to be one of the top players taken in the draft. Even though Friday is the day tight ends actually get on the field to start doing workouts, they spoke on Thursday. Along with saying he would like to bulk up more this offseason, he is unsure if he will run or work out on Friday. He said if he does not, then he definitely will at Georgia's pro day.
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