5 Defensive Players to Watch at the NFL Combine

These 5 defensive NFL Draft Prospects could make a big splash at the NFL Combine next week.

The NFL Combine is one of the craziest times of the NFL calendar and it’s set to kick off on Monday, February 26th. It’s a hilariously large spectacle that has the absolute least to do with actual football but occupies so much narrative and impact on the players, fans, and teams in regards to the NFL Draft.

Players will begin reporting on Monday and will begin interviewing with teams, going through medical checks, and weighing in. This is the meat and potatoes of the NFL Combine for the actual teams making decisions - as well as baseline testing - but that’s not what gets us as fans excited. It’s not what the prospects spend months preparing for.

That would be the on field workouts that start on Thursday - February 29th - for the defensive front seven followed by the defensive backs (and tight ends??) on Friday. Every year there are a few guys who make huge jumps thanks to great weeks at the Combine, look at guys like Lukas Van Ness, YaYa Diaby, and Deonte Banks just last year.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some defensive players who could boost their stock this year at the NFL Combine.

5 Defenders to Watch at the NFL Combine

1. Byron Murphy | DT | Texas

   Listed at 6’1” 308lbs, the first test for Byron Murphy is going to be showing up near those numbers. His weight shouldn’t be too much of a concern because he’s such a dynamic mover but clearing 6’ and having adequate arm length would be a huge step in pushing his name up to the top of the first round.