2014 NFL Combine Field Drills Recap: Defensive Linemen

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This is the 2014 NFL Combine Field Drills Recap for the defensive linemen. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.


2014 NFL Combine: Field Drills Recap – Defensive Linemen
By Charlie Campbell – @draftcampbell

  • The average 40 time for defensive ends in 2013 was 4.77.

  • South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney illustrated why he is such a physical freak and why he is rated at the top of the draft. As expected, Clowney had a great workout at the Combine. He ran the 40 in a stunning 4.47 seconds unofficially with a 10-yard split of 1.56 seconds. His official time was 4.53. Clowney decided to skip the field drills because he claimed to have tweaked his hip flexor and planned on doing the position drills at this pro day. He did a vertical leap of 37.5 and the broad jump of 10.4. Those were the second-best marks for each category. Clowney did what he needed at the Combine, but left behind a bit of an incomplete feeling.

  • Almost as freakish as Clowney was the Combine performance of Pitt defensive tackle Aaron Donald. The 6-foot-1, 285-pounder blazed a fast 40 with an unofficial time of 4.65 with a 10-yard split of 1.59 seconds. His official time was 4.68, so Donald was tremendous. In the field work and bag drills, Donald continued to excel with his burst, athleticism and strength. Donald was also second among the defensive linemen in the bench press. After a great Senior Bowl, Donald had a superb Combine and has continued his phenomenal draft season.

  • Minnesota defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman had an impressive Combine. The 6-foot-6, 310-pounder ran the 40 at 5.02 officially. Hageman looked good in bags and field work. Hageman showed a little stiffness, but considering how big he is, he moved well around the cones. He also did well in the bench press and showed excellent numbers to be a 3-4 defensive end.

  • Florida State defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan is another first-round prospect who put his athletic ability on display. Jernigan’s 40 came in at 5.06 with a 10-yard split of 1.72. Jernigan looked good in the bag drills and was fast around the cones in the field drills. He confirmed his first-round skill set at the Combine.



  • Missouri defensive end Kony Ealy had a mixed performance at the Combine. His 40 time wasn’t anything impressive of 4.92 seconds. However, Ealy did well in the field drills and showed some athleticism with a burst while moving through the pads and cones. Ealy didn’t damage his stock or help it significantly at the Combine.

  • Similar to Ealy, Oregon State defensive end Scott Crichton (6-3, 273) didn’t wow in the 40 with a time of 4.84 and a 10-yard split of 1.62. However, Crichton impressed in the bag drills and showed some hip flexibility to get turned to the quarterback. Crichton looks steady as a late first-rounder or early second-round pick.

  • Notre Dame defensive tackle Louis Nix (6-2, 331) moved well for a heavy defensive tackle. His 40 time was 5.42, but his 1.85 time in the first 10 yards was pretty good for a heavy nose tackle. Nix performed well in the field drills and moved solidly for a big man. He has rare agility and athleticism for a lineman that big.

  • Texas defensive end/outside linebacker Jackson Jeffcoat had an impressive 40 time at 4.63. Jeffcoat (6-3, 247) is a tweener linebacker and end. He doesn’t have the size for end and lacks the athleticism for linebacker. However, that fast 40 time gives teams something to think about. Jeffcoat could be a developmental project for day three.



  • LSU defensive tackle Anthony Johnson did well in the bag drills and around the cones. Johnson’s time in the 40 didn’t impress at 5.24, but he showed his athletic ability on the field. Johnson has a skill set but needs to land with good coaching to pan out.

  • Boise State defensive end/outside linebacker Demarcus Lawrence (6-3, 251) didn’t run well with a 40 time of 4.80. That was a below average time, and Lawrence is undersized so he should be faster than the average. Lawrence performed better in the field work, but considering he is expected to be a speed rushing edge rusher Lawrence didn’t help his cause at the Combine.

  • Some notable defensive linemen didn’t participate in the 40 or field drills. That group included Notre Dame defensive end Stephon Tuitt, South Florida defensive end Aaron Lynch, Alabama defensive end Ed Stinson, Alabama defensive end Jeoffrey Pagan, Tennessee defensive tackle Daniel McCullers, Oregon defensive end Taylor Hart, Auburn defensive end Dee Ford, Florida defensive end Dominique Easley and LSU defensive tackle Ego Ferguson. The majority of them have a medical issue that held them out.



    Back to the 2014 NFL Draft Scouting Combine Page.



    2014 NFL Combine Results - Weigh-Ins and 40 Times:
    QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | DB

    2014 NFL Combine Stock Report:
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    2014 NFL Combine Field Drills Recap:
    QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB | DB

    2014 NFL Combine Bench Recap:
    RB | TE | OL | DL | LB | DB

    2014 NFL Combine Weigh-In Recap:
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    NFL Combine Rumors by Tony Pauline








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