NFL
By: Randall Slifer
Combine is officially in full force in Indianapolis, and the defensive linemen and linebackers certainly set the tone of the week. The combine is not important to every player, but it can boost a player’s stock for those who need more exposure. Let’s take a look at some of the winners of the linebacker and defensive linemen day at the combine:
LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr – TCU
Kaleb Elarms-Orr was flying under the radar pre-combine as a potential mid-day 3 pick in the NFL draft. On tape, his motor was relentless, and his ability to play multiple spots at the linebacker position was very intriguing. Kaleb came and blew away the combine, running 2nd in the 40-yard dash at 4.47. He is also 3rd in the vertical and top 15 in the broad jump. Kaleb Elarms-Orr is a sound, technical linebacker, and now, with proof of his athleticism and speed, teams may be looking much earlier than mid-day 3.
DL Demonte Capehart – Clemson
Demonte Capehart has been floating around the NFL circles for the past two years. Many teams scouted the interior defensive linemen last year and decided to stay for another year. Aside from stellar measurements of almost 34-inch arms and over 10-inch hands, he ran a 4.85 forty-yard dash at 313 pounds! Capehart can stuff the run well on the interior, and teams will not be wondering if they can draft Capehart and use that speed and explosiveness in the pass rush as well. Expect Capehart to jump up a couple of rounds in the draft.
LB Kyle Louis – Pittsburgh
Kyle Louis had some question marks about the transition to the NFL when the collegiate season ended. Particularly, Louis being undersized at 6’0 220lb. He had a fantastic Senior Bowl, which made some teams willing to overlook his undersized frame and figure out where he could fit on the 53-man roster. Now, Louis was top 10 in the 40-yard dash and vertical. He had a great broad jump, which Louis left with a great overall score. Combining the Senior Bowl and the combine, NFL teams are not trying to figure out whether they should draft him, but where in the draft to take him.
Edge Malachi Lawrence – UCF
Malachi Lawrence has been lauded for his large frame coming from the Edge spot. At 6’4 and 253 pounds, he has a huge wingspan with almost 34-inch arms. What he showed this week is his explosiveness and speed. Lawrence’s 40-inch vertical and over 10-foot broad jump prove his explosion off the line of scrimmage, and the fact that he can beat tackles across the face quickly, and his length gets the quarterbacks down quickly. Talked about as a potential late-round 3 pick, he may make it to the top 60 picks.
LB Sonny Styles – Ohio State
Sonny Styles was seen as a bonafide 1st-round prospect before he entered the combine, but was still willing to run all the testing for NFL teams to see. A lot of bonafide 1st-round picks skip the combine because, when they are already sought after, anything you do will hurt your stock. Not Sonny Styles. At 6’5 and 244 pounds, Styles ran a 4.46, which is first for linebackers and edge. His explosive testing was off the charts with a staggering 43.50-inch vertical and over an 11-foot broad jump. Sonny Styles may have earned the most money on linebacker and edge day because he may have just gone from the 15th pick to the 5th pick. As a linebacker, a top 5 pick is an outlier, and Sonny Styles is in fact an outlier.
Who were your winners of the Combine on Thursday? Let me know your thoughts here or reach out to me on Twitter @RandallSlifer.
