2012 NFL Scouting Combine Notes: Group Eight - Defensive Line

Feb 27, 2012, 6:38 PM UTC

If you missed them, check out my notes from group seven this morning. Otherwise, lets get straight onto group eight.

If Melvin Ingram stole the show in group seven, Dontari Poe from Memphis took it in group eight. Poe is a 6'4", 346lbs nose/defensive tackle prospect who blew it up today. He unofficially ran a 4.87 40 yard dash n his first attempt, and had a 1.69 10 yard split on his second attempt. For some perspective on that, Alameda Ta'amu, the other nose tackle prospect at 348lbs ran a 5.34, which is normally considered very good for someone of that size. There will be linebackers who are 100lbs lighter than Poe that will run slower than him. But it wasn't just the 40 time that was impressive. Poe had great feet hopping over the bags, with slightly stiff hips weaving in between them.
Ta'amu himself had a solid day. He had a good punch, but kept his eyes down looking at where he was going when he was weaving between the bags. As I said this morning, in the NFL you have to be able to sense the trash at your feet and keep your eyes up otherwise you will be easily blocked.

A prospect that will be a second or third rounder who I really like is Brandon Thompson from Clemson. I think he could play defensive end in a 3-4 or defensive tackle in the 4-3. He's 6'2", 314lbs and looked in really good shape. He excelled with his footwork hopping over the bags and kept his eyes up weaving in between them. I like him best as a 3-4 defensive end and then he'll be a really good pro for a long time.

Nick Perry looked very lean. The USC defensive end is 271lbs and looks like he has no fat on him. He had a 10 yard split of 1.57 unofficially. That would be a lot quicker than the average for defensive ends last year which I believe (though not completely sure) Mike Mayock said was 1.78. He had stiff hips in the bag drills and to me is starting to look more like a 4-3 end than a 3-4 outside linebacker.

Kendall Reyes is a guy that could sneak into the bottom of the first or early second round. He should be a 3-4 defensive end, standing at 6'41/8", 299lbs. He has long 33" arms and ran a 4.79 unofficial 40. He was another guy who did really well with his footwork and hips in the hopping and weaving drills. Whitney Mercilus was also one of those guys.

I’m hoping to be back later with some notes from the linebackers.

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