2010 NFL Combine Top Performers on Defense

With another day completed at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, it is once again time to hand out some grades. Monday we watched the linebackers and the defensive line players take center stage. Of course the talk of the day was Gerald McCoy and Ndamukong Suh as the two big defensive tackles are possibly fighting over the top spot in the draft. However, there were some other notable performers on Monday at the NFL Combine.


Ndamukong Suh DT: Everyone knows what the big man from Nebraska is capable of, and Monday he solidified his spot at the top of the draft. He tested off the chart physically on Monday. He only reached top performer status in the Bench Press, but he proved he has great footwork and quick hands when moving through his agility skills. Combine that with some excellent interview sessions and Suh has locked himself in as the top choice on the Walker Sports Draft Board.

Gerald McCoy DT: The big man from Oklahoma was a little lackluster by our rankings, but that did not hurt his overall draft stock. The most glaring number associated with McCoy is 23, that is the number of reps he was able to put up on the Bench Press. Just to put that in perspective, there were five defensive backs who better that number. While brute strength isn't everything, 23 reps does show that McCoy may not have spent too much time in a weight room while at Oklahoma. The other issue was Gerald McCoy appeared to move a bit stiff in his agility test. he was bending and moving at the waist and not at his knees. Despite that he still posted good times in all of his test but these issues could be a slight concern for a NFL team. In the end Gerald McCoy is still just a small step behind Ndkamukong Suh on the Walker Sports Draft Board.

Jerry Hughes DE/OLB: Hughes improved his stock more than any other defensive player at Indy on Monday. The defensive end from TCU proved to scouts that he has top line speed when he ran a 4.6 second 40-yard dash. At 6'2 255 pounds there were concerns that Hughes would be too small to be an edge rusher in the NFL, but his fast 40 time proved he he has the speed to keep up. In addition he showed great fluidity in the open field when making adjustments in drills. He was able to come in and out of breaks with relative ease. He also put up 26 reps on the Bench Press thus proving his overall strength.

Sean Weatherspoon LB: This young man out of Missouri has seen his stock rise since he stepped foot on the practice field at the Senior Bowl a few weeks back, and thanks to a great showing on Monday he may have found his way into the first round of the draft. Weatherspoon is a 6'1 239 pound linebacker with exceptional speed. His 4.6 40 yard dash time proved his has the straight line speed to keep up in the NFL. In addition he also showed great lateral movement which is key for an aspiring NFL linebacker. Finally he ripped off 34 reps on the bench press which is very impressive for a man of his stature.