2024 NFL Scouting Combine: Top Draft Takeaways from DL & LB On-Field Workouts

It's not really NFL draft SZN until the first 40-yard dashes are timed.

Well, the initial runs for the 2024 NFL draft class are officially the books, and they're glorious. Oh yeah!

Defensive linemen and linebackers took the field Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and worked out in front of scouts, general managers and NFL decision-makers.

The amount of athleticism in those position groups turned out to be quite impressive, even if they don't headline the incoming draft class. That's particularly true at linebacker, which is viewed as arguably the weakest position.

But those concerns tend to be forgotten within the 4.43 seconds it took North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson to run his first 40.

Bleacher Report's Matt Holder was on site to break down Thursday's workouts. Here, he highlighted four prospects at defensive tackle, edge and linebacker who either impressed or fell short of expectations.

Braden Fiske, Florida State

Fiske was the biggest winner among the defensive tackles, leading the position group with a 4.78-second 40-yard dash, 33.5-inch vertical and a 9'9" broad jump. He even ranked third with a 1.68-second 10-yard split.

During the untimed drills, Fiske was a smooth mover and showed off some quickness. He continues to build on a successful predraft process coming off the Senior Bowl to work his way up draft boards.

Byron Murphy II, Texas

One of the top defensive tackles heading into the combine, Murphy continued to bolster his resume in Indianapolis. He posted a good 40 time at 4.87 seconds with a 1.69-second 10-yard split. That ranked third and fourth at the position, respectively.

Murphy II also corned really well in the pass-rush drill and showed off some impressive movement skills for his size (6'0½", 297 lbs).

Brandon Dorlus, Oregon

After putting on some weight from the Senior Bowl, Dorlus still posted good times, highlighted by an official 4.85-second 40 that was tied for second among defensive tackles.

He's still a bit of a tweener body type whose best position in the NFL is a bit of a mystery. But Dorlus did what he needed to do by showing off some athleticism.

Leonard Taylor III, Miami

One of Taylor's biggest strengths on film was his get-off. However, he posted a 1.76-second 10-yard split, which ranked 11th among the defensive tackles.

His effort turned out to be rather underwhelming. He didn't show off the movement skills or prove to be the athlete he was once thought of, which will lead to another drop in the former Hurricane's grade.

Chop Robinson, Penn State

As expected, Chop Robinson dominated in the combine setting. As a prospect who flashed significant athletic traits on tape, this was his to own.

He didn't disappoint with a 4.48-second 40-yard time and a 1.54-second 10-yard split. Both of those numbers were the best among the edge-rusher group.

Robinson also posted a 10'8" broad jump that was tied for the top spot among edges. He has the physical profile that scouts will love and defensive line coaches will want to develop.

Jared Verse, Florida State

Verse might have surprised some people in Indianapolis since his athletic profile was a bit of question mark after transferring from the FCS level. But he registered some impressive numbers with a 4.58-second 40, 35-inch vertical and a 10'7" broad jump. The latter was tied for the third-best at his position and was only an inch off the top spot.

Verse solidified his status as the top edge defender on B/R's big board by outperforming UCLA's Laiatu Latu.

Bralen Trice, Washington

Conversely, Trice wasn't in a setting to truly succeed since his game tends to be predicated more on power and hustle. So, it wasn't unexpected that he didn't put up the greatest testing numbers and ran in the 4.7s.

However, a different cropped up when he weighed in at about 30 pounds lighter than his listed number at Washington yet still experienced issues with his movement skills. That became evident during a lot of the pass-rush drills while he was trying to corner.

Trice probably would have been better off sitting out this particular workout and letting his tape speak for itself.

Marshawn Kneeland, Western Michigan

Kneeland's movement skills and athleticism looked better than initially anticipated. He had the best short-shuttle and three-cone times among edges at 4.18 seconds and 7.02 seconds, respectively. Also, his jumps were impressive with a 35.5" vertical and 9'11" broad.

To really ram home how good of an athlete he is, Kneeland looked better in the untimed drills than expected. He did exactly what he needed to do to dispel narratives and force people to flip the tape back on for a rewatch.

Payton Wilson, North Carolina State

Wilson clearly emerged as the biggest winner among the linebackers, if not the entire day. He ran the fastest 40-yard dash at a blazing 4.43 seconds and posted a 34.5-inch vertical, with a 9'11" broad jump. He also had little to no hitches in the change-of-direction drills, proving to be a smooth mover with potential as a coverage linebacker.

The medicals are still the biggest part of Wilson's evaluation, but he crushed the on-field portion in Indianapolis.

Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M

Edgerrin Cooper was expected to have a good combine, and he delivered with a 4.51-second 40-yard-dash time, which tied for third among linebackers, and a 34.5-inch vertical jump. Additionally, he flew through the four-bag drill while looking smooth in his transitions.

Those last two points emerged as a constant theme throughout the positional drills. Cooper weighed in at 230 pounds, which is still on the lighter side, but it's heavier than what he was at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Trevin Wallace, Kentucky

While Wallace posted a good 40 time at 4.51 seconds, he struggled when having to change directions during untimed drills. He often had to take rounded turns and was slower when getting in and out of breaks.

Wallace's lateral movement skills looked decent on film, but his status may require a reevaluation after how he looked at the combine.

Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State

Watson generated some buzz at the end of the college football season with some impressive production numbers. However, he didn't show much explosion on tape, which became evident with poor explosive numbers during workouts, including a 9'3" broad jump and 31" vertical.

Those ranked second- and third-to-last, respectively, among the linebackers who tested.