JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The NFL combine is officially underway. On Thursday, defensive linemen and linebackers took the field for workouts. The Jaguars should be keeping a close eye on the defensive tackles and edge players. There were a few players who stole the show.
Defensive Tackle:
Braden Fiske
40-yard Dash: 4.78
10-yard split: 1.68
Vertical Jump: 33.5″
Broad Jump: 9-9
20-yard shuffle: 4.37
The biggest riser of the combine so far is Fiske. He stole the show on Thursday. The former Florida State Seminole showed some elite athletic ability and Fiske’s stock is soaring. He had a good week in the Senior Bowl, too. Now, with this sort of combine performance, Fiske may have worked is way in the Day 2 conversation. The Jaguars need to boost their interior pass rush and Fiske definitely would fit that role. He reminds me a little bit of Brian Young. That name is a blast from the past he was in the NFL from 2000 to 2008 and was never really a star but he was a good starter for the Rams and Saints.
Byron Murphy II
40-yard Dash: 4.87
10-yard split: 1.69
Vertical Jump: 33″
Broad Jump: 9′3″
There were a lot of eyes watching Murphy and he didn’t disappoint. If the Jaguars want to go defensive tackle in the first round Murphy could be the way to go. He showed off the agility that made him such a force at Texas and is considered by many the top defensive tackle in this year’s draft class, so he may not be on the board for the Jags at 17.
Edge:
Chop Robinson
40-yard Dash: 4.48
10-yard split: 1.54
Vertical Jump: 34.5
Broad Jump: 10-8
20-yard shuffle: 4.25
When the combine number come in as comparable to Micah Parsons, that is elite company. Robinson was expected to test well and he may have even exceeded those expectations. He is an elite athlete who didn’t have elite production in college. That won’t scare teams away. When it comes to edge players, history says that elite athletes are the most likely to find success in the NFL. Robinson checks that box. He will most likely hear his name called in the first round of the draft. If contract negations with Josh Allen go sideways and the Jags want to draft his replacement, Robinson would be a good option.
Jared Verse
40-yard Dash: 4.58
10-yard split: 1.6
Vertical Jump: 35″
Broad Jump: 10-7
20-yard shuffle: 4.44
How can you not love this guy? His story is fantastic. He started his college career at Buffalo. During the COVID-19 lockdown Verse’s dad built a small gym at their house and he gained 50 pounds. Then, boom, he was at Florida State, and now he is going to be a first-round pick. Verse’s numbers put him in pretty good company as they are pretty similar to Texans star Will Anderson. Verse was a topic in the News4JAGs podcast. He is one of the elite players that could slide to the Jaguars at 17. While edge isn’t a need, is he too good to pass up?