2018 Al Davis Memorial All-Combine Freak Team: Defense

Detailing the top athletic performances in this year’s NFL Scouting Combine, now we take a look at the defensive side of the ball for this year’s Al Davis Memorial All-Combine Freak Team.

Defensive line

NT Vita Vea, Washington

You won’t find a larger player on the field than Vea. And despite his considerable size, he ran a 5.1 40 yard dash. That would have been good for 7th among offensive linemen, none of whom come within twenty pounds of Vea’s 347-pound frame. Vea also put up 41 reps on the bench press, just one rep below Harrison Phillips.

DT Taven Bryan, Florida

Bryan’s numbers are downright silly for a man his size. His 9’11” broad jump was the longest ever for a DT and his 35-inch vertical is 8th highest. The 6-5, 291-pounder ran a sub 5.0 40 (4.98) along with the fastest 3-cone (7.12), and fastest 20-yard shuttle (4.48). His 30 reps on the bench press was 7th most.

DE Ade Aruna, Tulane

His broad jump of 10’8” was not only a solid four inches longer than any other DL at this combine, it is the fourth longest by a defensive lineman the past ten years. His combine high vertical jump (38.5) among defensive lineman was equally impressive and also considerably better than the field. That 38.5 jump is 10th highest among defensive linemen the past ten years.

Edge

Leon Jacobs, Wisconsin

His 4.48 40-yard dash is the fastest at this year’s combine is the fourth fastest among edge defenders the past ten years. And just to prove his strength isn’t just in his lower body, he had the 4th most reps on the bench press (26) among edge defenders.

Josh Sweat, Florida State

His 39.5 vertical jump was highest among all edge defenders and the fourth highest ever. He had the third fastest 40 (4.53), second longest broad jump (10’4”) and 5th fastest 20-yard shuttle (4.28).

Lorenzo Carter, Georgia

His 10’10” broad jump was BY FAR the longest among edge defenders at this combine. Longer than Sweat’s second longest by six inches and the second longest at the combine ever. He also had the third highest vertical jump (36.0)

Linebacker

Oren Burks, Vanderbilt

It was Shaquem Griffin with the fastest 40 (4.38) and Roquan Smith right behind him (4.51). But Griffin only participated in two on-field drills and Smith only ran the 40. So, who really knows what they might’ve done otherwise. The guy who consistently shows up among the top performers in every workout is Burks. He had the longest broad jump (10’11”) among linebackers, the second highest vertical (39.5), second fastest 20-yard shuttle (4.15), third fastest 3-cone (6.82), and 7th fastest 40 (4.59). Impressive overall performance.

Cornerbacks

Denzel Ward, Ohio State

For Al Davis and cornerbacks the 40 time was everything. Ward had the combine’s fastest 40-yard-dash time of 4.32, tied for the 4th fastest among defensive backs in the past ten years. He also had the longest broad jump (11’4”) which is tied for the second longest in the past ten years. His 39.0 vertical jump is second among DB’s at this combine. He also put up 16 reps on the bench press, good for 8th most among DB’s.

Jaire Alexander, Louisville

Though his 40-yard-dash was 6th among DB’s at this combine, it was still sub-4.4 (4.38). He also had the 3rd fastest 20-yard shuttle (3.98), 4th longest broad jump (10’7”), and 5th fastest 3-cone (6.71).

Safeties

Troy Apke, Penn State

His 4.34 40-yard-dash is the best among safeties at this year’s combine and the best at the combine in at least ten years. He also had the fastest 3-cone (6.56), and fastest 20-yard shuttle (4.03). He had the 3rd highest vertical jump (41.0), and 4th longest broad jump (10’11”).

Justin Reid, Stanford

Though Reid didn’t have the absolute best numbers in any event, he was among the top five in just about every event. His 4.4 40 was second fastest, 6.65 3-cone and 4.15 20-yard shuttle are both third fastest, and 10’8” broad jump was 5th longest.

See the All-Combine Offensive team