INDIANAPOLIS -- Friday at the 2019 NFL Combine started bright and early with the defensive linemen, edge rushers, and linebackers weighing in.
While we shouldn't glean too much from these figures, they're helpful in determining physical advantages or disadvantages players will have on Sundays at the NFL level.
Here are our takeaways about what this all means.
Notable EDGE measurements
| PLAYER | HEIGHT | WEIGHT (LBS) | ARM LENGTH | WINGSPAN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Bosa | 6'3-6/8" | 266 | 33" | 77 7/8" |
| Clelin Ferrell | 6'4-3/8" | 264 | 34 1/8" | 82 3/8" |
| Jachai Polite | 6'2-5/8" | 258 | 32 5/8" | 80 2/8" |
| Brian Burns | 6'4-6/8" | 249 | 33 7/8" | 84 5/8" |
| Zach Allen | 6'4-1/8" | 281 | 34 6/8" | 79 7/8" |
| Josh Allen | 6'4-7/8" | 262 | 33 4/8" | 80 4/8" |
| Rashan Gary | 6'4-3/8" | 277 | 34 1/8" | 81 7/8" |
| Carl Granderson | 6'4-6/8" | 254 | 34" | 81 7/8 |
| Charles Omenihu | 6'5-3/8" | 280 | 36" | 85 4/8" |
| Montez Sweat | 6'5-6/8" | 260 | 35 6/8" | 84 6/8" |
| Oshane Ximines | 6'3-4/8" | 253 | 33" | 78 5/8" |
| Anthony Nelson | 6'7" | 271 | 34 7/8" | 83" |
| L.J. Collier | 6'2-2/8" | 283 | 34" | 81" |
| Ben Banogu | 6'3-4/8" | 250 | 33 5/8" | 80 4/8" |
| Chase Winovich | 6'2-6/8" | 256 | 32 6/8" | 78 4/8" |
| Darryl Johnson | 6'6" | 253 | 33 7/8" | 77 7/8" |
| Christian Miller | 6'3-3/8" | 247 | 35 1/8" | 82 2/8" |
EDGE winners
Charles Omenihu, Texas. Omenihu is impossibly, unfathomably long. At just under 6-foot-6 (and 280 pounds) with 36-inch arms and a wingspan over 85 1/2 inches, he's like parking a crane on the edge of your defensive line. Montez Sweat from Mississippi State was slightly taller than Omenihu and ridiculously long as well with 35 5/8-inch arms and a 84 3/4-inch wingspan. But Omenihu stands alone as half-man, half-pterodactyl.
Brian Burns, Florida State. There were rumblings Burns would weigh in somewhere in the 230s, a development that would've raised red flags as someone without the bulk to hold up on the edge at the NFL level. To nearly hit the 250-pound mark is an enormous win for the Seminoles star with immense talent and loads of length.
Christian Miller, Alabama. While not a full-time player at Alabama during his senior year, Miller made the most of his chances to rush the passer. He utilizes an amazing straight arm and has the ability to either push the offensive tackle back into the quarterback with that move alone or counter off it. And that could maneuver could very well translate to the next level, given Miller's length. His 35 1/8-inch arms are monstrous, as is his 82 1/4-inch wingspan.
Jachai Polite, Florida. Watching Polite during his tenure at Florida, you think he'd be an edge rusher who'd weigh between 240 and 250 pounds. That thought, coupled with the fact that he was mainly used as a pass rusher, only could conceivably push the super-talented and adequately refined Polite down into the middle or late portions of Round 1. Weighing in close to 260 at nearly 6-foot-3 provides a better physical profile to set the edge, thereby raising his value.
EDGE losers
Nick Bosa, Ohio State. Bosa's length -- 33-inch arms and 77 7/8-inch wingspan -- simply did not stack up to other top edge rushers like Josh Allen, Clelin Ferrell, Montez Sweat, and Jachai Polite. Not a crushing blow to his draft stock, of course. Certainly not a win though.
Notable DL measurements
| PLAYER | HEIGHT | WEIGHT (LBS) | ARM LENGTH | WINGSPAN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ed Oliver | 6'1-7/8" | 287 | 31 6/8" | 77 3/8" |
| Quinnen Williams | 6'3" | 303 | 33 2/8" | 80 2/8" |
| Dexter Lawrence | 6'4-4/8" | 342 | 34 6/8" | 80 2/8" |
| Christian Wilkins | 6'3-2/8" | 315 | 32 4/8" | 78 7/8" |
| Dre'Mont Jones | 6'2-6/8" | 281 | 33 6/8" | 80 5/8" |
| Daylon Mack | 6'1" | 336 | 31 2/8" | 76 4/8" |
| Jerry Tillery | 6'6-4/8" | 295 | 34 1/8" | 81 7/8" |
| Renell Wren | 6'4-7/8" | 318 | 33 7/8" | 81 6/8" |
| Gerald Willis | 6'1-6/8" | 302 | 33" | 76 4/8" |
| Khalen Saunders | 6'0-3/8" | 324 | 32 2/8" | 78 3/8" |
DL Winners
Ed Oliver, Houston. Heading into the combine, there were rumblings about Oliver potentially weighing in under 280 pounds. Those rumblings were wrong. While most expected him to have shorter arms than most defensive tackles, being nearly 6-foot-2 and 287 pounds means he has a nearly identical frame to Aaron Donald who was just under 6-1 and 285 pounds at the 2014 combine.
Dre'Mont Jones, Ohio State. The loose-hipped, pass-rushing extraordinaire from Columbus, Ohio exhibited tentacles for arms with a 80 5/8-inch wingspan. At close to 6-foot-3 and 281 pounds, he has room to add a little weight to his frame too.
Christian Wilkins, Clemson. Wilkins' greatest strength is his versatility. He played everywhere and held down essentially every role for Clemson during his illustrious career with the Tigers. His weigh-in projects well to any of the interior spots.
DL Losers
Gerald Willis, Miami. One of the best block-shedding run defenders at the position in this class, Willis didn't do himself any favors this morning before his workout in a few days His 76 1/2-inch wingspan was one of the shortest among defensive tackles.
Notable LB measurements
| PLAYER | HEIGHT | WEIGHT (LBS) | ARM LENGTH | WINGSPAN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devin White | 6'0" | 237 | 32 1/8" | 75 7/8" |
| Devin Bush | 5'11' | 234 | 32" | 76 4/8" |
| Mack Wilson | 6'1-1/8" | 240 | 32 3/8" | 75 7/8" |
| Terrill Hanks | 6'2" | 242 | 33 4/8" | 80 1/8" |
| Blake Cashman | 6'2-6/8" | 281 | 33 4/8" | 80 5/8" |
| Te'von Coney | 6'0-7/8" | 234 | 32 7/8" | 78 2/8" |
| Bobby Okereke | 6'1-3/8" | 239 | 34 4/8" | 82 5/8" |
| T.J. Edwards | 6'0-3/8" | 230 | 31 2/8" | 75 1/8" |
| Germaine Pratt | 6'2-4/8" | 240 | 31 5/8" | 75 3/8" |
| Ben Burr-Kirven | 6'0" | 230 | 31 7/8" | 74 3/8" |
LB winners
Terrill Hanks, New Mexico State. Tackling radius. It's a thing for linebackers. And boy does Hanks have a large one at 6-foot-2 with an 80 1/8-inch wingspan. Already dubbed by some as the 2019 version of Darius Leonard, Hanks is trending toward being an early second-round pick.
Devin Bush, Michigan. Despite it being known he was a shorter-than-normal off-ball linebacker, now when you compare Bush's physical profile with Devin White -- his top competition to be the first linebacker off the board -- the Michigan product comes out ahead in a key area. He was only an inch shorter than the LSU star and had a longer wingspan.
T.J. Edwards, Wisconsin. I thought the reliable, between-the-tackles thumper from Wisconsin would weigh in closer to 250 than 230. If he's shed weight for the combine to run faster ... smart move.
Bobby Okereke, Stanford. Another linebacker with a gargantuan tackling radius at nearly 6-foot-2 with a stupidly long wingspan of nearly 83 inches. It shows on film too.
LB losers
Mack Wilson, Alabama. Wilson looks effortless changing directions on the field but is lackadaisical too often for my liking and doesn't have significant range. Weighing in at just over 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds was a little on the heavier side and could hurt his 40 time. Also, he had one of the shortest wingspans of the off-ball linebacker group.
