Every year, the defensive linemen seem to get bigger and faster at the Combine. The start to Monday’s early workout was no exception.
West Virginia linebacker/defensive end Bruce Irvin ran an unofficial 4.43 forty at 245 pounds, although his long speed was not a surprise. He could be a situational pass rusher.
Perhaps more impressive: Clemson’s Andre Branch ran a 4.62 with a 1.56 ten-yard split. At defensive end, the early split is a better sign of the player’s explosiveness. Branch could be a late first or second round pick.
The big names at the position did not disappoint. South Carolina’s Melvin Ingram ran a 4.66 and North Carolina’s Quinton Coples ran a 4.72 at 284 pounds. That’s ridiculous. Coples also ranked in the top-five defensive linemen among his in his ten-yard split.