2015 NFL Combine: DT Workout Analysis

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Michael Bennett, Ohio State 6-2, 293
What He Needed To Prove In Indy: He has to be really, really quick. He’s not big enough, and he’s not bulky enough, so he has to make his money with the short and agility drills. He can be a dangerous interior pass rusher, but after a bit of a disappointing year after looking like a world-beater in 2013, he has to somehow prove that he’s not slopping.
Key To The Workout: He checked in a bit bigger than expected, and he was great with the media and supposedly in the interview process. A groin problem kept him from working out or running.

Xavier Cooper, Washington State 6-3, 293
What He Needed To Prove In Indy: Can he look the part? He doesn’t really have the right body and the right appearance of an NFL defensive tackle, but he can move and he’s athletic. Raw strength has to be shown off – he needs a good bench press – and he has to look relatively powerful.
Key To The Workout: Under-the-radar fantastic. For all the question marks about his strength and power, the 29 reps on the bench helped, and he moved really, really well. The 4.86 40 was outstanding and he moved like an outside linebacker more than a defensive tackle. He was expected to be athletic, though, but he also showed that he doesn’t quite have the right body type

Gabe Wright, Auburn 6-3, 300
What He Needed To Prove In Indy: Can he overcome the lack of massive bulk? He’s not a strong interior presence, and he’s coming off a shockingly mediocre season, but when he’s on, he looks like a potentially dangerous pass rushing force. He might be just a part of a puzzle and rotation, but he has to get past his issues by being more athletic than anyone else.
Key To The Workout: Excellent. Quick enough through the short drills and fast enough in the 40 with a 5.07, he did his job to keep on moving despite packing on around 15 pounds of bulk. The 34 reps on the bench were the key, showing off the raw strength to potentially overcome the lack of size

Grady Jarrett, Clemson 6-1, 304
What He Needed To Prove In Indy: Purely a nose tackle, he’s not quite big enough to be an anchor and he’s not quite athletic enough to move. For him, the bench matters. He has enough talent and skill to be a factor, but the more explosion he can show, and the more physical he can be, the better.
Key To The Workout: Bigger than expected, it was a good overall workout at his larger size. He ran well with a solid 5.06 40, and he showed off nice pop in the jumping drills. He showed off a burst, and he moved just well enough to suggest that he could be more than just a nose tackle. The 30 reps on the bench helped his cause

Derrick Lott, Tennessee-Chattanooga 6-4, 314
What He Needed To Prove In Indy: Is he just coming into his own or was he only great because he dropped a level? He wasn’t quite cut out for Georgia early on and ended up at UT-Chattanooga, where he was fantastic. He has the size and he has the quickness, and now he has to look like he belongs with the big boys.
Key To The Workout: Wow. Really, wow. Not only did he had ten pounds to his frame, but he carried it well and was stunning in the 40 with a 4.99. The 30 reps on the bench and the good hips through the short drills raised the bar – he’s too intruiging not to get even more of a look now.
 
xavier cooper and gabe wright reaaly interest me,i hope they get a VR visit.
 
Cooper could fall at bit because he had really short arms.
Don't we hate guys with short arms though?

I feel like I remember reading that at some point in the past.
 
Yes,I noticed that.he might fall but I don't think it makes a huge difference to guys playing inside.

I don't think it's a big problem for a DT in Marinelli's scheme, but it will tend to push the player down the draft board because some teams (definitely 3-4 teams) will not draft short armed players.
 
Cooper & Jarrett had really good workouts. As a baseline, here are Leonard Williams numbers along with Cooper & Jarrett's (using 10 yards splits instead of 40 times).....

(Leonard Williams)
1.73 10-yard
29 1/2 vert.
8'10" broad
4.53 shuttle
7.59 3 cone
DNP bench

(Grady Jarrett)
1.69 10-yard
31" vert.
9'4" broad
4.56 shuttle
7.37 3 cone
30 reps @ 225

(Xavier Cooper)
1.67 10-yard
29" vert.
9'2" broad
4.37 shuttle
7.23 3 cone
29 reps @ 225
 

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