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2023 NFL Scouting Combine results: Defensive linemen and linebackers

The 2023 NFL Combine is underway. The first groups have completed their weigh-ins, measurements, and drills. Here are those results.

NFL Combine Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is underway this week. On Thursday, defensive lineman and linebackers all arrived to go through weigh-ins, measurements, and football drills. Then on Friday, they wrapped it up with bench press.

You can watch the NFL Combine on NFL Network to keep up on this all-important annual scouting event. For the full schedule of events for each group, check out our NFL Combine Schedule.

Before we get into the results from the defensive line and linebacker groups, keep this tweet in mind as a helpful tool to compare to for each position.

For the purpose of this post, keep a keen eye on the DT, De, ILB, and OLB columns from the above chart.

In searching for the best combine results to review the weigh-in and results from the NFL Combine, I found a pretty good sorting table from Walter Football. Below is just the raw data, but no sorting for the results from both the defensive line and linebacker groups.

Defensive Line - 2023 NFL Combine

School Player Hght Wght Off. 40 10-Yd Split Bench 3-cone Vert Broad Hand Arm
School Player Hght Wght Off. 40 10-Yd Split Bench 3-cone Vert Broad Hand Arm
Northwestern Adetomiwa Adebawore 6'2 282 4.49 1.61 27 -- 37.5 10-5 10.5 33.88
Iowa State MJ Anderson 6'2 269 -- -- -- -- 33 -- 9.25 33.09
Wisconsin Keeanu Benton 6'3 312 5.08 1.79 25 7.34 29.5 9-3 9.75 33.88
Clemson Bryan Bresee 6'5 305 4.86 1.71 22 -- 29 -- 10.25 32.5
Georgia Jalen Carter 6'3 314 -- -- -- -- -- -- 10.25 33.5
Coastal Carolina Jerrod Clark 6'3 343 5.25 1.82 -- 7.6 27.5 8-6 9.75 33.75
Texas Keondre Coburn 6'1 344 5.22 1.82 24 -- 27.5 8-5 9.13 31.5
Alabama DJ Dale 6'1 302 5.26 1.81 -- 7.69 25.5 8-2 9.75 32.88
Florida Gervon Dexter 6'6 312 4.88 1.75 22 7.5 31 9-2 9.5 32.25
Louisville YaYa Diaby 6'3 263 4.51 1.56 -- -- 37 10-0 10.38 33.88
Rice Ikenna Enechukwu 6'4 264 4.7 1.66 -- -- 31.5 10-0 9.63 33.63
San Jose State Viliami Fehoko Jr. 6'4 276 -- -- 24 -- -- -- 9 33
Baylor Siaki Ika 6'4 358 5.39 1.88 -- 7.8 -- -- 10.25 32.38
Pittsburgh Calijah Kancey 6'0 281 4.67 1.64 -- -- -- -- 9.13 30.63
Oklahoma State Tyler Lacy 6'4 279 5.11 1.72 30 7.6 28.5 9-8 10.88 33.25
Missouri Isaiah McGuire 6'4 268 4.76 1.72 -- 7.39 36.5 10-2 8.63 33.88
Michigan Mike Morris 6'5 275 4.95 1.72 22 -- 28.5 9-2 10 33.5
Penn State PJ Mustipher 6'4 320 5.41 1.88 19 8.01 27.5 8-0 9 32.75
Texas Moro Ojomo 6'3 292 5.04 1.77 29 -- 33 9-4 10.38 34.5
South Carolina Zacch Pickens 6'4 300 4.89 1.74 22 7.45 30.5 9-8 10.38 34.38
Oklahoma Jalen Redmond 6'2 291 4.81 1.71 27 7.3 34.5 9-8 10.13 32.63
LSU Jaquelin Roy 6'3 305 -- -- 30 8.01 -- -- 10.13 32.75
Arizona State Nesta Jade Silvera 6'2 304 5.16 1.77 -- -- 29.5 9-2 9.88 32.88
Michigan Mazi Smith 6'3 323 -- -- 34 -- -- -- 9.75 33.75
West Virginia Dante Stills 6'4 286 4.85 1.72 20 7.38 28.5 9-5 9.63 32.38
Auburn Colby Wooden 6'4 273 4.79 1.68 23 -- -- 9-7 10.38 33.75
Alabama Byron Young 6'3 294 -- -- 24 7.68 26 9-0 11 34.38
Mississippi State Cameron Young 6'3 304 5.1 1.8 -- -- -- -- 10 34.5

Since the Denver Broncos don’t pick until the third round, I asked one of our resident draft experts, Chris, to highlight a few defensive line players that might be a guy the Broncos could look at later in the draft. He noted both Colby Wooden out of Auburn and Keeanu Benton out of Wisconsin as potential options for Denver.

Colby Wooden

Auburn’s Colby Wooden would make a great developmental replacement for Dre’Mont Jones if the Broncos aren’t able to retain him. He had an incredible workout at Indianapolis and scored some of the highest marks for DL across the board in testing. Projected as a Day 2 selection, Wooden’s workout might end up putting him out of the Broncos reach, but this year’s DL and EDGE depth might keep him available at the top of the third round.

Keeanu Benton

Keeanu Benton had himself a great workout at the combine and solidified himself as a Day 2 selection with a solid workout. According to Kent Lee Plate, Benton’s RAS score was 8.03. The Wisconsin Badger who is one of the strongest players at the point of attack in this year’s draft projects to be a 0/1T defensive lineman at the next level. While it’s certainly possible he can rise up into the second round, there is a decent shot he is available at one of Denver’s back-to-back third-round selections.

Linebacker - 2023 NFL Combine

Player School Hght Wght Off. 40 10-Yd Split Bench 3-cone Vert Broad Hand Arm
Player School Hght Wght Off. 40 10-Yd Split Bench 3-cone Vert Broad Hand Arm
Yasir Abdullah Louisville 6'1 237 4.47 1.56 -- -- 36.5 10-9 9.25 32.38
Will Anderson Alabama 6'4 253 4.6 1.61 -- -- -- -- 9.88 33.88
Felix Anudike-Uzomah Kansas State 6'3 255 -- -- -- -- -- -- 9.63 33.5
Habakkuk Baldonado Pittsburgh 6'4 251 4.78 1.67 21 7.11 35 10-0 10.5 33
Jeremy Banks Tennessee 6'1 232 4.53 1.56 25 -- 37.5 10-6 9.5 32
Micah Baskerville LSU 6'1 221 -- -- -- -- 31 9-7 9.63 31.25
Robert Beal Georgia 6'4 247 4.48 1.62 -- -- 30 10-3 10.13 34.63
Jack Campbell Iowa 6'5 249 4.65 1.59 -- -- 37.5 10-8 10.25 31.88
Andre Carter II Army 6'7 256 -- -- 11 -- -- -- 9.38 33.08
Brenton Cox Florida 6'4 250 4.82 1.65 24 -- 33 9-7 9.25 33.13
SirVocea Dennis Pittsburgh 6'1 226 -- -- 19 -- -- -- 10.63 32.88
Isaiah Foskey Notre Dame 6'5 264 4.58 1.66 22 7.28 34 10-5 9.88 34
Ali Gaye LSU 6'6 263 -- -- -- -- -- -- 9.5 34.25
Jalen Graham Purdue 6'2 220 4.64 1.68 -- -- 30.5 9-4 9.88 33
Derick Hall Auburn 6'3 254 4.55 1.59 -- -- -- -- 10 34.5
Nick Hampton Appalachian State 6'2 236 4.58 1.65 -- -- 35.5 10-0 9.5 33.63
Zach Harrison Ohio State 6'6 274 -- -- 25 -- -- -- 10 36.25
Daiyan Henley Washington State 6'2 225 4.54 1.55 -- -- 35 10-5 9.5 33
KJ Henry Clemson 6'4 251 4.63 1.65 -- -- 31.5 9-4 10 33
Nick Herbig Wisconsin 6'2 240 4.65 1.59 25 -- -- -- 9.25 31.25
Shaka Heyward Duke 6'3 235 4.53 1.54 22 -- 31 9-8 9.5 34
Dylan Horton TCU 6'4 257 -- -- 18 -- 34 10-0 9.5 33.13
Thomas Incoom Central Michigan 6'2 262 4.66 1.65 23 -- 30.5 9-10 8.75 33.25
DJ Johnson Oregon 6'4 260 4.49 1.59 28 -- -- -- 9 33.25
Cam Jones Indiana 6'1 226 4.69 1.62 17 -- 33 -- 9.5 31.25
Andre Jones Jr. Louisiana 6'5 248 -- -- -- -- -- -- 10 34.25
Isaiah Land Florida A&M 6'4 236 4.62 1.65 21 7.2 34.5 10-6 9.25 32.5
Eku Leota Auburn 6'3 252 -- -- -- -- -- -- 9.5 33.5
Ochaun Mathis Nebraska 6'5 250 4.74 1.64 21 -- -- -- 10.75 35.25
Will McDonald IV Iowa State 6'0 239 -- -- -- -- 36 11-0 9.5 34.88
Ventrell Miller Florida 6'0 232 -- -- -- -- -- -- 9.13 32.5
Isaiah Moore N.C. State 6'2 233 -- -- 26 -- -- -- 9.13 31.75
Caleb Murphy Ferris State 6'3 254 4.81 1.65 -- 7.28 28.5 9-11 10.25 32.75
Myles Murphy Clemson 6'5 268 -- -- 25 -- -- -- 8.5 33.75
BJ Ojulari LSU 6'2 248 -- -- -- -- -- -- 10.5 34.25
Anfernee Orji Vanderbilt 6'1 230 4.53 1.54 -- -- 38.5 10-2 10.25 32
DeMarvion Overshown Texas 6'3 229 4.56 1.59 15 -- -- 10-4 9.5 32.25
Ivan Pace Jr. Cincinnati 5'10 231 -- -- -- -- -- -- 9.5 30.25
Owen Pappoe Auburn 6'0 225 4.39 1.52 29 -- 35.5 -- 9.13 31.75
Lonnie Phelps Kansas 6'2 244 4.55 1.62 31 -- -- -- 9.25 32.38
Jose Ramirez Eastern Michigan 6'2 242 4.73 1.63 21 6.95 34.5 9-10 8.75 32.75
Tavius Robinson Mississippi 6'6 257 4.66 1.63 23 -- 33.5 10-0 9.63 33.09
Drew Sanders Arkansas 6'4 235 -- -- -- -- -- -- 9.75 32.13
Noah Sewell Oregon 6'2 246 4.64 1.57 27 -- 33 -- 10 31.63
Trenton Simpson Clemson 6'2 235 4.43 1.55 25 -- -- -- 10.25 32.38
Nolan Smith Georgia 6'2 238 4.39 1.52 -- -- 41.5 10-8 9 32.63
Noah Taylor North Carolina 6'4 238 -- -- 22 -- -- -- 8.63 32.63
Charlie Thomas Georgia Tech 6'3 216 -- 1.55 18 -- -- 32.5 8.5 31.5
Henry To'oTo'o Alabama 6'1 227 4.62 1.57 -- -- 32 -- 10.25 32.75
Tuli Tuipulotu USC 6'3 266 -- -- -- -- -- -- 10.13 32.25
Lukas Van Ness Iowa 6'5 272 4.58 1.64 17 7.02 31 9-10 11 34
Tyrus Wheat Mississippi State 6'2 263 4.65 1.59 -- -- -- -- 9 32.88
Keion White Georgia Tech 6'5 285 -- -- 30 -- 34 9-9 10.13 34
Dorian Williams Tulane 6'1 228 4.49 1.57 -- -- -- -- 10.25 33.75
Tyree Wilson Texas Tech 6'6 271 -- -- 23 -- -- -- 9.63 35.63
Dee Winters TCU 5'11 227 4.49 1.56 -- -- 30.5 -- 8.63 31.63
Byron Young Tennessee 6'2 250 4.43 1.62 22 7.19 38 11-0 9.25 32.5

Again, with little draft capital, the Broncos are going to have to find some diamonds in the rough. Linebacker is an area of need, here are some of the guys we think the Broncos could potentially see available when they begin drafting in the third rounds or later.

Chris pegged Jalen Graham from Purdue as a strong inside linebacker or safety option and Will McDonald IV out of Iowa State as an edge type guy. Those would be the names to watch for.

Jalen Graham

Purdue’s Jalen Graham is a swiss army knife defender who showed versatility on tape manning multiple roles as a STAR in the Boilermakers’ defense. Unfortunately, he had some of the worst workout numbers among linebackers at the position. Scouts will have to trust the tape over his combine performance to get a determinative grade on his final draft ranking. As of now, Graham’s likely a mid-Day 3 selection who would provide the Broncos with a core special teamer and developmental prospect to be deployed in multiple roles in Vance Joseph’s defense.

Will McDonald IV

Iowa State’s Will McDonald would be the ultimate selection for the Broncos in the third round, but after a short workout with some incredible numbers, he likely catapulted himself out of consideration for Denver at their top two selections in the third round. That being said, a handful of other EDGE defenders also ignited at the combine. Players fall every year and McDonald could be one of them, especially if teams are concerned with his drop-off in production in his final year with the Cyclones.


If the Broncos are looking for more help at linebacker, Indiana’s Cam Jones and Owen Pappoe are names to watch. Jones is regarded as one of the best run-defending linebackers in the league and had himself an above-average workout at the Combine, but stumbled with a slower 4.69 40-yard dash time. Pappoe had an incredible workout in Indianapolis and blased with a 4.39 forty-yard dash time. Though at 6’0, 225 pounds, he would have to have some weight to be an every down player in Vance Joseph’s defense.

Jones is projected to be a Day 3 player, but Pappoe’s workout might garner him consideration in the Top 75 picks for teams who covet speed and sideline-to-sideline athleticism in their linebacker corps.

Which names do you think may be an option for the Broncos in the third rounds or later? Let’s discuss in the comments section below.