Brian Burns, Florida State
Burns put on 21 pounds to get up to 249 pounds after concerns about whether he had the weight to excel at the next level, but if he can play at that weight or higher, his abilities as an excellent run defender, his quick feet and high flexibility are all good indicators for success in the NFL. If the Panthers are looking for a hybrid front, Burns can play that part – he dropped into coverage at Florida State and can rush from both the two or three-point stance. Had Sweat not blazed with a 4.41 40, Burns’ 4.53 would have stolen the show – he managed to show the elite athleticism with good showings in the Vertical & Broad Jump even with the added weight, something that was going to be extremely important.
“I actually try to pattern my game after a lot of people. I feel like I take bits and pieces from the people I like to watch as far as Khalil Mack, Von Miller, Leonard Floyd, Dee Ford. There’s a lot of dudes. I just look at them. Whatever I see from their game I try to take bits and pieces and combine it to my own.”
Jachai Polite, Florida
While much was made of Polite’s media availability in which he spent most of it talking about how teams showed him all bad plays when breaking down film, Polite may have hurt his stock even more with a poor showing (4.84) in the 40-yard dash/10-yard shuttle (1.71) and eschewing the rest of the drills aside from a dissapointing vertical with a hamstring injury – after being drafted to the Panthers in multiple pre-combine mocks, he may have hurt rather than helped his stock during the combine, especially with so many other defensive linemen performing at such a high level, and fallen completely out of the first round. He could, however, be an option in the second if the Panthers decide to go with an offensive lineman in the first round.
“They’re not really taking about anything good right now. They want to know all the bad things about you, like character. I feel like it’s all how I react, I just act like myself, my true character, not trying to be somebody else. They want to know who they’re getting. They’re trying to get my character out. They’re trying to get me uncomfortable, see how I react – so they’ll bash me. That’s their jobs. They’re about to invest millions, so I have to take it. That’s my job.”
Outside The Box: Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame
While Tillery doesn’t make sense if the Panthers stick with a 4-3, he has the pass-rushing ability and run-stuffing prowess to make some noise in a hybrid front; plus, the Notre Dame product had the second-fastest 40-yard dash among interior defensive linemen behind Alabama DT and consensus top-four pick Quinnen Williams, and looked impressive during drills. Tillery also has the well-roundedness that the Panthers value in their prospects. His 6-6, 295 pound measurements aren’t out of range for a 3-4 defensive end and his flexibility is a strength for him – the Panthers have made a clear move towards players that can play multiple positions and Tillery certainly fits that bill.
“We go over a lot in these meetings. These teams all show interest. Everybody needs a big defensive lineman who can rush the passer and is strong against the run and is an all-around talent. I think I have that….I think I’m quick off the ball. I have great technique and when I approach the linemen, I have a big arsenal tools that I use to my advantage and [that] I am successful with…. I work so hard at [taking] these different techniques and perfecting them. That’s what I do for a living.”
Among the 23 defensive tackles at #NFLCombine19, Tillery was:
the tallest
16th in weight
had the biggest hands
3rd in arms
4th in wingspan
14th in bench
second fastest in 40 yard dash
3rd in vertical
4th in broad jump
fastest three cone
fastest 20 yard shuttle#NDFB— Jude (@andrewwinn) March 3, 2019
