2019 Scouting Combine Top Performers: Defensive line

Now that we’ve gotten the most important position for the Minnesota Vikings to consider in April’s NFL Draft out of the way, let’s move on to some of the other areas of potential need. We’ll start with the defensive linemen, and there was a pretty significant record set at Lucas Oil Stadium by a highly-touted prospect.

Mississippi State defensive end Montez Sweat ran the fastest 40-yard dash for a defensive lineman ever recorded at the Combine, as he blistered the track with a time of 4.41 seconds. . .after weighing in at 260 pounds. That’s pretty damn impressive right there.

For our Combine results, we will once again be using the workout tracker at NFL.com. For simplicity, these results will encompass those that are listed as “edge” defenders by the tracker, as well as those that are simply listed as “DL.” Here are the top ten (or slightly more) performers in each of the Combine’s drills.

40-yard dash

• Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State - 4.41 seconds (new Combine record for defensive linemen)
• Justin Hollins, Edge, Oregon - 4.50
• Brian Burns, Edge, Florida State - 4.53
• Rashan Gary, DL, Michigan - 4.58
• Chase Winovich, Edge, Michigan - 4.59
• Jamal Davis, Edge, Akron - 4.60
• Ben Banogu, Edge, Texas Christian - 4.62
• Josh Allen, Edge, Kentucky - 4.63
• Gerri Green, Edge, Mississippi State - 4.63
• Jordan Brailford, Edge, Oklahoma State - 4.65

Bench Press

• Dexter Lawrence, DL, Clemson - 36 reps of 225 pounds
• Albert Huggins, DL, Clemson - 35
• Kevin Givens, DL, Penn State - 32
• Ed Oliver, DL, Houston - 32
• Porter Gustin, Edge, Southern Cal - 31
• Greg Gaines, DL, Washington - 30
• Daylon Mack, DL, Texas A&M - 30
• Renell Wren, DL, Arizona State - 30
• Nick Bosa, Edge, Ohio State - 29
• Josh Allen, Edge, Kentucky - 28
• Terry Beckner, DL, Missouri - 28
• Trysten Hill, DL, Central Florida - 28
• Chris Slayton, DL, Syracuse - 28
• Christian Wilkins, DL, Clemson - 28

Vertical Jump

• Banogu - 40”
• Davis - 39”
• Christian Miller, Edge, Alabama - 38.5”
• Gary - 38”
• Brailford - 37.5”
• Hollins - 36.5”
• Charles Omenihu, DL, Texas - 36.5”
• Burns - 36”
• Maxx Crosby, DL, Eastern Michigan - 36”
• Oliver - 36”
• Sweat - 36”

Broad Jump

• Banogu - 134”
• Burns - 129”
• Brailford - 126”
• Sweat - 125”
• Crosby - 122”
• Davis - 122”
• Gary - 120”
• Oliver - 120”
• Carl Granderson, Edge, Wyoming - 119”
• Gustin - 119”
• Hollins - 119”

3-cone drill

• Sutton Smith, Edge, Northern Illinois - 6.75 seconds
• Crosby - 6.89
• Winovich - 6.94
• Anthony Nelson, DL, Iowa - 6.95
• Davis - 7.00
• Sweat - 7.00
• Burns - 7.01
• Banogu - 7.02
• John Cominsky, DL, Charleston - 7.03
• Hollins - 7.06

20-yard shuttle

• Winovich - 4.11
• Crosby - 4.13
• Bosa - 4.14
• Allen - 4.23
• Nelson - 4.23
• Banogu - 4.27
• Gary - 4.29
• Sweat - 4.29
• Wyatt Ray, Edge, Boston College - 4.31
• Smith - 4.31

And there you have it, folks. Any names that stand out to you? I have to be honest. . .I had no idea who Ben Banogu was coming into this weekend, but he killed it in pretty much every drill, so he’s apparently someone I need to look into a little more.

Anyone else you think the Vikings should be looking into, folks?