2019 NFL Draft: Names to keep an eye on at NFL Combine

Defensive Line

Perhaps the deepest position in the draft, there is a ton of talent to sift through on the defensive line. While expect first-round pick Jeffery Simmons will not be at the Combine, here are three prospects with the most to prove in Indianapolis:

Ed Oliver, Houston

From being talked about as a consensus top-two pick prior to the season, Oliver has had some question marks raised as of late. While “jacketgate” remains a non-issue, Oliver did miss time with a knee injury and now, concerns about his weight have come up.

There is no doubt that Oliver is an explosive interior defensive lineman, tallying 53 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks from his defensive tackle spot in three years at Houston. However, many think that he will not weigh in much above 275 pounds, which is significantly undersized for an NFL defensive lineman.

While this is a classic case of overthinking an NFL prospect, Oliver finds himself in need of further proving himself to teams. All of these questions will go by the wayside if he weighs in around 290. For the sake of putting too much thought into a dynamic player, let’s hope he does.

Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame

Talk about huge, Jerry Tillery is huuuuge. Standing at a massive 6-7 and weighing 305 pounds with some long arms that he uses to his advantage, the Senior golden domer registered seven sacks during the 2018 campaign, displaying an ability to rush the passer from the interior of the defensive line.

Tillery is currently projected as a Day 2 pick, anywhere from the middle of the second round and into the third. We have seen the bench press vault names up the board before, and with size like Tillery’s, if he is able to test well, he too could see his name rise.

Gerald Willis, Miami

Like Oliver, Willis also enters the pre-draft process with question marks about his size, as he is listed at 280 pounds. Not to mention he has had a past of off the field issues that led to a transfer from Florida, as well as a suspension. He finished his one season on the field for the Hurricanes with four sacks and a massive 18 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

Heading into Indianapolis, he will have to nail his interviews as well as test well on the field as well. Having a strong first step, if he can display that burst in drills, then he will more than likely hear his name called early in day two.