Defensive linemen and linebackers got the NFL Scouting Combine started in earnest Thursday by hitting the turf in Indianapolis.
Both positional groups are needs for the New England Patriots, so Mike Vrabel and company likely had a very close eye on all the prospects who participated in drills.
It will be interesting to see which prospects tantalized the Patriots front office with their 40-yard dash time and performance in the three-cone drill. But here are four defensive players that jumped out from the day of drills that the Patriots should consider targeting, especially with their high second-round pick:
Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon
Hearing that Harmon is drawing comparisons to Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones should make Patriots fans’ ears perk up. The 6-foot-4, 313-pound defensive tackle stood out with a 4.95-second 40-yard dash and showed his lateral agility in other drills. Harmon, who was named a Second Team Associated Press All-American this past season after tallying 10.5 tackles for loss with five sacks, is viewed as a late first-round pick, so the Patriots might have to trade up to get him.
Donovan Ezeiruaku, DE, Boston College
BC fans would love to see Ezeiruaku stay in the area and put on a Patriots uniform next season. Ezeiruaku’s 6.94-second three-cone drill and 4.19-second shuttle time were both the top marks among a limited group that participated in those drills. Ezeiruaku ranked second in the FBS in 2024 with 16.5 sacks and the Patriots could use some of that ability of getting after the quarterback since they finished last in the NFL in sacks this past season.
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James Pearce Jr., DE, Tennessee
If the Patriots just want a burst of speed coming off the edge, then Pearce would be their guy. Pearce ran the fastest 40-time of any edge prospect at a blazing 4.47 seconds. That’s even more notable when you consider the Tennessee product stands in at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds — that frame could bring concerns, though, when going up against NFL offensive linemen. Pearce was also seventh in the broad jump (10 feet, three inches).
Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA
All eyes were on what Schwesinger was going to weigh in at the Combine after being listed at 225 pounds for his final season at UCLA. Well, Schwesinger certainly didn’t skip any meals recently as he weighed in at 242 pounds, which will be much more to the liking of NFL evaluators. Schwesinger didn’t lose his athleticism with the added weight, either. He recorded the second-best vertical jump (39-and-a-half feet). Schwesinger is a feel-good story, too, as he got his start at UCLA as a walk-on.
