2015 NFL Scouting Combine: Stock Up, Stock Down (Defense)

Welcome to part two of this week's Draft and the Furious mailbag! As previously stated, this post is where I can take questions via the comments section or you can hit me up on the Twitter (@DuckinNoles247). In lieu of the traditional weekly rankings, I'll be going over the "winners" and "losers" of the recently completed Combine.

Stock UP

Defensive Line

1. Vic Beasley 6'3 246 Clemson

- Beasley blew up at the Combine as expected. He's a phenomenal athlete and proved it with a 4.53 40 time. He looked very fluid in the drills and moved very well laterally. What I didn't expect is that he showed up heavier (which is a good sign) in Indy. However, he is a huge liability in run defense. If used like an Aldon Smith initially while his run stopping matures, he could turn into a star.

2. Danny Shelton 6'2 339 Washington

- Yes, Shelton ran a slow 40, clocking in at 5.64 but he looked good enough in the movement drills. If I had a comparison for him, it would be Casey Hampton. He's not going to wow you physically but is phone booth type of lineman that gets the dirty work done in a limited amount of space. Perhaps he needs to take lessons from Peanut Tillman on how to strip the ball as well (there's a hilarious clip of him trying to strip a ball from a ball boy and failing to do so). Weight needs to be monitored (obviously).

3. Dante Fowler, Jr 6'3 261 Florida

- Showed the entire country why he is a force to be reckoned with. Looked very agile and quick during the drills for a guy his size. Ran a 4.6 40. Position and scheme versatile. He proved that in 2014 that he can handle being "The Man" without anyone else of note playing beside him. I like him as an end but can see him succeeding as an outside linebacker.

4. Mario Edwards, Jr 6'3 279 Florida State

- Edwards showed up a slim 279 after playing all of 2014 around 300 pounds. He recently admitted that the plan all along was to be three years and out of school. It was a very open secret that he didn't try as hard in 2014 due to the prospects of going pro. Slimming down really helped his case. A powerful athlete with good hand usage. Position versatile.

Linebackers

1. Stephone Anthony 6'3 243 Clemson

- Anthony ran a 4.56 40 (good for third best among all linebackers) and had a decent session in the field drills. He's a good enough athlete to play three downs without losing a step on tight ends and backs. One of the more underrated inside linebackers in the country. He also maintained his high level of play from the Senior Bowl.

2. Alvin Dupree 6'4 269 Kentucky

- He ran a 4.56 40 at 269 pounds. Think about that for a second. Dupree also posted a 42 inch vertical. He had some expectations of blowing up at the Combine but this performance was amazing. The former Wildcat is a little raw at this point but once he gets it, the sky's the limit for him.

3. Benardrick McKinney 6'4 246 Mississippi State

- Met expectations. He's a bigger linebacker in the traditional sense but showed enough fluid athleticism to play anywhere except tackle in the front seven. The one thing he needs to work on his flipping his hips faster when in pass coverage. A form tackler that led the Bulldogs' brief resurgence to a top 10 ranking before they collapsed near the end.

Defensive backs

1. Trae Waynes 6'0 186 Michigan State

- The debate over which corner gets selected first is now academic. He ran 4.31 in the 40 and with his cover skills, it's pretty much a lock.

2. Landon Collins 6'0 228 Alabama

- Collins reaffirmed to everyone that he is the best safety available. He looked very good in turning his hips and tracking the ball. Also didn't look out of place during the backpedal. He ran 4.58 in the 40, which is surprising given his weight. Known more as a in the box safety, he turned some heads with his coverage skills.

3. Charles Gaines 5'10 180 Louisville

- Gaines had an inconsistent 2014 but showed out during the Combine. He ran well, posting a 4.44 40 and looked good turning and running with the receiver. He was a little shaky during the backpedal but nothing too serious.

4. Byron Jones 6'1199 Connecticut

- Jones stole the show on Monday, posting a ridiculous 44.5" vertical jump and an insane 12'3 broad jump (which shattered the record by 8 inches). He didn't run the 40 due to not receiving medical clearance to do so.

Stock Down

DL

1. Randy Gregory 6'4 235 Nebraska

- He shocked nearly everyone with his weight, coming in at 235. He looked decent in the drills, it's just that weight loss scares me.

2. Nate Orchard 6'3 250 Utah

- Orchard didn't have a good Combine showing. He ran slow with a 4.80 40. Didn't look that great in the drills, either. Possesses stiff hips and couldn't turn and run as well as I expected.

LB

1. Paul Dawson 6'0 235 TCU

- Dawson had a terrible showing in Indy. He ran slow in the 40, posting a 4.93 40 and looking lost and aimlessly wandering during the drills. A guy who is 6'0 235, should not be putting up 4.9 40s. He should be running in the 4.6 range. Needs a massive Pro Day to boost his stock.

2. Hau'oli Kikaha 6'2 253 Washington

- Continued his poor run of form from the Senior Bowl. Strictly an one dimensional player at this point. He appeared to be stiff and uncoordinated when asked to drop back into coverage.

DB

1. Kevin White 5'9 183 TCU

- Will the Kevin White that shut down Kevin White the receiver show up? For some inexplicable reason, White was not spared from the TCU group performing so poorly.

2. Jacoby Glenn 6'0 179 UCF

- Glenn showed everyone why he needs to switch to safety, the only problem is that he doesn't have the build for it. He has the hips of an elderly grandma. His workouts were a disaster as he could not effectively flip his hips nor execute a proper backpedal without flailing around.

3. Ladarius Gunter 6'1 202 Miami

- Turned an once rising stock at the Senior Bowl into a middling one with a 4.69 40 time. He recovered somewhat during the drills but the 40 time is a bit alarming. Needs a solid Pro Day to regain some lost footing.

Additional Notes

- It's really surprising to see the TCU contingent perform so poorly given their recent pedigree of putting defenders into the league.

- Ohio State CB Doran Grant did very well.

- Washington CB Marcus Peters solidified his stock.

- As expected, FSU CB Ronald Darby got close to running a sub 4.3 40 and caught nearly everything in the gauntlet drill.