2019 NFL Combine: 10 players who bombed

L.J. Collier, EDGE, TCU

Projecting as a hybrid defensive lineman, L.J. Collier was getting top-40 hype before the combine. He was billed as an athletic player who could play all over the defensive line but on long downs can step outside and rush the passer. Unfortunately a less than stellar showing in Indianapolis likely pushed him back a round or two.

Collier came out with a good size profile at 6-foot-2 and 283 pounds. That is what you’d expect after watching him on tape. What was unexpected was how bad he fared in the athletic testing. While he may not be the most twitchy athlete, there was a good athlete on tape. That did not transfer to the turf in Indianapolis.

The 40 yard dash was not terrible at 4.91, but his 10 yard split was not as elite as expected. Perhaps the bigger concern was how he finished towards the bottom of the defensive line group in the 20 yard shuttle and three cone drill. Those are where a player with loose hips and good change of direction can thrive. Collier showed that he may be more tightly wound that it looks on tape.

He did have a strong broad jump which speaks to some horizontal power in his game, a good sign for defensive lineman. Couple that with 25 reps on the bench press and it wasn’t all bad. However it is clear that he has athletic limitations that dampen his ceiling at the next level. Teams will need to have a diverse defense and plan in place to maximize Collier’s skill set. The combine was not kind to him and certainly hurt his stock.