INDIANAPOLIS — Linebackers Jihad Campbell, Teddye Buchanan, and Kain Medano delivered impressive performances on the first day of workouts at the NFL’s annual scouting combine, overshadowing the absence of Jalon Walker, the top-rated linebacker from Georgia. With Walker sidelined on Thursday, Campbell from Alabama, Buchanan from California, and Medano from UCLA seized the spotlight.
Medano excelled in speed and agility tests, clocking the fastest time in the 40-yard dash with a remarkable 4.46 seconds. He also ranked fourth in the vertical jump at 38 inches and secured fifth place in the broad jump, reaching a distance of 10 feet, 5 inches. Campbell, who is considered a contender for the top linebacker spot, achieved notable results by finishing second in the broad jump at 10 feet, 7 inches and placing third in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.52 seconds, though he opted out of the vertical jump.
Meanwhile, Buchanan showcased exceptional proficiency across various metrics, leading the linebacker group with a 40-inch vertical jump. He also ranked third alongside Medano in the broad jump with a distance of 10 feet, 5 inches, and tied for ninth in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.61 seconds.
In the defensive lineman category, Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. distinguished himself with the fastest time among his peers, completing the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds. Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 245 pounds, Pearce was the sole defensive lineman to finish under 4.57 seconds.
The standout defensive performance, however, came from Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart, who notched the third-fastest 40-yard dash with a time of 4.59 seconds and achieved an extraordinary 40-inch vertical jump. This distinction makes Stewart just the fourth player in two decades to surpass the 40-inch mark while weighing 260 pounds or more. Listed at 6-foot-5 and 267 pounds, Stewart joined the exclusive club alongside renowned players such as Mario Williams (2006) and Myles Garrett (2017)
Arkansas’ Landon Jackson also made headlines by achieving a 40 1/2 inch vertical jump. Additionally, Stewart and Jackson led their lineman peers in the broad jump, with Stewart reaching 10 feet, 11 inches, and Jackson following with a jump of 10 feet, 9 inches.
Despite being the top edge rusher, Abdul Carter from Penn State did not participate in the workouts due to a recently diagnosed stress reaction in his right foot. Michigan’s Mason Graham, the top-rated defensive tackle, and his college teammate Kenneth Grant opted not to participate, with Grant recovering from a hamstring strain.
Among the interior defenders who took part in the workouts, Nebraska’s Ty Robinson and Georgia’s Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins were standouts. Robinson led the group with the fastest 40-yard dash at 4.83 seconds, while Ingram-Dawkins tied for second with a time of 4.86 seconds. Both athletes also excelled in the broad jump, with Ingram-Dawkins securing first place at 10 feet, 4 inches, and Robinson following closely at 9 feet, 11 inches. Ingram-Dawkins continued to impress with a vertical jump of 36 inches, leading the group, while Robinson ranked fourth with a 33 1/2 inch jump.
Looking ahead, the combine agenda includes workouts for defensive backs and tight ends scheduled for Friday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
