Despite the fact that combine workouts have yet to begin, player interviews with teams have been ongoing, and word is leaking out about those face-to-face meetings that have gone well.
There are also some high expectations for one former SEC star as the defensive linemen get ready to display their athletic skills tomorrow.
Oluwafemi Oladejo on the rise
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UCLA edge rusher Oluwafemi Oladejo continues his assault up draft boards. As I reported from Mobile, the Bruins senior was dominant each and every day during Senior Bowl practice. He’s also an intelligent and interesting individual, as we found out during our exclusive interview with him just a few weeks ago.
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Even before the testing has begun, teams have been raving about Oladejo’s interviews, which have gone spectacularly well. Teams also love the fact that he’s a quick-twitch athlete who has continually improved his game and looked like a natural last year moving from inside linebacker to outside linebacker/edge rusher.
I’ve been told the San Francisco 49ers, a team that needs an edge rusher, is very high on Oladejo. Though still early, you have to believe he’s a player they would target in the second round.
San Francisco 49ers’ free agency plans
I’m told the Niners will look for offensive linemen, a cornerback and possibly another wide out during free agency.
Watch out for Landon Jackson
The defensive linemen take to the turf on Lucas Oil Stadium as the first group to workout at the 2025 NFL Combine. Keep a close eye on Arkansas star Landon Jackson, who has been spectacular in recent combine training.
Jackson has been timing the 40 in the 4.6s with an incredible 10-yard split time of 1.57 seconds. His broad jump has been over 10 feet with a vertical jump over 35 inches. If he comes close to those marks, Jackson’s draft stock will head North.
Trey McBride’s contract extension
One player I failed to mention in Tuesday’s article on contract extensions is Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, who is in the final year of his rookie deal. Making an immediate impact as a rookie, McBride has started 41 of a possible 49 games since his first year in the league, catching 111 passes for 1,146 yards.
Before arriving at the combine, I was privy to the fact the two sides would meet in Indianapolis with the hopes of hammering out a deal to keep McBride in Arizona for a long time.
Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback plans
The Indianapolis Colts intend to sign a veteran quarterback in free agency and it may be someone that can do more than just back up Anthony Richardson. The thought process of many here at the Combine is the team will look for someone who can step in and lead the team if Richardson falters and fails to show significant improvement this season.
The quarterback spot has always been an Achilles heel for Colts general manager Chris Ballard as despite hitting on a lot of draft picks, there have been numerous whiffs at signal caller both in the draft or with veterans.
Edited by Santosh Kumar
