Teresa Varley

Kicking things off:Let the games begin.

Well, at least the NFL Scouting Combine.

After a few days of hearing from coaches and general managers in Indianapolis, players begin to hit the field today at Lucas Oil Stadium.

And it all starts with the defensive line and linebackers.

"It's a defensive line heavy draft," said NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah, who kicked off the network's coverage with Rich Eisen. "Defensive tackle, edge rushers, absolutely loaded at those two positions. And they're going to kick us off here."

Defensive line is a position many draft gurus have been praising for depth and strength, and for a team looking for an impact player or even just to boost depth, this is the year.

"I'm excited about this draft," said Jeremiah. "It's a starter's draft is how I would phrase it. Going through and watching all these guys for the combine and talking to a bunch of people around the league, some positions maybe don't have that superstar that we have had in years past, but we do have a boatload of starters, particularly the defensive line. A bunch of really, really good players."

In several of his mock drafts, Jeremiah has the Steelers going on the offensive side of the ball in the first round, but he does think the talent is there if they opt for a defensive lineman with the 21st overall pick in the first round.

"If you are looking at Pick 21 for the Steelers, Mykel Williams (Georgia) would be a lot of fun just because the physicality they require, setting the edge, all that stuff. He checks that box," said Jeremiah. "I think he has so much upside as a rusher. I don't anticipate he'll be there at that point in time. Him and Mike Green (Marshall) are probably both gone, but either one of those picks would be to me home runs.

"Shemar Stewart is as raw as can be. There is a lot to work with. I can't imagine with someone with his physical gifts that he has, getting a chance to learn from T.J. Watt, that would be fun if he were to get where he is capable of getting talent-wise. There's a lot in his body.

"They'll have options. If they want to go with an edge rusher, they're going to have someone there that's worthy of that pick. They're not going to have to reach if that's truly the position that they wish to address."

Making an impression:With Steelers defensive line coach Karl Dunbar watching closely from the field, and conducting some of the drills himself, there were a lot of players who put on a show.

And one of them was edge rusher James Pearce Jr. from Tennessee.

Pearce showed off his speed with a 4.47 40-yard dash, the best of all the defensive linemen.

He also showed the speed in drills, something that didn't go unnoticed.

"Oh man that's pretty good," said NFL Network's Charles Davis. "That's pretty good."

It's not just his straight-ahead speed that opened eyes, but his overall movement.

"That confirmed the straight-ahead speed," said Davis. "Very good side to side. Really no loss of movement. The fluidity on it is really impressive."

Plenty to talk about:During the NFL Scouting Combine, every team has the opportunity to talk to a total of 60 players for a 15-minute interview.

Which means, there will be a lot more talking than actually drafting or signing a player, because nobody is going to add 60 rookies to their roster.

So, while people might get excited when they hear a team talk to a specific prospect, yes, it shows there is an interest, but it doesn't mean they will end up on the team.

Among the defensive linemen who spoke to the Steelers were Michigan's Kenneth Grant and Oregon's Derrick Harmon, to name a few.

"I met with the Steelers. Very serious," said Grant. "They want competitors. They want dudes that are ready to go.

"He's (Coach Mike Tomlin) a pretty cool dude. Most people think he's so serious, but he's all about his business. He's easy to communicate with."

Another player who was impressed with Tomlin was Harmon, who said Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward is someone he watches in the NFL.

"That's a great guy," said Harmon. "That's a guy you can sit down and have an hour talk with, a two hour talk with, talk ball, talk life. Just a great guy to talk to."

A perfect script:A player who had the longest journey to the combine is Boise State edge rusher Ahmed Hassanein.

Hassanein was raised in Cairo, Egypt and didn't move to the United States until he was 16-years old when his brother, who was raised in America, brought him to live with him.

It's the type of story Hollywood scripts are made of, but this one is true.

Hassanein's older brother, Cory Besch, introduced his younger brother to football and the rest is history.

Hassanein went from a kid who knew nothing about the sport and didn't speak English to a top NFL prospect.

"I don't know if I've ever met a player more eager and excited to be at the combine than Ahmed Hassanein out of Boise State," said Stacey Dales during the NFL Network broadcast. "I just spoke to him. He's the first Egyptian player to not only play college football, but to be here at the combine. He's going to be the first Egyptian player drafted in the NFL.

"I spoke to him and he said five years ago I couldn't speak English. He spoke Arabic and he said I didn't play football. His brother, who's watching, is a teacher and a high school coach, actually went over to Egypt, talked to the family and said let's bring him back.

"So, they brought him back over here to the U.S. to play football and he tried out at receiver. He told me he couldn't catch. They tried linebacker, and he said it was too much. So, they said, go get the quarterback. That's what he's done.

"I just love this guy. His energy will blow you through the roof ."

Dales isn't the only fan of his. So is Jeremiah.

"Talk about having the odds stacked against you," said Jeremiah. "I mean, to come out of that environment with just no experience and no knowledge of the sport, and to be on the precipice of being selected as one of the top players. It's pretty incredible."

And he doesn't take for granted how incredible it is. He showed amazing energy during the drills, challenging the coaches who were running the drills as much as they were challenging him.

"Being at the combine is an amazing feeling and I'm so grateful for it," said Hassanein. "The sky is the limit for me. I have the will to learn and I'm eager to learn. I'm grateful for this opportunity.

"Not a lot of people get to come to the combine. Being one of them after five years of American football and five years of learning the English language, I'm so grateful. God willing I'll be the first Egyptian to ever get drafted. That's a huge honor to me and a huge honor to my country."

Out like a Lion:Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter isn't just the best of the bunch on the defensive line, but he also is predicted to be the overall No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft by many. If Carter is taken with the first overall pick, Penn State will become the sixth school to have at least three players selected first overall in the modern draft era, joining USC, Oklahoma, Auburn, Ohio State and Stanford.

Carter isn't taking part in the on-field activities at the combine, dealing with a foot injury that according to reports from the combine is a stress reaction in his right foot.

Carter does plan to work out at his Pro Day at Penn State near the end of March, but his time at the combine is mainly focused on interviews, medical and such.

"I'm really just starting to heat it up right now," said Carter. "I just got cleared, really started training, started working out again. So, my next couple weeks look like just me getting right, me getting ready for my pro day and once I get to my pro day to perform at an elite level."

Performing at an elite level isn't an issue for him as Carter was a unanimous All-American and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2024.

"I think I bring energy, effort, versatility," said Carter. "I feel like when the biggest moments come around, that's when I play at my best.

"I feel like (teams) definitely need a franchise edge rusher. If you look at all the great teams, all the great teams that won Super Bowls, you have that one standout, great defensive player and I feel like I'm that."

Confidence isn't an issue for Carter, who said it comes from the work that he has put in from the time he started playing football.

"I would say the work I put in my whole life," said Carter. "My dad, he trained me to be the best player I can be, and not just being the best on the field, but off the field. Knowing all the work I put in, all the training I did, all the sacrifices I made, I know I'm the best."

Steelers influence:An interesting defensive lineman is Ole Miss do-it-all J.J. Pegues, who made the switch from tight end to defensive line and has even been used as a short-yardage running back.

"I'm comfortable playing both sides of the ball," said Pegues. "And I'm here now just because of that."

Pegues transferred from Auburn to Ole Miss after his freshman season and said it was former Steelers defensive lineman Nick Eason, who was the defensive line coach at Auburn in 2021, who had a huge impact on him.

"He really just dumbed everything down for me, he made things simple for me, simplified everything, from the pass rush to the run game and being violent," said Pegues. "I put my faith in him, and he poured into me."

In talking about him on the broadcast, Rich Eisen said it best.

"The more you can do."

Making an impression:NFL Network reporter Stacey Dales is providing insight from the field during the combine, including sharing her take on Michigan's Mason Graham, who is not taking part in on-field drills due to a 'left heel bruise.'

"He's dealing with a left heel bruise," said Dales during the drills. "They don't want to push it. They're going to wait for his pro day at Michigan.

"But there's not a whole lot you just can't fall in love with when it comes to Mason Graham. His character is off the charts. He told us this week there's no mystery to who I am. I love football. I'm all about business. But his impact on the field is obviously really special.

"I asked him this week to describe what he thinks his game looks like or feels like, and he told me, I feel like I'm just dominant. He said I'm at least one of the most consistent players on every down. I'm dominant on every down and there isn't a down he likes to take off.

Graham was a consensus first-team All-American selection in 2024, and a second-team selection in 2023.

"Count has gone up every year at Michigan," said Dales. "He doesn't want to come off the field. They don't want to take him off the field. In fact, last season, almost 550 snaps in 12 games. But in 10 of those games, 45 plus snaps. And it's that consistency, with all that time on the field, he is most proud of. Can't wait to see him at his pro day."

All the numbers:If you are searching for the in-depth numbers from the NFL Combine, the NFL has you covered. Be sure to check out theNFL Combine Next Gen Statsfor all the details you want and then some.

Combine rewind:A look back at the 2024 NFL Combine per NFL Research:

With the 2025 NFL Combine getting underway today, below is a recap of the 2024 NFL Combine.

2024 NFL Combine Leaders

40-Yard Dash: 4.21 by Xavier Worthy (NFL Combine record since at least 2003)

Vertical Jump: 42.5" by Daequan Hardy/Elijah Jones/Jalen Coker/Malik Washington

Broad Jump: 12'2" by Tyler Owens

Bench Press: 39 by Beaux Limmer

Tallest Player: 6'8 5/8" by Joe Alt

Shortest Player: 5'7 3/8" by Emani Bailey

Heaviest Player: 366 by T'Vondre Sweat

Lightest Player: 165 by Xavier Worthy

Fastest 40-Yard Dash Since 2003:

TEX WR Xavier Worthy 2024 4.21

WASH WR John Ross 2017 4.22

BAYLOR CB Kalon Barnes 2022 4.23

ECU RB Chris Johnson 2008 4.24

UTSA CB Riq Woolen 2022 4.26

MICH CB DJ Turner II 2023 4.26

KENT RB Dri Archer 2014 4.26

HAMP WR Jerome Mathis 2005 4.26

- DB Tyler Owens (12'2") became the 2nd player in combine history (since at least 2003) to broad jump 12+ feet, joining Cowboys 2015 1st round pick Byron Jones

- OL Garret Greenfield's 38.5 vertical jump was the highest by an offensive lineman and the highest by a player 300+ lbs at the combine since 2003

- WR Johnny Wilson (6'6 3/8") was the tallest WR measured at the combine since 2003

- OL Tanor Bortolini joined former Eagles All-Pro center Jason Kelce as the only OL at the combine since 2003 to have a sub-4.3 20-yd shuttle and a sub-7.3 3-cone

- OL Frank Crum's 4.94 40-yard dash was the fastest by an OL 6'8" or taller at the combine since 2003

- 6 players ran a sub 4.4 40-yard dash and had a 40"+ vertical (T-most at a single combine since 2003)

- Michael Penix Jr. was the first quarterback at the combine since 2003 to be shorter than 6'3" and have an 80+" wingspan

- RB Isaac Guerendo joined WR DK Metcalf as the only players at the combine since 2003 to be 220+ pounds, have a 40+" vertical jump and run a sub-4.35 40-yd dash

- WR Malik Washington's 42.5" vertical jump was the highest by a WR under 5'9" at the combine since 2003

NFL Combine Participants - Defensive Line

Tommy Akingbesote, Maryland

Darius Alexander, Toledo

Tyler Baron, Miami

Tyler Batty, BYU

Zeek Biggers, Georgia Tech

Yahya Black, Iowa

Warren Brinson, Georgia

Vernon Broughton, Texas

Jordan Burch, Oregon

Jamaree Caldwell, Oregon

Abdul Carter, Penn State

Alfred Collins, Texas

Howard Cross III, Notre Dame

Fadil Diggs, Syracuse

Ethan Downs, Oklahoma

Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College

Joshua Farmer, Florida State

Ashton Gillotte, Louisville

Mason Graham, Michigan

Kenneth Grant, Michigan

Mike Green, Marshall

Eric Gregory, Arkansas

Ty Hamilton, Ohio State

Derrick Harmon, Oregon

Jared Harrison-Hunte, SMU

Ahmed Hassanein, Boise State

Tonka Hemingway, South Carolina

Cam Horsley, Boston College

Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Georgia

Jared Ivey, Mississippi

Cam Jackson, Florida

Landon Jackson, Arkansas

Sai'vion Jones, LSU

Jah Joyner, Minnesota

DeAndre Jules, South Carolina

Kyle Kennard, South Carolina

Steve Linton, Baylor

Sean Martin, West Virginia

Rylie Mills, Notre Dame

Walter Nolen, Mississippi

Omarr Norman-Lott, Tennessee

Oluwafemi Oladejo, UCLA

Payton Page, Clemson

James Pearce Jr., Tennessee

Aeneas Peebles, Virginia Tech

JJ Pegues, Mississippi

Jordan Phillips, Maryland

Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Virginia Tech

Jahvaree Ritzie, North Carolina

Elijah Roberts, SMU

Que Robinson, Alabama

Ty Robinson, Nebraska

Kaimon Rucker, North Carolina

T.J. Sanders, South Carolina

Jack Sawyer, Ohio State

Nic Scourton, Texas A&M

Elijah Simmons, Tennessee

Tim Smith, Alabama

Barryn Sorrell, Texas

Nazir Stackhouse, Georgia

Josaiah Stewart, Michigan

Shemar Stewart, Texas A&M

Bradyn Swinson, LSU

Junior Tafuna, Utah

Jay Toia, UCLA

JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State

Shemar Turner, Texas A&M

Princely Umanmielen, Mississippi

David Walker, Central Arkansas

Deone Walker, Kentucky

CJ West, Indiana

Mykel Williams, Georgia

Tyleik Williams, Ohio State

NFL Combine Participants - Linebackers

Eugene Asante, Auburn

Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon

Carson Bruener, Washington

Teddye Buchanan, Cal

Jihaad Campbell, Alabama

Barrett Carter, Clemson

Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Kentucky

Power Echols, North Carolina

Jay Higgins, Iowa

Shemar James, Florida

Kobe King, Penn State

Jack Kiser, Notre Dame

Demetrius Knight Jr., South Carolina

Cody Lindenberg, Minnesota

Nick Martin, Oklahoma State

Bam Martin-Scott, South Carolina

Francisco Mauigoa, Miami

Jalen McLeod, Auburn

Kain Medrano, UCLA

Smael Mondon Jr., Georgia

Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State

Chris Paul Jr., Mississippi

Tyreem Powell, Rutgers

Karene Reid, Utah

Carson Schwesinger, UCLA

Cody Simon, Ohio State

Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma

Jalon Walker, Georgia

Jackson Woodard, UNLV

Up Next:Defensive backs and tight ends take the field on Friday in Indianapolis.