NFL Combine – Defensive End

As the NFL heads towards its annual Combine next week, the invitation list helps narrow the field on the top prospects in the country, both seniors and underclassmen. Over the next week we’ll preview and review each position.

The defensive end/outside linebacker position is the deepest and most talented group in the class for the 2011 NFL Draft and that’s evident by the players invited to the NFL Combine next week.

There are 11 DE/OLB types that are considered first round talents this year, led by Missouri’s Aldon Smith (above left) and Clemson’s Da’Quan Bowers (above right). In all, there are 30 players that the Combine has listed at defensive end. Everyone of them is from major college football with five players from the Big 12 Conference, with Smith, Sam Acho from Texas, Pierre Allen out of Nebraska Jeremy Beal out of Oklahoma and Ugo Chinasa of Oklahoma State.

DEFENSIVE END (30)

Height-weight in red = official numbers from all-star games.