NFL Scouting Combine Presents Big Opportunity For Notre Dame Edge Javontae Jean-Baptiste

When former Ohio State defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste opted to transfer to Notre Dame for his final season, there was some intrigue for what he can bring to the team. During that lone season with the Irish, Jean-Baptiste recorded 49 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. He transformed from a solid floor player to arguably Notre Dame’s most valuable defensive lineman at times.

Jean-Baptiste parlayed that season's success into increased NFL attention. He was originally slated to participate in the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl but was eventually extended an invite to play in the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl. That week in Mobile was mostly a struggle for Jean-Baptiste, who had trouble matching up against the best offensive tackles at the event.

He now has a chance to regain some momentum at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, which will allow over 300 of the best 2024 NFL Draft prospects to impress in front of the NFL evaluators, decision makers and coaches in attendance. Here is what Jean-Baptiste has a chance to prove in Indianapolis on Thursday.

CURRENT PROJECTION

Jean-Baptiste is currently in borderline draftable territory, with some draftable grades around the league and others that see him as a priority free agent type. There is a lot of love for the floor that Jean-Baptiste brings to the table. He isn’t viewed as very dynamic but brings a good baseline to the gavel.

WHAT’S ON THE LINE AT THE COMBINE?

After a less than stellar Senior Bowl week, Jean-Baptiste really needs a good showing out in Indianapolis on Thursday. The interviews will be important, but more than anything, he must test well during the on-field portion of the week.

As a player, Jean-Baptiste is viewed as a grinder that does a lot of the little things well. He, however, isn’t viewed as a dynamic athlete that brings a lot of playmaking potential to the table. The athletic testing could show that there might be more on the table.

Here are some testing numbers that could be very beneficial for Jean-Baptiste and his draft stock.

40-Yard Dash: 4.78-4.80 seconds
Vertical Jump: 32-34 inches
Broad Jump: 9 feet, 10 inches
3-Cone Drill: 4.45 seconds
Short Shuttle: 7.2 seconds
Bench Press: 23-25 reps

NEXT STEP

After today, Jean-Baptiste will have a chance to potentially improve on numbers during the Notre Dame Pro Day on March 21st. Outside of that, he must continue to sell himself as a person and a leader. Those “make it traits” could allow Jean-Baptiste to stick.