Following our breakdown of one offensive player at each position to look out for at the Combine, we take a look at the defensive side of the ball heading into Indianapolis.

DT: Kayden McDonald, Ohio State

Considering the Raiders found some success stopping the run in 2025, Ohio State's Kayden McDonald would be a good fit into Rob Leonard's scheme.

McDonald was an instrumental part of a Buckeyes defense that won a national championship in 2024, and raised his level of play in his junior season. He finished with 31 solo tackles, nine tackles for loss and three quarterback sacks in 2025, being named an unanimous All-American and Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year. It's also worth noting he was teammates with Raiders linebacker Tommy Eichenberg in 2023.

"A talented run defender, McDonald plays with natural leverage and rattles pads with his initial contact," said NFL.com's Lance Zierlein. "He's quick to locate ball-carriers, play off of blocks and rally to the action. His technique is a bit underdeveloped and he's not a natural drain-clogger against double teams, but he still managed an unusually high tackle rate as an interior defender.

Already possessing ideal size for an NFL nose tackle at 6-foot-3, 326 pounds – he has a chance to make a great impression on NFL teams in a few days.

DE: Keldric Faulk & Keyron Crawford, Auburn

Yes, I know I'm bending the rules by naming two players for this position.

But this Auburn edge rushing duo was the bright spot of an impressive defense that was overshadowed by a lack of production on the other side of the ball in 2025.

Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford played all 12 games for the Tigers in 2025, combining for 14.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Crawford switched over to outside linebacker in 2025 to rush the passer alongside Faulk, but projects to be a defensive end in the league if drafted into a 4-3 defense. He also dazzled at the Senior Bowl with four total tackles, 1.0 sacks and a tackle for loss.

While Crawford didn't start playing football until his senior year of high school, Faulk is regarded as a more polished NFL prospect, along with having a long 6-foot-6, 285 pound frame that rivals Raiders current edge rusher Tyree Wilson.

"Keldric Faulk is a power-centric defender with superb run-stopping skills," said NFL.com's Bucky Brooks, who has Faulk ranked as his fourth-best edge defender in the draft class. "His subpar production does not scream elite player, but the Auburn standout's splash plays against the run could entice a team to gamble on his raw talent.

LB: Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

For whatever reason, Jacob Rodriquez isn't as highly regarded among draft analysts despite having as good of a senior season than anyone.

In 2025, Rodriguez was a catalyst for a Red Raiders team that went 12-2 and won their first conference championship since 1994. He recorded 128 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, six pass deflections and a nation-leading seven forced fumbles. In the process, the unanimous All-American took home the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Butkus Award, Lombardi Award, Chuck Bednarik Award and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.

He put an exclamation point on his final season at Texas Tech with a dominant showing during Senior Bowl practices.

As for why he's not on more people's radar as a top off-ball linebacker in his draft class, it could be questions about his speed and being an older prospect at 23 years old. But he can put those concerns to rest with a good week in Indy, and would honestly be a great prospect for the Raiders to look at on Day 2 of the draft.

CB: D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana

Arguably no player used the college football playoffs to raise their draft stock more than D'Angelo Ponds.

Ponds, a Miami, Florida native, was another player that followed Curt Cignetti from James Madison University to Indiana, playing their part to perfection for a national championship. The 2025 First-Team All-American finished his senior campaign with 44 solo tackles, two interceptions and a Big Ten-leading 11 pass deflections. Additionally, his 89.5 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF) was the seventh-highest of all cornerbacks in college football.

In the CFB playoffs, he recorded 12 solo tackles, three pass deflections and an pick six in a Peach Bowl blowout against Oregon. He was named Defensive Player of the Game for the Rose Bowl and Defensive Most Outstanding Player for the Peach Bowl.

Any skepticism surrounding Ponds going into the NFL Draft is due to his size, standing at 5-foot-9, 173 pounds. Therefore, showcasing first-class athleticism in live drills at the Combine could go a long way for the talented cornerback.

"Ponds is a productive perimeter cornerback trapped in a smaller body, but he's not lacking in confidence or coverage tenacity," said Zierlein. "He's tremendously competitive and winning seems to follow him at each stop. He matches press releases with good slide quickness and has the speed to stay in-phase as routes travel vertically. Eye discipline, instincts and trigger quickness fuel his zone work and catch disruption."

S: Bud Clark, TCU

Clark was an absolute ball hawk in his six collegiate seasons at TCU. He wrapped up his career with 21 pass deflections and 15 interceptions, returning two of those interceptions for touchdowns.

He was another player that utilized Senior Bowl week to impress scouts and media members with lockdown coverage skills, and poised to make an impression on the Raiders next week – who finished 26th in the league in interceptions (eight) in 2025.

"Clark's traits won't pop but his tape most certainly will," stated Zierlein. "Clark is a coverage-versatile safety in a cornerback's body with the talent to range over the top or man up on the slot. He plays with an overriding desire to do everything all at once – which produces spectacular takeaways and occasional breakdowns – but the good outweighs the bad."