Syracuse Football: At NFL Combine, edge Fadil Diggs shows off speed, athleticism

The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine got underway earlier this week in Indianapolis, and numerous former Syracuse football stars will participate in this annual event over the next several days.

According to a press release from SU Athletics and various posts on X, former Orange defensive end Fadil Diggs, who played the 2024 season on the Hill after transferring to the 'Cuse from Texas A&M, earned a lot of praise for how he demonstrated his athleticism and speed.

Per cuse.com, Diggs, who was an All-ACC honorable mention performer in 2024, ran a 4.57-second, 40-yard dash, which SU Athletics says was the third-fastest overall time among participating players who are defensive ends, defensive tackles and edge rushers.

Diggs, on Thursday, had a 10-yard split of 1.6 seconds. He also put forth a broad jump of 10' 1", and Diggs boasted a vertical jump of 30.5 inches. Syracuse.com reported that his broad jump was in the 90th percentile.

Former Syracuse football edge Fadil Diggs started off the NFL Combine on a high note.

As a senior for the Orange in 2024, when the 'Cuse went 10-3 overall under first-year head coach Fran Brown, Diggs made 45 total tackles and had three quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup, according to his bio on cuse.com.

Diggs also led Syracuse football this past term in tackles for a loss, at 14.0, and sacks, at 7.5. In college, between Texas A&M and the 'Cuse, he was a three-time team captain who posted a combined 120 career tackles, 32.5 tackles for a loss, 15.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, three pass breakups and a blocked kick.

Besides Diggs, those former Syracuse football stars who are suiting up at this year's combine are quarterback Kyle McCord, running back LeQuint Allen Jr., tight end Oronde Gadsden II and defensive back Alijah Clark.

Action from the combine on Friday was scheduled to air on the NFL Network beginning at 3 pm, and all five of these former Orange players were slated to be involved somehow. Per SU Athletics, Gadsden and Clark were going to do on-field testing and drills. McCord and Allen were scheduled to conduct media interviews.

In a post on X, Gadsden, who in 2024 was an All-American and an All-ACC first-team performer, said that he believes McCord is the best quarterback in this year’s NFL Draft. The 2025 NFL Draft will take place from April 24 to April 26 in Green Bay, Wis.

McCord set numerous Syracuse football and Atlantic Coast Conference records as a senior with the Orange after transferring to the 'Cuse from Ohio State. This past stanza, he resided on the All-ACC second squad and finished No. 10 in the Heisman Trophy voting.

The combine continues through March 3.