NFL Combine big boys: Best 300-pound defenders

The 2012 NFL Scouting Combine is under way in Indianapolis. While the stud quarterbacks, athletic running backs and flashy receivers generally get all the hype, sometimes it's the big boys on defense who provide the most riveting moments.

Last year that moment came courtesy of Stephen Paea. The 6'1" 300-pound defensive tackle out of Oregon State broke a combine record by bench pressing 225 pounds 49 times. Paea's epic feat showcased the amazing conditioning of elite college defensive linemen - even ones tipping the scales at 300 pounds.

But strength alone doesn't cut it in the NFL. Speed, smarts and agility is what separates the men from the boys. At last year's combine, some 300-pounders wowed scouts with their 40-yard dash times.

As for Paea, his headline performance at the 2011 Combine was no fluke. He was taken in the second round of the draft by the Bears and became the first player in three decades to record a safety in his Chicago debut.

So who will be this year's Stephen Paea? Click the scroll bar above to see some of the 300-pound defensive linemen expected to draw attention at the 2012 NFL Combine.

NFL Combine big boys: Best 300-pound defenders

Michael Brockers, LSU

6'6, 300 pounds

When Michael Brockers arrived on campus in Baton Rouge in 2009, he was a 250-pound freshman defensive end. Three years later, the LSU star grew into a 300-pound force with an incredible blend of speed and strength.

Brockers is incredibly explosive and has run the 40-yard dash in under 5 seconds - lightning speed for a 300-pounder. As CBSSports.com notes, Brockers not only has the athleticism but the attitude and adaptability: "He played with great passion and the awareness of a four-year starter in 2011. Capable of starring as a three-technique defensive tackle or holding the point as a five technique defensive end, Brockers will be highly valued by 4-3 and 3-4 teams."

CBSSports.com rates Brockers as the best defensive tackle in the draft and he is projected to be a top-10 overall pick.

NFL Combine big boys: Best 300-pound defenders

Devon Still, Penn State

6'5, 310 pounds

If Brockers is the best 300-pounder on the D-Line at the NFL Combine, Devon Still may be a close second. In fact, some believe Still is the better interior rusher. The big-bodied defensive tackle has an explosive first step and is a bona fide run stopper.

Still is a projected to be a first-round pick and could even land in the top 10. His credentials speak for themselves: The Wilmington, Delaware native was named to 10 first team All-American teams and was a finalist for two national defensive player of the year awards, as well as a defensive lineman of the year award.

Still also has football in his blood: His cousin Art Still played for Chiefs and another cousin, Levon Kirkland, was a starting linebacker with the Steelers.

NFL Combine big boys: Best 300-pound defenders

Dontari Poe, Memphis

6'5, 350 pounds

Dontari Poe may be one guy who can challenge Stephen Paea's NFL Combine bench press record. The 6'5 350-pound Poe is a force in the weight room and has reportedly bench-pressed 500 pounds and squatted over 700 pounds.

Poe, an honorable mention All-C-USA selection in 2010, has the raw skills to succeed but some scouts question what position he would play in the NFL. "Poe might be a 3-4 nose tackle, and is regarded as very stout at the point against the run," says Len Pasquarelli of The Sports Xchange. "But he also has some skills that translate well to a 4-3 tackle spot."

Though Poe may not be a first-round pick, he has the potential to be truly special, according to Memphis defensive line coach Mike DuBose. In fact, before Poe announced he would enter the NFL draft, Dubose told the Commercial Appeal: ''Dontari is a powerful, powerful young man who has the potential ... to be the best defensive lineman I've ever coached."

NFL Combine big boys: Best 300-pound defenders

Brandon Thompson, Clemson

6'2, 310 pounds

Brandon Thompson earned the nickname "Yams" because of his enormous thighs, and those powerful legs proved daunting to opposing running backs in the ACC. The 6'2, 310-pound defensive tackle was the Tigers' main run-stopper last season and he figures to do more of the same against NFL backs daring to run up the middle.

Thompson was a disruptive force at Clemson - and the numbers show it. In his Tigers career, he had 131 tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks, 29 quarterback pressures, nine pass breakups, and three recovered fumbles.

CBSSports.com ranks Thompson as the best senior defensive tackle in the 2012 draft and the 32nd best overall prospect.

NFL Combine big boys: Best 300-pound defenders

Jerel Worthy, Michigan State

6'3, 305 pounds

Last season, the Michigan State defense led the Big Ten in rushing defense, total defense and sacks - and Jerel Worthy is the main reason why.

The consensus All-American registered a tackle for a loss in nine of the Spartans' games last year. That explains why Spartan defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi describes Worthy as "a big, explosive athlete, who has the ability to make plays in the offensive backfield."

CBSSports.com ranks Worthy as the fourth best defensive tackle and the 24th best overall player in the 2012 draft.

NFL Combine big boys: Best 300-pound defenders

Mike Martin, Michigan

6'2, 300 pounds

Here's another guy who has a shot at beating Stephen Paea's NFL Combine bench-press record. Mike Martin has benched pressed 505 pounds and run the 40 in under 5 seconds - despite weighing 300 pounds.

Before he came to Ann Arbor, the big-bodied Martin made a name for himself in other sports. In high school, Martin won Michigan's Division I state heavyweight wrestling championship in both 2007 and 2008 and was a two-time state champion in the shot put.

Martin was a 2010 All-Big Ten selection by both the coaches (2nd team) and the media (honorable mention). The next year, he was a second team All-Conference selection by both the coaches and the media.

NFL Combine big boys: Best 300-pound defenders

Akiem Hicks, Regina (Canada)

6'6, 320 pounds

Akiem Hicks was wooed by a football powerhouse - LSU - before a recruiting violation sent him to Sacramento City College, then ultimately north of the border. At 6'6" and 320 pounds and with a reported 84-inch wingspan, Hicks is a true physical specimen with incredible size and strength.

"I'm what they consider a raw talent because I haven't had a lot of highly ranked NCAA coaches that have put me together," Hicks told the Leader-Post last month.

Playing in Canada and out of the NCAA spotlight, Hicks probably has the longest road to the NFL of all the big men on this list. But he hopes his performance in the East-West Shrine game last month helps "punch his ticket" to the pros. "It's time to actually bring the power, the ferociousness and the tackling," he told the Leader-Post. "That's what they want to see. If you can do that, then you've punched your ticket."