2024 NFL Scouting Combine: What We Learned during Thursday's activities in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS -- Thursday marked the first day of on-field events and second day of prospect press conferences at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. Defensive linemen and linebackers worked out, while defensive backs stepped up to the podiums. Here are the biggest things we learned from the day's events.

Tune in to NFL Network and NFL+ for live coverage of the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine beginning at 3 p.m. ET on Friday and 1 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday.

1) Rising DT puts on a show. Braden Fiske arrived in Indianapolis as a prospect with fans in the draft community, including NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah, who just added the Florida State product to his updated ranking of the top 50 players in this class, slotting the disruptive DT in at No. 45. After Thursday's display at Lucas Oil Stadium, though, Fiske could be moving on up.

Fiske ran the fastest 40-yard dash of Group 1, which primarily consists of defensive tackles, and he did so in style, blurting out “OH, YEAH!” like the Kool-Aid Man as he broke the finish line in 4.78 seconds.

And that was only one facet of an impressive all-around workout from Fiske. The 6-foot-4, 292-pounder also posted the highest vertical leap (33.5 inches) and longest broad jump (9-foot-9) of the DT group. Not to mention, Fiske had Jeremiah and guest analyst Cam Jordan in awe of his footwork in the four-bag agility drill.

Fiske spent the first three seasons of his college career at Western Michigan before earning third-team All-American honors from the Associated Press during his lone campaign in Tallahassee. And now he could be headed for a premium draft slot in April.

"Fiske, I think this dude, he's a lock for the second round in my opinion," Jeremiah said on Thursday's NFL Network broadcast. "He