As a child growing up in Greenwood, Indiana, Caden Curry frequently attended the NFL Scouting Combine as a fan. Now, the former Ohio State defensive end is participating in the NFL Scouting Combine himself.
“It's a dream come true,” Curry said. “I mean, ever since I was a kid, being able to come over here and watch all the great athletes before me, and just to be living it, be behind the scenes and just be able to compete.”
Curry is no stranger to competing inside Lucas Oil Stadium. He played in three state championship games at the home of the Indianapolis Colts for Center Grove High School, winning two of them. He returned for last season’s Big Ten Championship Game and recorded seven total tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and a pass breakup vs. Indiana in a losing effort.
“Lucas Oil is almost a second home to me,” said Curry, who said he attended the combine “all the time” as a kid.
Even so, Curry will only be participating in position drills when defensive ends work out at the combine on Thursday. He’s choosing to save his testing in measurable drills, including the 40-yard dash, for an even more familiar venue – the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, where he’ll participate in a full workout at Ohio State’s March 25 pro day.
Curry believes another month of training and the familiar atmosphere at Ohio State will position him to put up the best numbers possible in the measurable tests.
“I feel like I've been getting better every week with my technique and just the way I'm fundamentally doing stuff, and I want to prepare to get my best numbers,” Curry said. “Obviously, that's what you do at the combine and pro day, and I feel like being in the atmosphere of Ohio State and just reminiscing from all those times and those hard workouts, I feel like I'll put up my best numbers on pro day. But I'll definitely make sure to do the position drills (at the combine).”
“It's a dream come true.” – Caden Curry on participating in the NFL Scouting Combine
As Curry has gone through the initial stages of the combine, including interviews with NFL teams, he’s felt well-prepared to make the jump to the next level because of the coaching he received and competition he went up against at Ohio State.
“You're at Ohio State, you're already competing against the best in the world,” Curry said. “It's iron sharpens iron, and they mentally and physically get you ready for these moments, and they've done everything I can ask for.”
Curry also has plenty of former Ohio State teammates from his first three years as a Buckeye – including JT Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer, the defensive ends he waited his turn behind before finally getting the chance to start as a senior – who’ve given him a great example to follow as he starts his own NFL career.
“They're great mentors for me off the field, on the field, and just being around them is, I mean, it's a brotherhood. I'm going to be with friends with them for the rest of my life,” Curry said. “Jack and JT are already excelling at the next level at a great pace, and I can't wait to join them and just be able to work out with them again.”
Curry, who says the brotherhood with his teammates is what he will cherish most from his Ohio State career, says the best advice he got from Sawyer and Tuimoloau entering the combine was not to get caught up in the magnitude of being on the stage he’s always dreamed of being on.
Caden Curry says the brotherhood is what he cherishes most from his time at Ohio State.
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) February 25, 2026
Just meeting guys with so many different cultures around the world, and they come from so many different backgrounds, and you just see it all meshed together as one unit and one team. pic.twitter.com/Wne0nIddgH
“Just be myself, honestly. Relax,” Curry said. “I mean, I've always dreamed of being in this moment. And the stress level can get so high. And you can just think about so many other things rather than the job at hand and just competing against the best players that we do at Ohio State every single day. So just be myself.”
