2012 OLB's

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Travis Lewis, OLB, Oklahoma

 

6'2 - 227 lbs

 

 

Read & React: Combines very good instincts with above-average reaction skills. Almost always finds the ball in traffic. Greet feel in coverage, sees quarterback and receiver, jumps routes to prevent completion, or at least stop yards after the catch. One-man wrecking crew against screens because he sniffs them out and has the quickness to grab the receiver.

Run defense: Tougher between the tackles than many expect. Gap-shooter that grabs backs before they get through the line, also willing to throw his body into the hole to create piles and stands up to blocks to stay in the play. Feels pulling lineman coming, capable of punching to stay clean or take the outside shoulder to keep runners from bouncing to the sideline. Lacks strength to blow up fullbacks and bulk/length to prevent getting engulfed by better lineman at the second level.

Pass defense: Fluid and quick drop into zone, covers enough ground to be Tampa-Two mike and knows where the markers are. Often arrives at the receiver at the same time as the ball, gives up few yards after the catch. Possesses straight-line speed stay with or chase down receivers in man. Creates turnovers with quick reaction time to bring in tipped balls, closes on balls over the middle or baits quarterbacks intro throwing his directions if they do not seeing his deep drop. Loses size battle to many tight ends, easily pushed away on out routes. Caught looking into backfield occasionally instead of getting to receiver in the flat. Tries to cradle throws at times instead of snatching them, resulting in dropped interceptions.

Tackling: As secure and reliable a tackler as you'll see in college football. Not necessarily explosive, but more physical than a chase-and-drag linebacker. Breaks down well in space, corrals elusive ballcarriers on the edge or inside by wrapping torso and holding on. Gets leverage inside to stop piles from moving forward. Leaves his feet at times, NFL backs will take advantage.

Pass Rush/Blitz: Works more in space than attacking the backfield, but flashes closing speed and agility to reach passers from the blind side or up the middle before they can escape. Knocks down some quarterbacks with just a glancing blow. Takes advantage of large holes to get to the quarterback, but must work on using violent hands to rip off lineman and defeat cut blocks from running backs. Also needs to build a variety of pass rush moves.

Intangibles: Team captain who leads the team on and off the field with words and by example. Four-year starter for one of the top programs in the country. No known character or off-field issues.

 

draft 101 3rd

draft scout 4-5th

walter 4-5th

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Zach Brown, OLB/MLB, North Carolina

 

6'2 - 230 lbs

 

Read & React: Still a work in progress in this area, though he showed improvement as the 2010 season wore on. Takes a false-step on occasion, but is an alert player whose rare speed puts him in position to make the play. Reacts quickly in pass coverage once the ball is thrown. Hustles to the ball.

Run defense: Not an overly physical defender. Relies on his speed and elusiveness to evade blockers, rather than taking them on. Too often is stale-mated at the point of attack when blockers are able to get their hands on him. Doesn't use his hands well to shed blocks, at this time. Possesses excellent speed to beat backs to the edge, however, and has the burst to slip through gaps to create tackle-for-loss opportunities.

Pass defense: Often fooled by good play-action, but has the flexibility and straight-line speed to recover. Gains good depth on his drops when in obvious passing situations. Keeps his head on a swivel and shows some feel for zone coverage. Reads the quarterback's eyes and can plant and break on the ball. At least average ball-skills for the position and has the athleticism to be a threat with the ball in his hands on a return (see INT return against Tennessee in the Music City Bowl). Has the physical skills to eventually excel in this area.

Tackling: Doesn't possess a great deal of explosiveness as a hitter. Demonstrates good, but not great lateral agility to break down and make the tackle in the open field. Will overpursue and leave himself vulnerable to the cut-back, on occasion. Uses his long arms to "rassle" down the ball-carrier, rather than striking him and making the secure stop.

Pass Rush/Blitz: Very raw in this area. Possesses the explosive athleticism you can't coach, but relies almost exclusively on his speed and agility to elude blockers, including running backs. Doesn't show much in terms of pass rush technique.

Intangibles: Two-sport athlete who also participates in track for North Carolina. Set the school record in the indoor 60-meter dash with a 6.72 time in 2009. Unofficially clocked at 4.28 seconds by UNC coaches during off-season conditioning in 2009. Was named a special teams captain in 2010 for earning the most points in Carolina's scoring system.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbmVlF-oLA8

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey6A--Fg3d8

He is great in coverage. Not great against the run. Great athlete. Can play inside or outside.

 

fftoolbox 1st

draft scout 1-2nd

walter 1-2nd

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Lavonte David, OLB, Nebraska

 

6'1 - 225 lbs

 

Read & React: Tough player with excellent instincts and quick reaction time, involves himself in many run and pass plays all over the field. Occasionally guesses, flying into holes instead of finding the ball then attacking it and leaving his area open to receivers and running lanes.

Run defense: Plays mostly in the box, flies through creases to wrap up the legs of backs trying to find a hole or attempting to get to the sideline. Despite his lack of size, attacks oncoming linemen with a punch or stiff-arm into their chest and makes tackles in the box with blockers on his back. Gives and gets the worst of collisions inside.

Pass defense: Strong in coverage, often used as the only linebacker on the field against spread defenses. Possesses the quickness to stay with running backs on wheel routes or trail across the middle. Stays with underneath routes while in zone, able to break up passes in front of receivers with front hand without interfering. Gives up size to most NFL-caliber tight ends and better backs separate during routes with length and strength. Bites on aggressive arrow routes, loses his balance when trying to change directions at times.

Tackling: Hustling chase tackler who hits the thighs and wraps up legs very effectively. Tries to strip the ball when tackle is secured, has good success even against tight ends. Bigger ballcarriers can stiff-arm him in the open field because of his lack of size and length, but it does not happen too often.

Pass Rush/Blitz: Explodes through creases to reach the passer, bringing down most with a strong hit. Also chases down quarterbacks escaping the pocket to rack up sacks. Rips off running back blocks to chase the passer but freezes too often when initially facing them, making him late to reach the ball.

Intangibles: Good football work ethic and intelligence. Possesses strong character and humble attitude, called "coach's dream" by Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini.

I love the coverage skills. Also pretty strong against the run. Sets the edge well. I see a future pro bowler.

 

 

Draft scout 2nd

fftoolbox 2nd

walter 2-3rd

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Bobby Wagner, OLB, Utah State

 

6'1 - 232 lbs

 

 

 

Read and react: Instinctive defender who is aggressive to slip through cracks and stop the running back in the hole. Good patience. Doesn't commit too soon showing the ability to break down in space, wait for the ball carrier to commit and closing quickly for the reliable stop.

Run defense: Good balance and strong, long arms for the pull-down tackle while engaged in a block. Shows good patience and then closes quickly in the hole. Looks to slip blocks with quick hands rather than forcefully taking them on and shedding with violence.

Pass defense: Cognizant in coverage. Showed better-than-expected fluidity and instincts in coverage during the Senior Bowl practices. A bit heavy-footed and was occasionally beaten to the flanks or down the sideline, leaving questions about whether he has the speed to play outside in the NFL.

Tackling: Wraps his arms on most tackles to bring ball carriers to a quick stop. Good lateral and downfield pursuit.

Pass Rush/Blitz: Experienced pass rusher with enough burst to slip by offensive tackles and enough power to blow through running backs left in pass protection. Shows good effort but only a moderate feel for rushing the passer. Allowed to loop around to find favorable matchups, on occasion, but relies too much on speed and bull rushes rather than using any real technique.

Intangibles: Possesses a thick build with impressive overall musculature. Intelligent and dedicated. Capable of contributing early in his career. Voted a team captain in 2010-11.

 

 

Looks to get washed out in the trash to much. Not real impressed. Should be better against lesser competition.

 

FFtoolbox 3rd

walter 2-3rd

draft scout 2nd

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Jonathan Massaquoi, OLB, Troy

 

6'2 - 270 lbs

Pass rush: Can get to the quarterback in a variety of ways and is active with twists and stunts. Aggressive and attacking rusher. Needs to improve his body positioning and allows himself to be tangled up, lacking the upper body strength to quickly stack and shed. Plays with inconsistent technique and is still very raw with his hand use.

Run defense: Keeps his eyes elevated with good awareness. Needs to show better discipline and play assignment football, too often losing contain and playing reckless. Gets himself in trouble when he allows his frame to get upright and can be lazy with his pad level. Often overanxious and overaggressive with questionable instincts and anticipation - strong concerns about his read/react ability.

Explosion: Shows quick initial get-off with explosive burst and rare suddenness for the position. Loose hips with the movement skills to redirect in a flash.

Strength: Possesses a filled-out frame with good body thickness. Has done a nice job spending time in the weight room getting stronger, adding over 50 pounds since his senior year in high school. Has the raw strength to shrug off blocks with his fast playing style.

Tackling: Has good length with vines for arms to wrap ballcarriers. Chases down the action with excellent pursuit skills, playing at full speed with a hard working attitude. Constantly in the backfield, but leaves production on the field and needs to consistently finish.

Intangibles: Was productive in his two seasons on the field at Troy, collecting a combined 31.0 tackles for loss and 19.5 sacks - led the team in both categories each of last two seasons. Shorter than ideal and lacks the ideal size to keep his hand on the ground. Played mostly in three-point stance as an end in Troy's three-man front and lacks a natural position for the next level. Has been known to take a few plays off and will disappear for stretches. Coming off a pedestrian season compared to his 2010 production.

I like seeing a guy that big in coverage. I like how he deals with the pass.

 

 

draft 101 4th

draft scout 4th

nfl future 3rd

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Bruce Irvin, OLB, West Virginia

 

6'3 - 245 lbs

Read and react: Has natural instincts for defense despite his lack of experience, though he is obviously still learning. Finds the ball regularly and has the change of direction ability to get to it.

Run defense: Gives some effort to chase down running backs. Miscast as a hand-down player and played mostly in passing situations, but has some fair strength for his size and does not break down easily against the run. At linebacker, he should have no problems getting off tight end blocks to contain against the run.

Pass defense: Limited experience dropping into coverage, as he was primarily used as a pass rush specialist. Has change-of-direction skills and hustle to track down ball carriers in the open field, but will need to learn how to handle coverage responsibilities.

Tackling: Strong wrap tackler who can dislodge the ball with power and goes for the strip if his target is holding the ball low or loose. Brings down quarterbacks much bigger than he is. Very good motor and regularly chases down plays from behind. Used on special-teams coverage units because of his tenacity and speed.

Pass Rush/Blitz: Best attribute. Extreme quickness off the edge, has flexibility to turn the corner. Shows toughness to get under the pads of tackles to bull them, club them upfield to get the inside lane, or fight through blocks for secondary rush when passer steps up. Keeps feet moving after initial contact. Jumps inside as a counter to typical rush, but needs to show a larger variety of moves. Gets pressures on inside stunts and was too explosive for college guards to handle.

Intangibles: Tough player who gets up from being planted and comes hard on the next play. Comes from rough background and almost threw away his talent but earned GED, walked onto junior-college team and continues to work hard towards his goal of playing in the NFL.

I don't see him being a good OLB in the league. I think he has to change positions.

 

fftoolbox 2nd

draft scout 2-3rd

Walter 3-4th

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Sean Spence

6'0, 224 pounds | Linebacker | Miami

 

Read & React: Probably his best asset. Excellent diagnosing skills. Is rarely out of position even against quality play-action, though he can be too aggressive in attacking the hole, leaving cutback lanes for talented backs. Shoots gaps, escaping blocks of the behemoth offensive lineman to rack up tackles at (or often behind) the line of scrimmage. Sniffs out screens and draws quickly. High-effort player who hustles to the ball in pursuit. Is seemingly always around the action.

Run defense: Makes a lot of plays against the run due to his instincts and athleticism. Shows surprising explosiveness in his upper body, which combined with his natural leverage advantage, makes him a tougher block for offensive linemen than he appears. Would rather elude blockers, however, and does so well, zipping through holes to often trip up ball carriers before they've built their momentum. Very good chase linebacker. Possesses good timed speed and good balance to keep his feet while wading through the trash. Takes good angles in pursuit.

Pass defense: Gains good depth on his drops and trusts his eyes. Reads the quarterback and often gets a head start towards the receiver due to his instincts. Good agility and straight-line speed. Would like to see him be more physical in re-routing tight ends as they come off the line; instead he relies on his athleticism to mirror backs and tight ends. Lack of size hurts him in this area. Does not appear to have the loose hips to consider a move to a traditional safety role.

Tackling: A bit inconsistent in this area despite his hype. Good lateral agility and balance to break down. Reads the action so quickly and relies so heavily on his burst to make plays before blockers can get to him that he has a tendency to lunge, resulting in some ugly missed tackles. Generates impressive momentum and can explode into ball carriers. Generally does a nice job of wrapping his arms around the legs of ball carriers, but his relatively short limbs and weak upper body lead to some ball carriers running through his arm tackles. Very good effort in pursuit. Spends too much time on the ground, but isn't there for long.

Pass Rush/Blitz: An underrated element of his game. Does a nice job of anticipating the snap count and times his blitzes well. Great speed through gaps and has a legitimate burst to close on the quarterback. Doesn't rely strictly on his athleticism, as he has an effective swim move and good agility to elude blocks.

Intangibles: Signed with Miami as a 195-pound linebacker. Honored by his teammates as Miami's Most Valuable Player following 2010 season and Defensive Outstanding Player in 2011. Projects best as a weak-side linebacker for the NFL, but played on the strong side for Miami.

Nice athletics. Moves well.

 

draft scout 3rd

walter 3-4

draft 101 3rd

 

 

Josh Kaddu

Oregon

6-3 231

Strengths: Looks the part with a strong, long frame with good arm length (33 1/4 inches). Fluid and flexible athlete with agile footwork and explosive quickness. Has very good playing speed and is fast in pursuit, chasing down the action with closing burst. Coordinated and looks natural in space. Physical at the point of attack and works hard to shed blocks. Enjoys contact and is a forceful tackler, hitting with some pop. Effective blitzer with the speed to reach the backfield and create backside pressure -- finished second on the team in sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (9.5) as a senior. Energetic defender who looks like he's having fun on the field and plays with a high motor -- aggressive nature and shows a killer instinct. Started the last 27 games at strong-side linebacker for the Ducks and has extensive experience on special teams coverage.

Weaknesses: Has lean limbs and needs to get stronger and add bulk to his frame. Has inconsistent read/react skills with streaky awareness when asked to drop in coverage. Is like a bull in a china shop with his aggressive style of play, causing him to play undisciplined and over pursue -- questionable instincts and reckless intensity. Has underdeveloped technique to his game and appears unpolished. Gets upright with poor pad level. Played mostly near the line of scrimmage at Oregon and has limited experience dropping into coverage. Had very average production over his career with only 128 career tackles -- didn't finish among the top-five tacklers on the team in 2011.

 

 

draft scout 3rd

walter 4-5th

fftoolbox 5th

 

 

Keenan Robinson, OLB, Texas

 

6'3" - 242 lbs

 

 

 

Positives: Handles misdirection well with quick change-of-direction ability. Comes downhill quickly against the run when he has an open lane. Gives effort between the tackles to find the ball and is willing to take on linemen. Flashes strength to punch or stiff-arm to get off blocks. Stays with plays downfield, often making tackles even after being hit by multiple linemen. Lacks pop and strength to anchor, though. Most effective when uncovered inside and chasing stretch plays to the sideline. Displays nice agility and awareness in coverage. Has the size and speed to be effective rushing the passer, but was not asked to do much of it at Texas.

Negatives: Possesses average instincts. More likely to make plays with quick reactions than by diagnosing. Lacks elite quickness and change-of-direction ability to handle NFL slot receivers after initial contact. Does not blow up targets. Many inside tackles are catch-and-drags, which will be more difficult to make at the next level. Plays upright. Ducks his head and fails to wrap up at times. Inconsistent in giving full effort to be the second man in on the play. Must learn to use hands to beat blocks

.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pLNEDyq9e8

Not impressed.

 

draft scout 3-4th

draft bible 4-5th

walter 3-4th

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Nigel Bradham

 

Outside Linebacker

 

Florida St 6'1⅞" 241 lbs

Positives: Fearless, relentless and fast. Covers a lot of ground on the field. Is usually around the ball. Solid tackler. Can turn and run with TEs in coverage. Can anchor despite slightly high cut build, and uses hands well to shed blocks. Dedicated hard worker on and off the field with virtually perfect durability record.

Negatives: A bit high-hipped, which limits ability to anchor and turn. Not much of a pass rusher if there is not an open lane. Ball skills are just average. Takes some dumb penalties.

 

He plays like a Raven.

 

Perfect example of why I don't like the defensless receiver rule.

 

draft scout 3rd

walter 3-4th

draft 101 4th

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Brandon Lindsey, OLB, Pittsburgh

 

6'2 - 250 lbs

 

 

 

Positives: Reacts well to draw plays and misdirection, sniffs out screens to his side of the field. Keeps his eyes in the backfield when rushing the passer and uses hands and strength to stay in the play. Runs out of gas and loses the ball during games when forced to play every down with his hand on the ground. Uses his low center of gravity to flash leverage and strong, violent hands to create space and shed to either side. Also spins off blocks to disengage. Gets low and creates piles in short-yardage situations. Has enough hustle and athleticism to make plays in the flat against running backs. Lacks height but has the vertical and timing to knock away passes when approaching the quarterback. Possesses strong upper body to be explosive and create turnovers as a tackler. Takes aggressive angles to the ball.

Negatives: Often engulfed by NFL-caliber tackles due to his lack of height. Must improve consistency in beating cut blocks. Needs work on angles and finding receivers in zone. Does not possess elite quickness. Fails to break down at times, grabbing shoulder pads and lunging to allow ball carriers to elude him. Inconsistent hustle. Only adequate change-of-direction ability. Also loses his balance too often in the open field. Lacks size to bull rush stronger tackles.

 

Much better standing. Should rarely have his hand down.

 

draft scout 5-6th

draft 101 3rd

walter 3-5th

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Emmanuel Acho, ILB, Texas

 

6'2 - 245 lbs

 

 

 

Pass rush: Hustle pass rusher who needs work to excel at the next level. Good burst upfield after the snap, but lacks flexibility to get under the pads of an offensive tackle and turn the corner. Must improve using his hands to shed upon initial contact while maintaining balance. Strong enough to bull rush but does not use that move very often on the edge. Good secondary effort; attacks the pocket until the ball is away. A number of his sacks come when lined up inside. Capable of disrupting passing lanes but doesn't get his hands up consistently.

Run defense: Often takes on double-team blocks while lined up in the five-technique position. Plays with fair strength at the point of attack and frees linebackers to make plays behind him. Assignment-sure player, keeping containment on his side of the line when set up outside either tackle. Keeps his eyes in the backfield when engaged. Can punch and shed the block to get outside when not doubled. Could disengage more regularly inside and often watches backs run through the hole. Nice hustle in space, will chase down mobile quarterbacks from behind. Plays with good anchor for his size but must bulk up to play five-technique at the next level.

Explosion: Not exceptional in this area but has a good combination of strength and explosiveness off the snap. Does not turn the corner on better offensive tackles. Strong upper body and length give him a good punch on initial contact for bull rushes and when making plays against the run. Does not project to be elite rushing the passer, which limits his upside.

Strength: Has the weight-room and functional strength to play at the next level, but more consistent hands would increase his value. Can stack the tackle on the edge and hold his ground against the run using leverage.

Tackling: Not an explosive tackler but is strong enough to force fumbles when wrapping up quarterbacks. Gives great effort to bring down ballcarriers. Uses hustle and length to chase down plays to the sideline and downfield. Only adequate change-of-direction agility in the backfield -- will be frozen and eluded by NFL-caliber backs as he fails to break down. Willing to be the second or third man into the pile.

Intangibles: Intelligent, hard-working player who puts in the time in the weight and film rooms. Received multiple national Academic All-American awards, the 2010 William V. Campbell Trophy and National ARA Sportsmanship Awards. Brother Emmanuel is a junior linebacker for the Longhorns. Parents born in Nigeria. His middle name, Onyedikachi, means "who is like unto God".

 

draft 101 3rd

fftoolbox 4th

walter 3-4th

 

 

 

Tyler Nielsen, OLB, Iowa

 

6'4 - 235 lbs

 

 

 

Positives: Heady, well-coached player. Quick recognizing and reacting to run vs. pass when playing near the line. Cognizant of multiple routes when in coverage. Spends a lot of time outside the box in coverage, but he has the strength to hold the edge against large tight ends and linemen. Good quickness to attack ball carriers when playing near the line. Breaks down and wraps legs to make the stop. Excellent in coverage. Stays with tight ends and receivers in the slot with very good straight-line speed and change-of-direction ability for his size. Combination of size, length, and agility makes him a secure tackler in space. Could succeed as a free blitzer.

Negatives: Height leaves him susceptible to cut blocks, so he must learn to defeat with his hands. Inconsistent getting off blocks from smaller offensive players, gets moved or out-positioned and forced to chase down plays from behind. Leaves his feet at times. Sometimes heads straight-on to quick receivers instead of anticipating their route. Needs to use his hands more violently to defeat blocks while coming after the quarterback at the next level.

 

 

draft scout 6th

draft 101 6th

draftek 5th

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Andre Branch Clemson

6-4 240

 

 

 

Pass rush: Inconsistent initial burst off the snap. Has enough explosiveness to cross the tackle's face and shows good flexibility to dip under the blocker's reach and turn the corner. Long arms and quick hands, though he hasn't yet shown the pass rush repertoire to take advantage of his natural tools. Good closing speed. Can chase down the quarterback and shows good lateral agility and balance to flatten out and chase the ball-carrier to the sideline.

Run defense: Lacks the bulk and strength to consistently hold up at the point of attack at this time. Comes off the snap too high and relies on his arm length, initial punch and good lateral agility to shuck and elude blockers. Too often is blown off the ball in short yardage situations.

Explosion: Possesses a legitimate blend of explosive speed and power which could result in much improved play with greater technique. Can beat lethargic offensive tackles off the snap with his burst. Good upper body power to stack and shed, as well. Some untapped potential in this area.

Strength: Can't hold up to the double-team, but has enough strength to occasionally set the edge. Good strength for the pull-down tackle, flashing the explosiveness to knock ball-carriers to the ground based on impact, alone. Will have to add another 10+ pounds to remain as a full-time defensive end for most four-man fronts.

Tackling: Shows some intriguing natural athleticism in this area. Has the agility and balance to break down in space and make tackles of smaller, elusive ball-carriers. Good straight-line speed and possesses a legitimate closing burst. Has to do a better job of wrapping his arms around the ball-carrier securely, as NFL-caliber backs may be able to run through his explosive hits. Needs to be more consistent with his effort and angles in pursuit.

Intangibles: Signed with Clemson as an outside linebacker and still plays the position occasionally for the Tigers (Georgia Tech). Earned the "12th Man Award" in 2009, as he finished among team leaders in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks despite not starting a game. Enjoyed a "breakout" game against Virginia Tech in which he recorded career highs in tackles (11), tackles for loss (six) and sacks (four).

 

I don't see a 1st round talent. He seems to excel when he can pin his ears back. When he has to react to the play he is only so so.

 

draft scout 1-2nd

nfl future 1-2nd

draft 101 2nd

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Tank Carder, ILB, TCU

 

6'3 - 237 lbs

 

 

 

 

 

Positives: Heady player who always seems to be at the right place at the right time. Attacks ball carriers in a hurry if a lane opens up in front of him. Regularly flows to the ball using the correct attack angle. Dips shoulder or attacks blockers directly when filling gaps. Can anchor to maintain the line of scrimmage. Identifies and avoids pulling guards and fights off multiple blockers in traffic using lateral quickness and strong hands to find his way to the ball carrier. Will hurdle trash on the ground to get into the backfield. Underrated athlete capable of covering running backs out of the backfield. Regularly breaks up passes. Possesses the length and aggressive nature to be a solid tackler. Strikes ball carriers with reckless abandon. Good closing speed and strong hands to be effective as a blitzer.

Weaknesses: Loses the ball and overruns plays at times, sometimes because he is attacking his assigned gap and other times because he is asked to be so aggressive. Lacks great upper-body bulk to keep from being engulfed by NFL-caliber linemen. Fair in dropping into his zone, but could be a bit more fluid moving backwards. Has only adequate upper-body strength to corral stronger ball carriers in the open field. Lacks pass-rush moves.

 

draft scout 6th

walter 3rd

draft bible 2nd

 

 

Kyle Wilber

Wake Forest

6'4 - 240 lbs

Strengths: Smart, instinctive player always around the ball. Has smooth hips to turn and run in coverage. Good at using long arms to disengage from blockers and make plays. Is quick off the snap and an effective blitzer. Covers a lot of area in zone and uses long frame to defend passes. Good athlete for frame.

Weaknesses: Is neither a great edge rusher nor good at anchoring against OLs on running plays, and hence does not project well as a 3-4 OLB. High cut and long legged, and does not possess elite acceleration. Has not demonstrated good ball skills in man coverage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRm1WGIZUWQ

Not a great rusher. Is only OK in coverage.

 

 

draft scout 3-4th

wilber 4-6th

draft 101 UDFA

 

 

Ronnell Lewis, OLB, Oklahoma

 

6'2 - 244 lbs

Pass rush: A very good athlete who plays fast and accelerates quickly upfield. Plays with fluid quickness and sharp footwork. Struggles to shed once engaged and plays with very predictable hand use. Doesn't flash many secondary pass rush moves and has unrefined mechanics as a pass rusher -- can't simply rely on his natural ability at the next level.

Run defense: Keeps his eyes up and quickly locates the ball with good patience and overall awareness. Needs to develop better pre-snap recognition skills and anticipation. Plays hard on every snap, doing a nice job not giving up on the play and making tackles downfield in pursuit. Limited against the run at the line of scrimmage with a suspect base and overall anchor.

Explosion: Not a quick-twitch or sudden player and lacks an explosive first step with an inconsistent get-off. Possesses smooth change of direction skills and can make plays in any direction. Doesn't always play with the competitive fire teams seek in a pass rusher.

Strength: Naturally strong and always looking to finish. Plays physical and violent with aggressive hand use. Doesn't have great growth potential and might be maxed out physically.

Tackling: Reliable tackler in small areas. Strong hands to secure tackles and knock the ball out of the ballcarrier's grasp. Tight-hipped and will miss tackles in space.

Intangibles: Has a lot of raw ability and overall upside for the next level. Had only 14 starts at the collegiate level with underwhelming production. Never led the Sooners in tackles, tackles for loss or sacks. Undersized to play with his hand on the ground and might be limited to specific schemes -- lacks a natural position and was used in various spots over his collegiate career. Has some maturity and character concerns, not leaving Oklahoma on great terms and struggling with academics throughout his career -- was suspended for the bowl game this past season due to poor grades and was told by the coaching staff that he was better off moving on and going pro.

He is special. Works hard to get to the ball.

 

 

fftoolbox 2nd

draft 101 2nd

walter 1-2nd