This DSFL scouting report I will be focusing on the Linebacker class. I will be scouting the top 14 linebacker prospects for the upcoming NSFL draft. This is what we scouts look for in a top tier linebacker.
Instincts: You can call this football IQ or, read and react, but at the end of the day it all comes down to how well the player puts himself in a position to make the tackle and stop the offense. A great inside linebacker must be quick enough to get to the ball, but he has to first see the ball and know where to attack. NSFL players will tell you that seeing the play that ability to diagnose what the offense is doing before it does it is the most important aspect to the middle linebacker position. Scouting a player's instincts isn't as tough as it might sound. When watching film, how long does it take the middle linebacker to identify the play after you have, or does he beat you to it? If you have experience watching game film from the All-22 view, this is a fun way to gauge yourself and the player. In person, you want to see a linebacker in perpetual motion. When I coached high school football, we told our linebackers to be sharks always moving, always hunting. That's what I look for in NSFL prospects.
Athleticism: Now that you've found the ball, how quickly do you get to it? A middle linebacker in any scheme must show the quickness to close on the ball carrier. The job of a linebacker, put simply, is to stop the football. Finding the ball and then shutting it down are the two biggest criteria I look for when coaching or scouting players.Athleticism is a broad term, so what are we looking for in a middle linebacker? Change of Direction: There are few plays in an NSFL game where a player runs in a straight line, which is why the 40-yard dash is a poor test for non-ball carriers. A linebacker must be able to change directions quickly without stalling at the top of his cut. You can teach a linebacker to chop his feet to change directions and chase the ball, but the flexibility and hip movement needed to cut, change direction and explode to the ball are keys to scouting a player. You can see this on display at the scouting combine during positional drills, but you can watch it in a game too. How well does the middle linebacker explode out of his stance to attack the outside run? Does the player stall when dropping into pass coverage and then breaking on a check down throw to the flats? Strength: An effective inside linebacker must be able to fight through traffic to get to the ball carrier. That requires strength both upper and lower body to fend off blockers and to get through subsequent blockers protecting the ball. We call this "scraping" or "stacking and shedding," and what you want to see on film or in person is a linebacker who can consistently win battles against blockers. If a guard attacks the inside linebacker, he must be able to either beat the blocker to the ball carrier or be strong enough to get the blocker's hands off of him to make the play.
Leadership: There are three positions in the NFL that when scouting, I look at leadership: quarterback, center, and middle linebacker. A middle linebacker is the captain of the defense, both literally and figuratively. The greatest middle linebackers of all time were also great leaders. You can see leadership on the field, especially if you're able to evaluate the player in a losing situation during a game. Does he rally the troops either verbally or not and motivate them to play better, or does he wilt under pressure?
Pass Coverage: Traits and characteristics allow the linebacker to make plays, and that's ultimately what we are scouting traits and production. With NSFL offenses becoming more spread out, and with more tight ends being introduced into the route tree, linebackers must be able to cover on passing downs. How do we keep track of this and study it? In a game situation, I keep track of where the middle linebacker goes in coverage with a simple sketch of the field and where the player goes to attack the football. I also like to keep a tally of complete and incomplete passes to the player's area of the field. This doesn't paint a complete picture of coverage ability that involves traits highlighted above but it does show experience, comfort and where a player may need to improve.
Tackling: It's easy to look at stats on Sunday morning and see which DSFL players had the most tackles, but what was the quality of those tackles? Should a tackle made 10 yards downfield be held in the same regard as a tackle at the line of scrimmage? Of course not, which is why watching and charting tackles is key to truly knowing if the player can read and react to the offense and put himself in a position to stop the play. Just like with the other positions, I like to keep this simple. When evaluating game film of linebacker prospects, I have a pen and paper with the basic offensive line drawn. I then put an "X" for every tackle the player makes and an "O" for every missed tackle. This gives me a count of tackles made and missed, but also a picture of where on the field the linebacker is making his plays. Production is important, but traits are too. Too many DSFL middle linebackers fail to make plays because of poor defensive line protection, but once in the NSFL they blossom and begin producing. This is why traits and production must be scouted together. The middle linebacker is one of the most important players on the football field at any given time. His responsibilities for getting the play call in, getting his teammates lined up correctly and his post snap duties as a spy, tackler and cover man all show why the inside linebacker is called a "field general." So without further ado let me introduce you to the season 22 linebacker class. (Ranking is in order from top to bottom)
Stanislaw Koniecpolski (246 TPE, Balanced, Dallas) at 6’5” and 265 lbs The number one linebacker of this class. Has exceptional instincts triggers fast downhill. Outstanding urgency. Plays with very good knee bend, balance and base. Secure, drive-through tackler. Hits with explosion and jars ball carriers on impact. Excellent lateral agility flows fast and ranges to the sideline. Exceptional weight-room worker with good functional play strength plays bigger than his size. Outstanding eyes and anticipation vs. the run. Very good coverage awareness with the ball in front of him clings to tight ends passing through zones and blankets speed backs in man coverage. Respected leadership presence lines up his teammates and directs traffic. Film junkie. Excellent attitude, effort, field intensity and overall energy. Exceptional football and personal character. Highly competitive. Humble, selfless team player. Outstanding football IQ. Scheme-diverse and versatile. Strong special-teams coverage performer. Weaknesses: Gets hung up on the blitz (shoulder stiffness) and must learn how to use more finesse picking a side instead of relying on bull power and striking blockers down the middle. Can learn to do a better job shooting his hands to shock defenders and disengage from blocks. Could be challenged matching up down the field with his back to the ball vs. flex TEs in the slot man coverage. Could stand to become a more vocal leader.
Derred de Ville (229 TPE, Speed rusher, London) at 6’4” and 246 lbs has a muscular, well-proportioned build. Quick get-off. Knifes gaps. Good pass-rush ability can push the pocket or pressure the edge. Keeps working to the quarterback and has deceptive closing speed. Eyes the quarterback and tries to get his hands in the passing lane. Athletic with good movement skills in all directions equipped to keep pace with backs and tight ends in coverage. Is rangy and can open up his stride and run vertical. Glides on the field. Scheme versatile. Football smart. Weaknesses: Lacks elite length and flexibility to bend and flatten. Average instincts and diagnose. Still developing eye discipline. Needs to cultivate a more sophisticated arsenal of pass-rush moves. Leaves some production on the field. Leaves his feet to tackle and slips off the ball carrier. Hit-or-miss run defender. Could stand to improve his upper-body strength and stack-and-shed ability. Average motor could pursue with more urgency.
Haha Mango-Panda (207 TPE, Speed Rusher, Dallas) at 6’3” and 255 lbs Disruptive first-step quickness immediately re-creates the line of scrimmage and plays in the backfield Outstanding instincts locates the ball quickly and is around the ball a lot. Very good body control, bend and balance plays on his feet and is seldom on the ground. Developed pass-rush moves (rip, dip and inside counter). Very explosive. Excellent pursuit tracks down ball carriers from behind. Sacrifices his body and sells out around piles. Strikes with authority hits on the rise, violently jars ball carriers backward on impact and has a knack for dislodging the ball. Highly motivated. Played big vs. better competition. Can zone drop and buzz to the flat with ease. Highly competitive and energetic. Regularly was the focus of defensive game plans and still produced despite facing multiple blockers and extra protection consistently rolled his way. Very likeable, gregarious personality that can unite a locker room and commands the linebacker group. Has learned what it means to work, and football comes easy to him. Weaknesses: Plays a bit too recklessly and out of control. Can learn to run the arc with better lean.
Lawrence Bass (199 TPE, Balanced, Minnesota) at 6’3” and 240 lbs Fiery on-field emotional leader. Plays with passion and it shows. Beelines to the ball and brings energy to the defense. Very good eyes, anticipation and instincts, sniffs out screens, takes good cut-off angles and negotiates through traffic easily. Plays downhill and often arrives behind the line of scrimmage before ball carriers see him. Outstanding functional football-playing speed. Fluid mover. Outstanding closing speed to the ball. Reliable open-field tackler runs through contact. Good coverage skill shadows receivers and has a feel for zones. Weaknesses: Wiry and needs to add bulk to his narrow frame to withstand the rigors of NSFL contact is almost built like a free safety. Is not a strong, drive-through tackler tends to go low. Average hand use and play strength. Could struggle matching up with bigger, more physical tight ends.
Fawn Dillmiballs (196 TPE, Coverage linebacker, Kansas City) at 6’2” and 220 lbs Very solidly built frame. Good functional playing strength to beat blocks and defend the run. Locates the ball quickly and is around it a lot. Crashes the line hard and plays with energy. Flashes shock in his punch. Fine arm-under move to come underneath blockers and work the edges. Can control and disrupt tight ends. Takes good angles. Solid tackler. Ultra-tough, mentally and physically. Extremely competitive. Very good football intelligence can line up a defense. Versatile has played every linebacker position and can interchange with ease. Respected tone-setter. Outstanding work ethic. Identifies with the game. Weaknesses: Average athletic ability and lateral agility. Can be stymied by power. Stiff-hipped and robotic moving in reverse. Has limitations in man coverage and can be mismatched by athletic tight ends.
George ‘Corpse Grinder’ Fisher (187 TPE, Speed rusher, Tijuana) at 6’2” and 245 lbs Highly productive, disruptive playmaker vs. the run and pass. Shoots gaps and plays behind the line of scrimmage. Agile to slip blocks. Quick, strong hands to shed. Knifes gaps and flows very well laterally. Striking tackler uncoils on contact. Excellent speed and range opens up his stride in space and really covers ground. Bends naturally. Changes direction and accelerates with ease. Explosive first step as a pass rusher -- shows the ability to dip, bend and run the arc low to the ground. Ample athleticism and flexibility to mark backs and tight ends. Four-down utility. Weaknesses: Lacks ideal size and bulk. Still developing eyes and instincts will diagnose and trigger more quickly down the road. Gets caught in traffic or engulfed by larger blockers when he hesitates to step downhill. Prone to overaggressiveness occasionally overruns plays or loses cutback contain. Could stand to improve his eyes, awareness, anticipation and reactions as a zone defender. Took some time to acclimate before making an impact.
Benson Bayley, Jr. (165 TPE, Balanced, Dallas) at 6’5” and 265 lbs Tall, proportionally built inside linebacker with ability to play outside. Has thick, powerful legs. Good straight-line speed to chase. True take-on linebacker who can meet linemen head-on or beat them to the spot and leverage his gap with above average play strength. Scrapes and stalks while using length and powerful hands to keep himself free and clear of blockers. Steps into hole and fires into running back, finishing with wrap-up tackle. Able to run downfield in seam with tight ends. Aware of cutback lanes and rarely runs himself out of the play. Shows very good attention to assignment. Seems to have a nose for the play and is frequently in the mix. Has value on special teams and as a blitzer. Has adequate football intelligence. Weaknesses: Plays high and is lacking suddenness. High center of gravity causes clunky change of direction in space. Foot quickness in tight quarters is below average and limiting. Instincts against run are there, but tends to fight his feet and marginal agility. Has trouble clearing the trash near his feet and labors against cut blocks, losing lateral momentum. Potential liability against the pass. Looks stiff when asked to cover in space and gives away too much separation to routes in his area in zone coverage.
Mark Radson (157 TPE, Speed rusher, Myrtle Beach) at 6’2” and 240 lbs Productive and shows downhill traits to make impact tackles. Linear build with limbs to push his way around second-level linemen. Mirrors play and slides laterally with ease. Has the potential to play SAM or WILL linebacker spots in a 4-3. Can get sideline to sideline and isn't easily taken off his feet. Weaknesses: There are questions about how effective he can be in coverage. Doesn't play with consistent physicality. Scouts worried about ability to "mirror and match" tight ends in coverage. Zone awareness needs work. Instincts are below average. Questionable strength to play inside on the next level. Allows himself to get mauled when linemen square him up. Tends to coast his way through some plays. Grab and drag tackler.
Jack Banks (151 TPE, Balanced, Norfolk) at 6’3” and 243 lbs plays with urgency and beelines to the ball. Explosive can power-clean 400 pounds and hits on the rise with power. Is effective stunting and looping. Flashes playmaking ability (see Norfolk). Explosive tackler. Can play on his feet off the ball and times up the blitz well. Good hands. Athletic enough to fold back into coverage. Solid instincts and diagnose sniffs out screens and has a feel for locating the ball quickly. Weakness: Has a short, compact frame with average arm length and gets hung on blocks. Gets locked down by big-bodied blockers when they get their hands on him. Spins in place and lacks variety of pass-rush moves. Cannot convert speed to power. Needs to improve his hand use.
Spike Suzuki (147 TPE, Speed rusher, Norfolk) at 6’3” and 245 lbs Steps into hole and will swap paint with lead blockers in order to constrict his gap. Instinctive linebacker who trusts his eyes and goes. Showed greater understanding of angles and leverage this year. Won't over-commit when flowing to ball carrier and almost always finds his run fits. Played with hand in ground as an edge rusher in some sub packages. Showed greater willingness to take chances downhill. Nasty hitter with above average play strength. Weaknesses: Some scouts question his play speed. Can be inconsistent with his angles when playing downhill. Could get himself in trouble miscalculating NSFL speed to the perimeter. Will get locked up more often by pro linemen if he tries to take on all blocks rather than punch and shed. Alabama's outstanding defensive front allowed him to roam unblocked for much of the year. Can handle himself in zone coverage but man cover skills are limited.
Dex Kennedy (118 TPE, Speed rusher, Minnesota) at 6’4” and 250 lbs Has desired build for position. Good play speed and is generally under control. Steady, consistent tackler when he's squared up. Has speed to chase to the sidelines and finish the play. Able to cover tight ends in passing game. Breaks to ball quickly against pass. Flashes ball skills and will play through pass-catchers. Features traits to be a more effective blitzer if called upon. Will compete through whistle and is physical against skill-position players. Can cover ground laterally. Weaknesses: Below average take-on skills. Plays with poor leverage when taking on blocks. Needs to improve hand usage and utilize better arm extension to keep blockers off him. Has tendency to side-step blocks and open run lanes. Can be mismatched by running backs down the field in passing game. Slow to process and recover against play-action. There are times he gets downhill without diagnosing first, creating bad angles to the ball against outside runs.
Lloyd Collins (117 TPE, Speed rusher, Portland) at 6’2” and 240 lbs Burly, stout, old-school linebacker build. Wants to hit and brings his pads with him when he delivers a blow. Delivers a jarring punch into oncoming offensive linemen on second level. Defends his area of turf and sees past blockers, keeping his eye trained on the play. Is able to disengage and shed blockers. Plays low and with leverage. Once he diagnoses, can trigger into gaps and disrupt. Weaknesses: Not a twitchy athlete. Takes time to gear up after changing directions and can struggle to tackle jitterbug runners in space. Heavy-legged mover in space and struggles to make plays outside of his assigned area. Lacks coverage traits and is a liability in man coverage. Short levers won't allow him to leverage blockers as a pass rusher. Slow to get off his spot and burst laterally, which causes him to miss some tackle opportunities.
Samuel L. Sackson Sr. (112 TPE, Speed rusher, Minnesota) at 6’3” and 239 lbs Looks for contact and is a willing participant. Will step into the hole and deliver a blow against iso-blocks. Fires himself into oncoming guards and rarely gets engulfed. Can drop into space as a zone defender. Heavy tackler in the box. Quick, choppy feet to scrape and attack along the line of scrimmage. Weaknesses: Lacks natural flexibility and plays upright. Lukewarm pursuit of the ball outside his assigned area. Struggles to get back into the play when he finds himself out of position. Has issues breaking down in space to tackle. Below-average change of direction. Missed tackles went way up this year when asked to play more snaps. Huge liability in man coverage. Struggles to maintain leverage against outside runs.
Nat Wright (100 TPE, Coverage linebacker, Tijuana) at 6’3” and 225 lbs Good football intelligence. Instructional-video quality tackling when he locks on. Stays square and slides from gap to gap stalking runner. Takes good angles chasing wide and is adequate space tackler. Efficient mover with decent hips and feet. . Can cover backs and tight ends. Zone aware. Weaknesses: Doesn't step downhill. Second-level tackler. Tentative at times waiting for plays to come to him. Doesn't have twitch to explode laterally to widen play radius. Average athlete and straight-line inside backer with limitations to the perimeter. Could use a little more nasty in his game. When linemen get hands on him, he's in trouble. Not a threatening blitzer.
Instincts: You can call this football IQ or, read and react, but at the end of the day it all comes down to how well the player puts himself in a position to make the tackle and stop the offense. A great inside linebacker must be quick enough to get to the ball, but he has to first see the ball and know where to attack. NSFL players will tell you that seeing the play that ability to diagnose what the offense is doing before it does it is the most important aspect to the middle linebacker position. Scouting a player's instincts isn't as tough as it might sound. When watching film, how long does it take the middle linebacker to identify the play after you have, or does he beat you to it? If you have experience watching game film from the All-22 view, this is a fun way to gauge yourself and the player. In person, you want to see a linebacker in perpetual motion. When I coached high school football, we told our linebackers to be sharks always moving, always hunting. That's what I look for in NSFL prospects.
Athleticism: Now that you've found the ball, how quickly do you get to it? A middle linebacker in any scheme must show the quickness to close on the ball carrier. The job of a linebacker, put simply, is to stop the football. Finding the ball and then shutting it down are the two biggest criteria I look for when coaching or scouting players.Athleticism is a broad term, so what are we looking for in a middle linebacker? Change of Direction: There are few plays in an NSFL game where a player runs in a straight line, which is why the 40-yard dash is a poor test for non-ball carriers. A linebacker must be able to change directions quickly without stalling at the top of his cut. You can teach a linebacker to chop his feet to change directions and chase the ball, but the flexibility and hip movement needed to cut, change direction and explode to the ball are keys to scouting a player. You can see this on display at the scouting combine during positional drills, but you can watch it in a game too. How well does the middle linebacker explode out of his stance to attack the outside run? Does the player stall when dropping into pass coverage and then breaking on a check down throw to the flats? Strength: An effective inside linebacker must be able to fight through traffic to get to the ball carrier. That requires strength both upper and lower body to fend off blockers and to get through subsequent blockers protecting the ball. We call this "scraping" or "stacking and shedding," and what you want to see on film or in person is a linebacker who can consistently win battles against blockers. If a guard attacks the inside linebacker, he must be able to either beat the blocker to the ball carrier or be strong enough to get the blocker's hands off of him to make the play.
Leadership: There are three positions in the NFL that when scouting, I look at leadership: quarterback, center, and middle linebacker. A middle linebacker is the captain of the defense, both literally and figuratively. The greatest middle linebackers of all time were also great leaders. You can see leadership on the field, especially if you're able to evaluate the player in a losing situation during a game. Does he rally the troops either verbally or not and motivate them to play better, or does he wilt under pressure?
Pass Coverage: Traits and characteristics allow the linebacker to make plays, and that's ultimately what we are scouting traits and production. With NSFL offenses becoming more spread out, and with more tight ends being introduced into the route tree, linebackers must be able to cover on passing downs. How do we keep track of this and study it? In a game situation, I keep track of where the middle linebacker goes in coverage with a simple sketch of the field and where the player goes to attack the football. I also like to keep a tally of complete and incomplete passes to the player's area of the field. This doesn't paint a complete picture of coverage ability that involves traits highlighted above but it does show experience, comfort and where a player may need to improve.
Tackling: It's easy to look at stats on Sunday morning and see which DSFL players had the most tackles, but what was the quality of those tackles? Should a tackle made 10 yards downfield be held in the same regard as a tackle at the line of scrimmage? Of course not, which is why watching and charting tackles is key to truly knowing if the player can read and react to the offense and put himself in a position to stop the play. Just like with the other positions, I like to keep this simple. When evaluating game film of linebacker prospects, I have a pen and paper with the basic offensive line drawn. I then put an "X" for every tackle the player makes and an "O" for every missed tackle. This gives me a count of tackles made and missed, but also a picture of where on the field the linebacker is making his plays. Production is important, but traits are too. Too many DSFL middle linebackers fail to make plays because of poor defensive line protection, but once in the NSFL they blossom and begin producing. This is why traits and production must be scouted together. The middle linebacker is one of the most important players on the football field at any given time. His responsibilities for getting the play call in, getting his teammates lined up correctly and his post snap duties as a spy, tackler and cover man all show why the inside linebacker is called a "field general." So without further ado let me introduce you to the season 22 linebacker class. (Ranking is in order from top to bottom)
Stanislaw Koniecpolski (246 TPE, Balanced, Dallas) at 6’5” and 265 lbs The number one linebacker of this class. Has exceptional instincts triggers fast downhill. Outstanding urgency. Plays with very good knee bend, balance and base. Secure, drive-through tackler. Hits with explosion and jars ball carriers on impact. Excellent lateral agility flows fast and ranges to the sideline. Exceptional weight-room worker with good functional play strength plays bigger than his size. Outstanding eyes and anticipation vs. the run. Very good coverage awareness with the ball in front of him clings to tight ends passing through zones and blankets speed backs in man coverage. Respected leadership presence lines up his teammates and directs traffic. Film junkie. Excellent attitude, effort, field intensity and overall energy. Exceptional football and personal character. Highly competitive. Humble, selfless team player. Outstanding football IQ. Scheme-diverse and versatile. Strong special-teams coverage performer. Weaknesses: Gets hung up on the blitz (shoulder stiffness) and must learn how to use more finesse picking a side instead of relying on bull power and striking blockers down the middle. Can learn to do a better job shooting his hands to shock defenders and disengage from blocks. Could be challenged matching up down the field with his back to the ball vs. flex TEs in the slot man coverage. Could stand to become a more vocal leader.
Derred de Ville (229 TPE, Speed rusher, London) at 6’4” and 246 lbs has a muscular, well-proportioned build. Quick get-off. Knifes gaps. Good pass-rush ability can push the pocket or pressure the edge. Keeps working to the quarterback and has deceptive closing speed. Eyes the quarterback and tries to get his hands in the passing lane. Athletic with good movement skills in all directions equipped to keep pace with backs and tight ends in coverage. Is rangy and can open up his stride and run vertical. Glides on the field. Scheme versatile. Football smart. Weaknesses: Lacks elite length and flexibility to bend and flatten. Average instincts and diagnose. Still developing eye discipline. Needs to cultivate a more sophisticated arsenal of pass-rush moves. Leaves some production on the field. Leaves his feet to tackle and slips off the ball carrier. Hit-or-miss run defender. Could stand to improve his upper-body strength and stack-and-shed ability. Average motor could pursue with more urgency.
Haha Mango-Panda (207 TPE, Speed Rusher, Dallas) at 6’3” and 255 lbs Disruptive first-step quickness immediately re-creates the line of scrimmage and plays in the backfield Outstanding instincts locates the ball quickly and is around the ball a lot. Very good body control, bend and balance plays on his feet and is seldom on the ground. Developed pass-rush moves (rip, dip and inside counter). Very explosive. Excellent pursuit tracks down ball carriers from behind. Sacrifices his body and sells out around piles. Strikes with authority hits on the rise, violently jars ball carriers backward on impact and has a knack for dislodging the ball. Highly motivated. Played big vs. better competition. Can zone drop and buzz to the flat with ease. Highly competitive and energetic. Regularly was the focus of defensive game plans and still produced despite facing multiple blockers and extra protection consistently rolled his way. Very likeable, gregarious personality that can unite a locker room and commands the linebacker group. Has learned what it means to work, and football comes easy to him. Weaknesses: Plays a bit too recklessly and out of control. Can learn to run the arc with better lean.
Lawrence Bass (199 TPE, Balanced, Minnesota) at 6’3” and 240 lbs Fiery on-field emotional leader. Plays with passion and it shows. Beelines to the ball and brings energy to the defense. Very good eyes, anticipation and instincts, sniffs out screens, takes good cut-off angles and negotiates through traffic easily. Plays downhill and often arrives behind the line of scrimmage before ball carriers see him. Outstanding functional football-playing speed. Fluid mover. Outstanding closing speed to the ball. Reliable open-field tackler runs through contact. Good coverage skill shadows receivers and has a feel for zones. Weaknesses: Wiry and needs to add bulk to his narrow frame to withstand the rigors of NSFL contact is almost built like a free safety. Is not a strong, drive-through tackler tends to go low. Average hand use and play strength. Could struggle matching up with bigger, more physical tight ends.
Fawn Dillmiballs (196 TPE, Coverage linebacker, Kansas City) at 6’2” and 220 lbs Very solidly built frame. Good functional playing strength to beat blocks and defend the run. Locates the ball quickly and is around it a lot. Crashes the line hard and plays with energy. Flashes shock in his punch. Fine arm-under move to come underneath blockers and work the edges. Can control and disrupt tight ends. Takes good angles. Solid tackler. Ultra-tough, mentally and physically. Extremely competitive. Very good football intelligence can line up a defense. Versatile has played every linebacker position and can interchange with ease. Respected tone-setter. Outstanding work ethic. Identifies with the game. Weaknesses: Average athletic ability and lateral agility. Can be stymied by power. Stiff-hipped and robotic moving in reverse. Has limitations in man coverage and can be mismatched by athletic tight ends.
George ‘Corpse Grinder’ Fisher (187 TPE, Speed rusher, Tijuana) at 6’2” and 245 lbs Highly productive, disruptive playmaker vs. the run and pass. Shoots gaps and plays behind the line of scrimmage. Agile to slip blocks. Quick, strong hands to shed. Knifes gaps and flows very well laterally. Striking tackler uncoils on contact. Excellent speed and range opens up his stride in space and really covers ground. Bends naturally. Changes direction and accelerates with ease. Explosive first step as a pass rusher -- shows the ability to dip, bend and run the arc low to the ground. Ample athleticism and flexibility to mark backs and tight ends. Four-down utility. Weaknesses: Lacks ideal size and bulk. Still developing eyes and instincts will diagnose and trigger more quickly down the road. Gets caught in traffic or engulfed by larger blockers when he hesitates to step downhill. Prone to overaggressiveness occasionally overruns plays or loses cutback contain. Could stand to improve his eyes, awareness, anticipation and reactions as a zone defender. Took some time to acclimate before making an impact.
Benson Bayley, Jr. (165 TPE, Balanced, Dallas) at 6’5” and 265 lbs Tall, proportionally built inside linebacker with ability to play outside. Has thick, powerful legs. Good straight-line speed to chase. True take-on linebacker who can meet linemen head-on or beat them to the spot and leverage his gap with above average play strength. Scrapes and stalks while using length and powerful hands to keep himself free and clear of blockers. Steps into hole and fires into running back, finishing with wrap-up tackle. Able to run downfield in seam with tight ends. Aware of cutback lanes and rarely runs himself out of the play. Shows very good attention to assignment. Seems to have a nose for the play and is frequently in the mix. Has value on special teams and as a blitzer. Has adequate football intelligence. Weaknesses: Plays high and is lacking suddenness. High center of gravity causes clunky change of direction in space. Foot quickness in tight quarters is below average and limiting. Instincts against run are there, but tends to fight his feet and marginal agility. Has trouble clearing the trash near his feet and labors against cut blocks, losing lateral momentum. Potential liability against the pass. Looks stiff when asked to cover in space and gives away too much separation to routes in his area in zone coverage.
Mark Radson (157 TPE, Speed rusher, Myrtle Beach) at 6’2” and 240 lbs Productive and shows downhill traits to make impact tackles. Linear build with limbs to push his way around second-level linemen. Mirrors play and slides laterally with ease. Has the potential to play SAM or WILL linebacker spots in a 4-3. Can get sideline to sideline and isn't easily taken off his feet. Weaknesses: There are questions about how effective he can be in coverage. Doesn't play with consistent physicality. Scouts worried about ability to "mirror and match" tight ends in coverage. Zone awareness needs work. Instincts are below average. Questionable strength to play inside on the next level. Allows himself to get mauled when linemen square him up. Tends to coast his way through some plays. Grab and drag tackler.
Jack Banks (151 TPE, Balanced, Norfolk) at 6’3” and 243 lbs plays with urgency and beelines to the ball. Explosive can power-clean 400 pounds and hits on the rise with power. Is effective stunting and looping. Flashes playmaking ability (see Norfolk). Explosive tackler. Can play on his feet off the ball and times up the blitz well. Good hands. Athletic enough to fold back into coverage. Solid instincts and diagnose sniffs out screens and has a feel for locating the ball quickly. Weakness: Has a short, compact frame with average arm length and gets hung on blocks. Gets locked down by big-bodied blockers when they get their hands on him. Spins in place and lacks variety of pass-rush moves. Cannot convert speed to power. Needs to improve his hand use.
Spike Suzuki (147 TPE, Speed rusher, Norfolk) at 6’3” and 245 lbs Steps into hole and will swap paint with lead blockers in order to constrict his gap. Instinctive linebacker who trusts his eyes and goes. Showed greater understanding of angles and leverage this year. Won't over-commit when flowing to ball carrier and almost always finds his run fits. Played with hand in ground as an edge rusher in some sub packages. Showed greater willingness to take chances downhill. Nasty hitter with above average play strength. Weaknesses: Some scouts question his play speed. Can be inconsistent with his angles when playing downhill. Could get himself in trouble miscalculating NSFL speed to the perimeter. Will get locked up more often by pro linemen if he tries to take on all blocks rather than punch and shed. Alabama's outstanding defensive front allowed him to roam unblocked for much of the year. Can handle himself in zone coverage but man cover skills are limited.
Dex Kennedy (118 TPE, Speed rusher, Minnesota) at 6’4” and 250 lbs Has desired build for position. Good play speed and is generally under control. Steady, consistent tackler when he's squared up. Has speed to chase to the sidelines and finish the play. Able to cover tight ends in passing game. Breaks to ball quickly against pass. Flashes ball skills and will play through pass-catchers. Features traits to be a more effective blitzer if called upon. Will compete through whistle and is physical against skill-position players. Can cover ground laterally. Weaknesses: Below average take-on skills. Plays with poor leverage when taking on blocks. Needs to improve hand usage and utilize better arm extension to keep blockers off him. Has tendency to side-step blocks and open run lanes. Can be mismatched by running backs down the field in passing game. Slow to process and recover against play-action. There are times he gets downhill without diagnosing first, creating bad angles to the ball against outside runs.
Lloyd Collins (117 TPE, Speed rusher, Portland) at 6’2” and 240 lbs Burly, stout, old-school linebacker build. Wants to hit and brings his pads with him when he delivers a blow. Delivers a jarring punch into oncoming offensive linemen on second level. Defends his area of turf and sees past blockers, keeping his eye trained on the play. Is able to disengage and shed blockers. Plays low and with leverage. Once he diagnoses, can trigger into gaps and disrupt. Weaknesses: Not a twitchy athlete. Takes time to gear up after changing directions and can struggle to tackle jitterbug runners in space. Heavy-legged mover in space and struggles to make plays outside of his assigned area. Lacks coverage traits and is a liability in man coverage. Short levers won't allow him to leverage blockers as a pass rusher. Slow to get off his spot and burst laterally, which causes him to miss some tackle opportunities.
Samuel L. Sackson Sr. (112 TPE, Speed rusher, Minnesota) at 6’3” and 239 lbs Looks for contact and is a willing participant. Will step into the hole and deliver a blow against iso-blocks. Fires himself into oncoming guards and rarely gets engulfed. Can drop into space as a zone defender. Heavy tackler in the box. Quick, choppy feet to scrape and attack along the line of scrimmage. Weaknesses: Lacks natural flexibility and plays upright. Lukewarm pursuit of the ball outside his assigned area. Struggles to get back into the play when he finds himself out of position. Has issues breaking down in space to tackle. Below-average change of direction. Missed tackles went way up this year when asked to play more snaps. Huge liability in man coverage. Struggles to maintain leverage against outside runs.
Nat Wright (100 TPE, Coverage linebacker, Tijuana) at 6’3” and 225 lbs Good football intelligence. Instructional-video quality tackling when he locks on. Stays square and slides from gap to gap stalking runner. Takes good angles chasing wide and is adequate space tackler. Efficient mover with decent hips and feet. . Can cover backs and tight ends. Zone aware. Weaknesses: Doesn't step downhill. Second-level tackler. Tentative at times waiting for plays to come to him. Doesn't have twitch to explode laterally to widen play radius. Average athlete and straight-line inside backer with limitations to the perimeter. Could use a little more nasty in his game. When linemen get hands on him, he's in trouble. Not a threatening blitzer.