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EDGE DEFENDERS EVALUATION
Joey Bosa, Ohio State
Strong side edge defender with excellent play awareness and production. Very good change of direction skills for a player his size. Plenty of bulk/length and plays with very good leverage. Can rip and disengage both directions and uses length well. Really wins with lateral quickness, getting to a spot quickly and creates leverage/movement problems for lineman (particularly one-on-one). Does not have elite anchor ability when he’s double teamed and can be taken out with combination blocks. Not a unique athlete but still very, very good. Top-10 pick.
Shaq Lawson*, Clemson
NFL sized and really can hold edge against the run. Very good at seeing play and disengaging from lineman to make play. Is not an elite athlete and lacks explosion. Can’t threaten edge very well as a pass rusher and lacks natural bend. Played on weak size at Clemson and often stood up (which I didn’t like). I think he’s a strong-side 4-3 DE like a Greg Hardy with the potential to get maybe 8-10 sacks and be an effective run defender and 3-down player. He should be playing with his hand in the dirt.
Noah Spence*, Eastern Kentucky
Really likes to dip shoulder and drive outside edge. Creates leverage problems for below average tackles very quickly. Active hands that constantly slap and engage enemy. I worry about the jump in competition for him. He’s not quite as quick as you’d like (4.80 40-year dash) and NFL tackles are a lot better than what he’s been up against. Really likes to set up wide-9 and might be exclusively that type of weak-side 4-3 DE prospect. Would take some time to stand him up. All the athleticism is there and he has natural and rare bend around corner. Round 1
Kevin Dodd*, Clemson
I really like his tape. He plays with great natural power and pad level at the point of attack. Very active in plays and has great awareness to what is happening around him. Not myopic in his assignment. He’s not an elite athlete and might never be a great sack guy but coaches are really going to like him. He’s versatile, smart and looks well-coached. An NFL player that has high floor, low ceiling. Round 1-2
Leonard Floyd*, Georgia
Very slight and tall OLB prospect that played in Georgia’s 3-4 defense. Stood up on every play and often turned and ran in slot pass coverage. Long, galloping strides that can cover ground. Very week in the seat with little/no bubble and lower body mass. Does not engage or hold edge. Often tries to run around blockers. Very good athlete, but I don’t know where to put him (WR?). He’s almost not an edge defender and more of a unique, long linebacker that can cover and run-and-hit and still has unique length to rush the passer. Will get draft early but I see a lot of Barkevious Mingo/Dion Jordan in his game and really struggle to see his path to being a productive every down player. Round 1-2
Emmanuel Ogbah*, Oklahoma St.
Big, long NFL-sized 4-3 defensive end. Doesn’t nearly play with the speed/burst that his 40-time would indicate. He’s a plodding player and often looks a bit slow in decisions. His length is very unique and he presents problems for offensive lineman just on that but his technique is still very raw. A bit Tarzan/Jane issues but that length and speed will really temp a 4-3 team to draft him high. Round 1-2
Shilique Calhoun, Michigan State
Really nice height/length for position but lacks natural power/leverage and is often pushed around at the line of scrimmage. If give a free run or gets on a TE/back, he’s a very effective player that disrupts well and has nice burst into backfield. Can dip and edge rush and his best spot might be as a situational pass rusher for a few years while he gains more functional strength. He might be able to stand up as well as an OLB. Interesting project prospect that could be a nice productive player in 2-3 years or fizzle out.
Kyle Fackrell, Utah State
Really like tape. He’s very active on his team in both pass rushing and in coverage. Explosive on contact and doesn’t stop. Works during play and is very self-aware. Very nice height/length for a stand up guy like this. Need NFL weight training and could be stronger. A bit top-heavy in build and needs more functional lower body strength. A Mike Vrabel type prospect that could blossom late. Needs right system and patience but coaches should like him. Might be a capable SAM type player like Chad Greenway. Round 2-3
Charles Tapper, Oklahoma
Tweener DE/DT prospect with lots and lots of potential. Has not been coached well (might not take to coaching) and is technically all over the place. Has nice bubble and looks the part of a DT, which I think is his natural position but needs to gain 20 lbs. and continue to work on functional strength at the point of attack. Is very athletic and quick for a down-lineman and shows very good body control and balance on pass rush moves. Could improve hand use. Frustrating player to scout because I see round 1 DT potential as a 3-technique but Oklahoma played him like a 3-4 DE. If he just shot gaps and used that speed/burst/length he could be very, very effective. Round 2-3
Carl Nassib, Penn State
Walk-on, self-made player that is technically very good at the snap. Stays low and explodes into the play or attacks his angle to the QB spot. Plays with consistent effort. He’s the Jack Conklin of DE’s in this draft in the fact how far do you expect a limited, athlete walk-on to get before he hits the wall? A bit of a tweener. His wide-9 stuff isn’t really going to work at the next level and teams are going to want him to play closer to the middle, where his strength/athlete limitations might be exposed. Could use more lower body strength. A 3-4 team might try to bulk him up to be a 2-gap DE but that would take a few seasons. You don’t want to doubt him, but don’t overdraft him or expect too much. Round 3
Kamalei Correa*, Boise St.
A pure stand-up OLB prospect. Maxed out physique that’s a bit light in the seat/thighs and is not the strongest player on film. Can sometimes get swallowed up by offensive lineman with his short arms and lack of functional strength. There’s some position versatility as a potential 3-4 OLB or 3-4 ILB or 4-3 SAM. And while not a pure edge/pass rusher that experience from college will help him as a blitzer. Decent movement skills, can dip shoulder, drop into zones, etc. Always sketchy about Boise St. players and the jump in competition/physicality to the NFL. Round 3
Jordan Jenkins, Georgia
Very productive player that gets a lot of tackles. Sacks are mostly try-hard and effort sacks. Film reminds me a lot of Jarvis Jones. Exceptional at holding point and stays low and uses long reach and large hands to rips and disengage to make plays. Is very aware of play. Might be a bit limited in movement skills and is not great in coverage or zone. Could play on strong side as a LOLB in a 3-4. Does not have the natural bend to really threaten edge and turn corner. Is more of a push/pull pass rusher that needs combination moves and effort to get home. Round 3-4
Jason Fanaika, Utah
Older (24) prospect will hurt cause. He’s a high effort player with some shiftiness in his game. Lacks natural bend around corner but can surprise a OT if not paying attention. Makes lots of plays around the line of scrimmage and shows some ability to drop back into coverage. Versatile that can be a strong side edge setter or interior pass rusher or even a stand up linebacker (if he loses some weight). Round 4-5
Matt Judon, Grand Valley St.
Small-school NFL-sized DE prospect that looks the part with good body proportions and long wingspan. Plays with plenty of power at his level of competition. Lacks “burst” but shows nice bend and flexation for a player his size and can combo moves and go from speed-to-power. Project with potential. Round 4-5
Yannick Ngakoue, Maryland
Frustrating tape a little because you want so much more. Flashes round 2-3 ability on some plays with very good burst towards the QB when he gets free. But too often he lacks the wiggle and shake to get free. Something is missing and it’s very hard to pin in down. Could be too linear an athlete and might be a tweener between too stiff to play 3-4 ROLB, too functionally weak to play 3-4 LOLB (does not disengage well) and too little pressure as a pure 4-3 DE pass-rushing specialist. There’s enough there to draft, but it’s tough to pin point how it develops into a functional NFL player. Round 4-5
Joey Bosa, Ohio State
Strong side edge defender with excellent play awareness and production. Very good change of direction skills for a player his size. Plenty of bulk/length and plays with very good leverage. Can rip and disengage both directions and uses length well. Really wins with lateral quickness, getting to a spot quickly and creates leverage/movement problems for lineman (particularly one-on-one). Does not have elite anchor ability when he’s double teamed and can be taken out with combination blocks. Not a unique athlete but still very, very good. Top-10 pick.
Shaq Lawson*, Clemson
NFL sized and really can hold edge against the run. Very good at seeing play and disengaging from lineman to make play. Is not an elite athlete and lacks explosion. Can’t threaten edge very well as a pass rusher and lacks natural bend. Played on weak size at Clemson and often stood up (which I didn’t like). I think he’s a strong-side 4-3 DE like a Greg Hardy with the potential to get maybe 8-10 sacks and be an effective run defender and 3-down player. He should be playing with his hand in the dirt.
Noah Spence*, Eastern Kentucky
Really likes to dip shoulder and drive outside edge. Creates leverage problems for below average tackles very quickly. Active hands that constantly slap and engage enemy. I worry about the jump in competition for him. He’s not quite as quick as you’d like (4.80 40-year dash) and NFL tackles are a lot better than what he’s been up against. Really likes to set up wide-9 and might be exclusively that type of weak-side 4-3 DE prospect. Would take some time to stand him up. All the athleticism is there and he has natural and rare bend around corner. Round 1
Kevin Dodd*, Clemson
I really like his tape. He plays with great natural power and pad level at the point of attack. Very active in plays and has great awareness to what is happening around him. Not myopic in his assignment. He’s not an elite athlete and might never be a great sack guy but coaches are really going to like him. He’s versatile, smart and looks well-coached. An NFL player that has high floor, low ceiling. Round 1-2
Leonard Floyd*, Georgia
Very slight and tall OLB prospect that played in Georgia’s 3-4 defense. Stood up on every play and often turned and ran in slot pass coverage. Long, galloping strides that can cover ground. Very week in the seat with little/no bubble and lower body mass. Does not engage or hold edge. Often tries to run around blockers. Very good athlete, but I don’t know where to put him (WR?). He’s almost not an edge defender and more of a unique, long linebacker that can cover and run-and-hit and still has unique length to rush the passer. Will get draft early but I see a lot of Barkevious Mingo/Dion Jordan in his game and really struggle to see his path to being a productive every down player. Round 1-2
Emmanuel Ogbah*, Oklahoma St.
Big, long NFL-sized 4-3 defensive end. Doesn’t nearly play with the speed/burst that his 40-time would indicate. He’s a plodding player and often looks a bit slow in decisions. His length is very unique and he presents problems for offensive lineman just on that but his technique is still very raw. A bit Tarzan/Jane issues but that length and speed will really temp a 4-3 team to draft him high. Round 1-2
Shilique Calhoun, Michigan State
Really nice height/length for position but lacks natural power/leverage and is often pushed around at the line of scrimmage. If give a free run or gets on a TE/back, he’s a very effective player that disrupts well and has nice burst into backfield. Can dip and edge rush and his best spot might be as a situational pass rusher for a few years while he gains more functional strength. He might be able to stand up as well as an OLB. Interesting project prospect that could be a nice productive player in 2-3 years or fizzle out.
Kyle Fackrell, Utah State
Really like tape. He’s very active on his team in both pass rushing and in coverage. Explosive on contact and doesn’t stop. Works during play and is very self-aware. Very nice height/length for a stand up guy like this. Need NFL weight training and could be stronger. A bit top-heavy in build and needs more functional lower body strength. A Mike Vrabel type prospect that could blossom late. Needs right system and patience but coaches should like him. Might be a capable SAM type player like Chad Greenway. Round 2-3
Charles Tapper, Oklahoma
Tweener DE/DT prospect with lots and lots of potential. Has not been coached well (might not take to coaching) and is technically all over the place. Has nice bubble and looks the part of a DT, which I think is his natural position but needs to gain 20 lbs. and continue to work on functional strength at the point of attack. Is very athletic and quick for a down-lineman and shows very good body control and balance on pass rush moves. Could improve hand use. Frustrating player to scout because I see round 1 DT potential as a 3-technique but Oklahoma played him like a 3-4 DE. If he just shot gaps and used that speed/burst/length he could be very, very effective. Round 2-3
Carl Nassib, Penn State
Walk-on, self-made player that is technically very good at the snap. Stays low and explodes into the play or attacks his angle to the QB spot. Plays with consistent effort. He’s the Jack Conklin of DE’s in this draft in the fact how far do you expect a limited, athlete walk-on to get before he hits the wall? A bit of a tweener. His wide-9 stuff isn’t really going to work at the next level and teams are going to want him to play closer to the middle, where his strength/athlete limitations might be exposed. Could use more lower body strength. A 3-4 team might try to bulk him up to be a 2-gap DE but that would take a few seasons. You don’t want to doubt him, but don’t overdraft him or expect too much. Round 3
Kamalei Correa*, Boise St.
A pure stand-up OLB prospect. Maxed out physique that’s a bit light in the seat/thighs and is not the strongest player on film. Can sometimes get swallowed up by offensive lineman with his short arms and lack of functional strength. There’s some position versatility as a potential 3-4 OLB or 3-4 ILB or 4-3 SAM. And while not a pure edge/pass rusher that experience from college will help him as a blitzer. Decent movement skills, can dip shoulder, drop into zones, etc. Always sketchy about Boise St. players and the jump in competition/physicality to the NFL. Round 3
Jordan Jenkins, Georgia
Very productive player that gets a lot of tackles. Sacks are mostly try-hard and effort sacks. Film reminds me a lot of Jarvis Jones. Exceptional at holding point and stays low and uses long reach and large hands to rips and disengage to make plays. Is very aware of play. Might be a bit limited in movement skills and is not great in coverage or zone. Could play on strong side as a LOLB in a 3-4. Does not have the natural bend to really threaten edge and turn corner. Is more of a push/pull pass rusher that needs combination moves and effort to get home. Round 3-4
Jason Fanaika, Utah
Older (24) prospect will hurt cause. He’s a high effort player with some shiftiness in his game. Lacks natural bend around corner but can surprise a OT if not paying attention. Makes lots of plays around the line of scrimmage and shows some ability to drop back into coverage. Versatile that can be a strong side edge setter or interior pass rusher or even a stand up linebacker (if he loses some weight). Round 4-5
Matt Judon, Grand Valley St.
Small-school NFL-sized DE prospect that looks the part with good body proportions and long wingspan. Plays with plenty of power at his level of competition. Lacks “burst” but shows nice bend and flexation for a player his size and can combo moves and go from speed-to-power. Project with potential. Round 4-5
Yannick Ngakoue, Maryland
Frustrating tape a little because you want so much more. Flashes round 2-3 ability on some plays with very good burst towards the QB when he gets free. But too often he lacks the wiggle and shake to get free. Something is missing and it’s very hard to pin in down. Could be too linear an athlete and might be a tweener between too stiff to play 3-4 ROLB, too functionally weak to play 3-4 LOLB (does not disengage well) and too little pressure as a pure 4-3 DE pass-rushing specialist. There’s enough there to draft, but it’s tough to pin point how it develops into a functional NFL player. Round 4-5
