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LINEBACKER EVALUATIONS
Myles Jack*, UCLA
He’s a sledgehammer. Relishes contact and delivers blow to blockers/lineman. Super athlete that makes plays all over the field. Quick burst upfield and has potential to be an edge blitzer but needs to learn another move or two and some counters. Athletic enough in coverage to play deep middle like a Tampa-2 MLB orr he could just be a run-and-hit guy. Plays big and physical. Not a lot of weakness in game right now. One of the best versatile 4-3 backers I’ve seen on film in a while. Top-10 pick.
Jaylon Smith*, Notre Dame
Looks very fast on film and plays much bigger than his combine weight. A very nice WILL/runner-hitter prospect with great length and coverage experience. Looks like a very good asset in pass defense and can play multiple rolls (zone, blitz, man). Coming off knee injury and has missed off-season workouts. Round 1-2
Reggie Ragland, Alabama
Big, athletic thumber inside linebacker. Can just come downhill and move piles. Shows decent zone ability and speed for sideline-to-sideline work but is not a super athlete. A bit stiff in the hips and lacks elite change of direction skills. Might not be able to flip hips and run down a seem route. Has a lot potential as a blitzer and plays a lot like Dont’e Hightower in Alabama’s system. Teams that like physical linebackers will really like him but there is a potential he turns into a 2-down player. Round 1-2
Darron Lee*, Ohio State
Did a lot of work in coverage at OSU - mostly zone but saw some turn-and-run as well. Did not quite see the speed/athleticism in the Notre Dame game that his combine numbers would indicate. Is a bit undersized and doesn’t have a frame to gain much more weight. Functional, superior athlete that will settle as a MLB/WILL type and has all the speed you need to stay on the field for 3-downs, but don’t see a lot of impact potential. Most of his tackles will be downfield. Round 1-2
Deion Jones, LSU
Really fast and ran a stellar 4.40 at the combine. Many teams are probably revisiting tape. He’s a pure weak side runner/hitter that really excels when he can see it and go after it. Is not naturally big and might be close to maxed out even at 225-230# so if he gets in traffic he quickly loses effectiveness. But his downhill speed on film is very, very good and he has enough shake/wiggle in his game to give a RB trouble in pass protection or make the play from the backside. Shows very good ability in man-under coverage against RB’s. Potential to be coverage demon. Again, similar to Perry, the drop from Smith/Lee (the other WILL prospects above) to Jones isn’t all that much on film. I really liked his film vs. Florida. Round 3
Joshua Perry, Ohio State
Does not shy from contact and gladly takes on lead blocker in hole. Big and strong looking in the seat/thigh and measures well in speed to track down wide plays. Shows a lot of instinct for position and follows blockers to the ball and can anticipate screens. Is a plus player on 1st and 2nd down and will be a benefit to a defense. Could get looks from 3-4 defenses for inside work and has the size they covet. There’s not as much drop off between Ragland to Perry as you might think based on film. Round 3
Su’a Cravens*, USC
Very little power in his game. Light in the seat. His tape vs. Notre Dame was very poor. Even as a strong safety, I would say someone like Jeremy Cash is a better prospect with Cash playing much more physical and urgent and downhill. Lacks the type of measured athleticism you like with poor strength/explosion numbers. Decent change of direction skills makes him a nickel type player or a good special teamer while he adjusts to a more safety type roll at the next level. Round 3
Jatavis Brown, Akron
A beast of an athlete. Very strong (33 reps) and very fast (4.44). Is much better at weaving through trash than I thought he would be. Is not very smart player on film and instincts are all over the place. Has to see it and go get it but when he does, he’s as good as they come. Just a raw player (either because of field smarts of limited reps) and you are drafting a special teams demon to start and hope your coaches can mold a great WILL-type prospect. He made plays vs. Pitt all over the place. That film was really, really good. Round 3-4
Nick Vigil*, Utah St.
An almost player. Tempting measurements from combine (6.73 3-cone drill) and has prototypical size for MLB/SAM type player but just does not exhibit enough playmaking on film. Too often is running to nowhere or away from play and is often scrambling to get back to the ball. Not the best instincts and could be more of a straight line player. Might need better coaching but the potential is there. Tough player to grade. Round 3-4
Kentrell Brothers, Missouri
Despite similar 40-time to Wright is noticeably quicker on film and has potential to shoot gaps. Another runner-hitter that struggles at time in traffic due to underwhelming arm length and power. Has more change or direction potential that Wright and looks much more comfortable in zone coverage but still has a lot to learn. I struggle to see a lot of NFL skills on his tape to make him worth much more than a mid-round choice. I like him better than Wright, but not by much. Round 4-5
Dominique Alexander*, Oklahoma
Does not play like a light runner-hitter linebacker and is not afraid to get his nose dirty. Is not really exceptional at anything on film and would evaluate him as a jack-of-all-trades, master of none MLB. I worry about his athleticism and measured COD skills at the combine and probably has a very low ceiling at the next level. Round 4-5
Scooby Wright*, Arizona
Noticeable lack of foot speed on film and does not play with enough power to make up for it. Very much a tweener to me and does not have the blitz/rush ability from an ILB prospect or explosion to make him a worthwhile starter. I even worry about his athleticism to be a contributor on special teams which really makes his potential to hold down a roster spot difficult to forecast. Has small frame with short arms and can swallowed up by offensive lineman. Has been getting by with smarts and instincts and normally needs a pretty clean look to make the play. Slow runner-hitters normally don’t make it. Round 5-6
Film not watched, might make list:
Joe Schobert, Wisconsin
Blake Martinez, Stanford
B.J. Goodson, Clemson
Tyler Matakevich, Temple
Eric Striker, Oklahoma
Myles Jack*, UCLA
He’s a sledgehammer. Relishes contact and delivers blow to blockers/lineman. Super athlete that makes plays all over the field. Quick burst upfield and has potential to be an edge blitzer but needs to learn another move or two and some counters. Athletic enough in coverage to play deep middle like a Tampa-2 MLB orr he could just be a run-and-hit guy. Plays big and physical. Not a lot of weakness in game right now. One of the best versatile 4-3 backers I’ve seen on film in a while. Top-10 pick.
Jaylon Smith*, Notre Dame
Looks very fast on film and plays much bigger than his combine weight. A very nice WILL/runner-hitter prospect with great length and coverage experience. Looks like a very good asset in pass defense and can play multiple rolls (zone, blitz, man). Coming off knee injury and has missed off-season workouts. Round 1-2
Reggie Ragland, Alabama
Big, athletic thumber inside linebacker. Can just come downhill and move piles. Shows decent zone ability and speed for sideline-to-sideline work but is not a super athlete. A bit stiff in the hips and lacks elite change of direction skills. Might not be able to flip hips and run down a seem route. Has a lot potential as a blitzer and plays a lot like Dont’e Hightower in Alabama’s system. Teams that like physical linebackers will really like him but there is a potential he turns into a 2-down player. Round 1-2
Darron Lee*, Ohio State
Did a lot of work in coverage at OSU - mostly zone but saw some turn-and-run as well. Did not quite see the speed/athleticism in the Notre Dame game that his combine numbers would indicate. Is a bit undersized and doesn’t have a frame to gain much more weight. Functional, superior athlete that will settle as a MLB/WILL type and has all the speed you need to stay on the field for 3-downs, but don’t see a lot of impact potential. Most of his tackles will be downfield. Round 1-2
Deion Jones, LSU
Really fast and ran a stellar 4.40 at the combine. Many teams are probably revisiting tape. He’s a pure weak side runner/hitter that really excels when he can see it and go after it. Is not naturally big and might be close to maxed out even at 225-230# so if he gets in traffic he quickly loses effectiveness. But his downhill speed on film is very, very good and he has enough shake/wiggle in his game to give a RB trouble in pass protection or make the play from the backside. Shows very good ability in man-under coverage against RB’s. Potential to be coverage demon. Again, similar to Perry, the drop from Smith/Lee (the other WILL prospects above) to Jones isn’t all that much on film. I really liked his film vs. Florida. Round 3
Joshua Perry, Ohio State
Does not shy from contact and gladly takes on lead blocker in hole. Big and strong looking in the seat/thigh and measures well in speed to track down wide plays. Shows a lot of instinct for position and follows blockers to the ball and can anticipate screens. Is a plus player on 1st and 2nd down and will be a benefit to a defense. Could get looks from 3-4 defenses for inside work and has the size they covet. There’s not as much drop off between Ragland to Perry as you might think based on film. Round 3
Su’a Cravens*, USC
Very little power in his game. Light in the seat. His tape vs. Notre Dame was very poor. Even as a strong safety, I would say someone like Jeremy Cash is a better prospect with Cash playing much more physical and urgent and downhill. Lacks the type of measured athleticism you like with poor strength/explosion numbers. Decent change of direction skills makes him a nickel type player or a good special teamer while he adjusts to a more safety type roll at the next level. Round 3
Jatavis Brown, Akron
A beast of an athlete. Very strong (33 reps) and very fast (4.44). Is much better at weaving through trash than I thought he would be. Is not very smart player on film and instincts are all over the place. Has to see it and go get it but when he does, he’s as good as they come. Just a raw player (either because of field smarts of limited reps) and you are drafting a special teams demon to start and hope your coaches can mold a great WILL-type prospect. He made plays vs. Pitt all over the place. That film was really, really good. Round 3-4
Nick Vigil*, Utah St.
An almost player. Tempting measurements from combine (6.73 3-cone drill) and has prototypical size for MLB/SAM type player but just does not exhibit enough playmaking on film. Too often is running to nowhere or away from play and is often scrambling to get back to the ball. Not the best instincts and could be more of a straight line player. Might need better coaching but the potential is there. Tough player to grade. Round 3-4
Kentrell Brothers, Missouri
Despite similar 40-time to Wright is noticeably quicker on film and has potential to shoot gaps. Another runner-hitter that struggles at time in traffic due to underwhelming arm length and power. Has more change or direction potential that Wright and looks much more comfortable in zone coverage but still has a lot to learn. I struggle to see a lot of NFL skills on his tape to make him worth much more than a mid-round choice. I like him better than Wright, but not by much. Round 4-5
Dominique Alexander*, Oklahoma
Does not play like a light runner-hitter linebacker and is not afraid to get his nose dirty. Is not really exceptional at anything on film and would evaluate him as a jack-of-all-trades, master of none MLB. I worry about his athleticism and measured COD skills at the combine and probably has a very low ceiling at the next level. Round 4-5
Scooby Wright*, Arizona
Noticeable lack of foot speed on film and does not play with enough power to make up for it. Very much a tweener to me and does not have the blitz/rush ability from an ILB prospect or explosion to make him a worthwhile starter. I even worry about his athleticism to be a contributor on special teams which really makes his potential to hold down a roster spot difficult to forecast. Has small frame with short arms and can swallowed up by offensive lineman. Has been getting by with smarts and instincts and normally needs a pretty clean look to make the play. Slow runner-hitters normally don’t make it. Round 5-6
Film not watched, might make list:
Joe Schobert, Wisconsin
Blake Martinez, Stanford
B.J. Goodson, Clemson
Tyler Matakevich, Temple
Eric Striker, Oklahoma
