6’3” – 260 lbs. – 4.75e
Redshirted in 2013, then appeared in a rotational capacity the following season before finishing his collegiate career with two productive seasons in the starting lineup. Has a solid combination of height, bulk, and length; weighed just 235 pounds in 2014 but has added twenty-five pounds since then. Lines up at right end, rushing out of a two-point stance on occasion; operates out of a few different alignments. Exhibits a good level of intensity and aggression on the field. Polished pass-rusher who varies his approaches, with a pretty diverse repertoire of moves. Explosive off the line of scrimmage, with enough speed and flexibility to win the edge and bend back to the passer; uses an underarm rip move with effectiveness. Uses his hands to swat at the ball while bending back to the passer. Capable of converting speed to power and walking tackles back into the pocket. Also has a good inside move to knife into the backfield and disrupt plays as they’re developing. Uses a violent spin on occasion to win the inside. Closes well and can generate some pop on contact when given a lane to the quarterback. Has some trouble protecting his legs from cut blocks. Probably a bit stouter than he is instinctive versus the run at this point, more of a one-gap penetrator than an edge-setter. Initiator who anchors pretty well against the run. Flashes the ability to get extension and stack/shed blockers at the appropriate time with quick hand use; shouldn’t be excluded from consideration by teams which use two-gap principles, especially those with odd defensive fronts. Needs to work on maintaining outside contain. Can get in trouble by attempting to shoot inside gaps and having his outside shoulder sealed on rushing attempts off-tackle, or run himself out of the play where more patience would have been appropriate. Didn’t make many drops into coverage during the games reviewed, so it will be important to showcase his abilities in that regard during the pre-draft process. Disruptive edge rusher with an impressive combination of explosiveness, intensity, and polish in the passing game; has the strength and quickness to defend the run but has some work to do in terms of play recognition and outside contain. Talented enough to develop into an effective starter in either a three or four-man defensive front and should get first-round consideration.
Games watched: Florida (’15), Vanderbilt (’16), West Virginia (’16)
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