6’4″ – 275 lbs. – 4.73
Rotated heavily into the defense as a true freshman, then enjoyed two seasons of escalating production before declaring for the draft. Tall, well-built defensive lineman who typically plays the three-technique but also takes some snaps on the right side of the line, or as a defensive end when the team is working out of an odd front; carries his weight well, but is a little bit thinner than you’d like. Inconsistent get-off at the line of scrimmage; plays with a lot of intensity once he gets moving, but isn’t consistently one of the first defensive linemen to react to the ball being snapped. At his best, is capable of using his bull-rush to walk opposing offensive linemen back into the pocket; demonstrates good extension and leg drive, with considerably more power than expected for a defensive tackle playing at his weight. Has suddenness in his hands which can allow him to penetrate as more of a one-gap player as well. Mixes in an overhead swim move and a rip. Pretty athletic player who can close well, as sack production would indicate. Gets his hands up to contest passing lanes. At times, can be a little bit one-dimensional, becoming overly reliant on his bull rush, a move which may not be as effective against the stronger offensive linemen at the pro level. Ability to defend the run lags a little bit behind his value as a pass-rusher. Was asked to do a lot of two-gapping with the Trojans, and, as is evident in the passing game, flashes the ability to extend his arms and use his power to stack and shed at the point of attack. Has the athleticism to scrape down the line and flow toward the football. However, doesn’t always play with the lower body strength to hold the point of attack against opposing linemen, which can cause him to be washed out of the play or driven backward off the line of scrimmage. Struggles to locate the ball at times, becoming preoccupied with taking on opposing blockers and missing opportunities to make tackles in his area. Consequently, could potentially be a better fit in a one-gap scheme which takes advantage of his intensity. Also has value on kick-block units. A little bit of a project whose pass-rushing value should allow him to contribute in sub packages while he shores up his run defense and adds additional bulk.
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