Background:
Rotated into the defense as a freshman, finishing with 20-2.0-1.0. Stepped into the starting lineup the following year, putting together an impressive 41-12.5-8.0 line in what ended up being his final season; decided to opt out of the 2020 campaign and declare for the draft.
Positives:
Was highly productive in his only season as a starter. Size and length should meet any team’s requirement for an edge defender. Was even asked to play defensive end on three-man lines with the Huskies, playing everything from a five-tech to a nine-tech. Plays with a solid pad level despite his height. Uses his length well, getting good arm extension to lock out opponents. Alert and does a good job of locating the ball. Shows good effort when pursuing from the backside in the run game, or when defending screens in the passing game; able to get out to the sidelines and chase down opponents. Can be effective on stunts/twists. Has at least adequate lateral quickness to shuffle into clear lanes. Flashes the ability to redirect rushes inside and generate pressure. Still a work in progress but is at least active with his hands. Closing speed is surprisingly good for a player of his size, and tested very well at Washington’s pro day during the pre-draft process. Gets his hands up to contest passing lanes. Able to make some spot drops into zone.
Negatives:
Doesn’t look like he has much of a plan as a pass-rusher; more of an opportunist who seeks out open lanes. Technique with his hands is limited. Still needs to develop counters, finishing too many snaps idling around the line of scrimmage. Will get a little bit too far down in his seat, limiting explosiveness. Tendency to get too far forward. Gets stuck in congestion and can look clumsy at times. Overall bend and arc are just adequate. Surprisingly doesn’t have much of a power element to his game despite his size.
Summary:
A big, long-limbed defensive end who plays the game with physicality and active hands, but who spends too many snaps around the line of scrimmage shuffling around for lanes instead of winning with explosiveness, technique, and power. Consequently, looks like a boom-or-bust type prospect who is probably going to be drafted within the top sixty or seventy picks, potentially as high as the first round, but will have to make some serious strides to live up to that sort of draft position.
DRAFTEXAMINER 