6’2” – 300 lbs.
Background:
Played sparingly over his first three seasons with the Buckeyes, totaling twenty combined tackles from 2017-2019. Was shot through the cheeks and recovered to appear in all eight games of the team’s 2020 campaign, starting seven and posting a line of 20-4.0-2.0. Used a fifth year of eligibility to return this past year, going 22-7.0-5.5 over ten games.
Positives:
This past year was by far his most productive. Pretty thick defensive tackle who carries his weight well. Did a little bit of everything; lined up at both interior line spots and even played some end on four-man lines. Shows some suddenness out of his stance. Fires out pretty low and with some explosiveness. Plays the game with a nice motor and overall level of activity; pursues through the whistle and never gives up. Active with his hands, and appears to have a pretty wide repertoire of moves and counters to work with; saw a tight spin/spin counter. Overall flexibility, coordination, and athleticism are good. Closes fast when he has a lane to the quarterback. Gets his hands up to contest passing lanes. Shows discipline when two-gapping or working against the read-option. Short-area quickness and ability to redirect are both good. Has a pretty impressive radius to bring down ballcarriers in his area.
Negatives:
A fifth-year senior who didn’t play much over his first three seasons. May be a little bit small for a clear role on a team with an odd front; not as tall as most teams like in a five-technique, but may not be thick/powerful enough to man the nose. Reaction times to the ball being snapped are a little bit inconsistent; was often the last player off the line for the Buckeyes. Doesn’t generate a ton of movement with his bull-rush. Can struggle to hold the point of attack against double-teams. Has some minor issues with waist-bending. Could be more consistent about keeping his head up and locating. Still honing his instincts; gets caught by misdirection and screens.
Summary:
May not be one of the biggest, stoutest, or most powerful defensive tackles in the class, but brings an attractive level of energy to the defense, with the kind of motor and intensity teams look for in rotational linemen; does a nice job of mixing up his approach from snap to snap, with active hands and the coordination/flexibility to make plays in pursuit. Best as an under tackle in an even front.
DRAFTEXAMINER 