Tag Archive for LB

Bobby Wagner Scouting Report

February 10, 2012 No comments

Position

OLB

Height

6’0

School

Utah State

Weight

241

Class

Senior

40 Time

4.60

Grade

3rd Round

Athleticism:

An athletic linebacker that looks smaller on the field than his listed size. Bulked up to 241 for the Senior Bowl. Has the speed and range to make plays all over the field. However, a bit top heavy and has some stiffness. Has a nice burst but lacks great lateral agility. Could still stand to add some strength, specifically through the lower body.

Grade: 3.0

Instincts:

Wagner possess great instincts. He reads plays almost instantly off the snap and is always in good position to make a play. Rarely takes false steps and when he does he has the speed to recover and still make the play. Does a good job of staying at home on play action fakes as well as on reverses and keeps contain. Not as instinctual in coverage and can get lost at times.

Grade: 4.0

Point of Attack:

Solid at the point of attack but still needs to get better. Flashes the ability to stack and shed but has to use his hands better to get off blocks. Is better at running around blocks than going through them, although he does have a pretty good feel for it. Flows down the line fairly well and usually keeps himself clean but has trouble avoiding cut blocks. Will occasionally take on a block and get knocked off balance and can be driven out of the play. Hand usage and pad level is key for him in the future.

Grade: 2.5

Coverage:

Has the skill set to be a decent cover linebacker. Has great speed and range although a little tight. Capable of running with backs and tight ends in man coverage. Shows some poor awareness in zone at times. Will get caught in no mans land too often. Can be a little slow to read the quarterbacks eyes and results in him being a step to late to the play. Is usually blitzed on passing downs.

Grade: 2.5

Pass Rush:

Used as a pass-rusher quite a bit. Has nice speed around the edge and a solid get off. However, is too stiff to consistently bend around tackles on the edge. Lacks the strength and technique to disengage quickly and lacks a variety of pass rush moves. Has a tremendous motor and gets most of his sacks on hustle plays where he never stops working. Gets his hands up to try and disrupt passing lanes.

Grade: 2.5

Tackling:

A solid wrap-up tackler who is more of a drag-down type of guy. Good at making tackles inside and is helped out by his impressive reach. Might have some difficulty with quicker backs in space. Stiff and lacks the lateral agility to be able to mirror a backs moves. Will come in uncontrolled and miss tackles at times.

Grade: 3.0

Intangibles:

A 4 year starter who has had a very productive career at Utah State. Finished with at least 114 tackles in 3 seasons, including 147 as a senior. A fiery player who gets pumped up on the field. Credit must be given to his work ethic both in the film room and the weight room. Has great instincts and has bulked up from 210 pounds as a freshman (likely inflated since they also listed him at 6’3) to his current weight of 241 pounds. Is best suited as a weak-side linebacker in a 4-3 and I think he would be miscast in a 3-4 on the outside. Lost his mother after his freshman season and has only worked harder since. No major injury concerns and no known off-field issues.

Grade: 4.0

Outlook:

Bobby Wagner is an athletic linebacker with good instincts. He showed off his skills at the Senior Bowl and was one of the top performers. While he still has to work on some things, notably his ability to get off blocks more consistently and his general awareness in zone coverage, its his instincts that leads me to believe he can be a starter at the next level. He’d be best off starting as a Will and perhaps being able to play the Sam if he improves his ability to stack and shed, however he’s at his best in space right now. He reminds me a lot of Michael Boley who has developed into a solid all-around linebacker in the NFL.

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Melvin Ingram Scouting Report

January 6, 2012 No comments

Position

DE

Height

6’2

School

South Carolina

Weight

276

Class

Senior

40 Time

4.80

Grade

1st Round

Pass Rush:

Solid, but not elite pass-rusher. Has an impressive repertoire of moves. Will use the spin move to quickly get by interior lineman when lining up at defensive tackle. Will work lineman to the outside before quickly cutting inside, slapping their hands away and using the club to get penetration. Still has to work on developing these moves as he doesn’t consistently use them successfully. A bit stiff and doesn’t look like he can consistently bend around the edge.

Grade: 3.0

Strength:

Has a strong frame as he is compact but thick. Flashes violent hands inside but doesn’t do this consistently. Plays with natural leverage which gives him an advantage. Has the strength to stand up to double teams and generally does a very good job of working his way through them or at least disrupting the play. Can usually shock lineman when he gets a good jump with his strength and quickness.

Grade: 3.5

Quickness:

Inconsistent off the snap. Has a solid burst, albeit not elite, but he’s sometimes the last one to move on the snap. Can be lethal when he times the snap right and gets a good jump. Doesn’t have the speed to consistently threaten off the edge and will have to rely more on his technique to be successful in the NFL. Has nice lateral agility and can beat lineman with quick secondary moves. Impressive closing speed, especially when chasing quarterbacks outside of the pocket.

Grade: 3.0

Point of Attack:

Plays with natural leverage which gives him an advantage but still must get better in this area. Holds up well against the run and doesn’t get pushed around easily. Will sometimes rush too far up-field leaving him susceptible to running plays. Can be a tad late recognizing the play as his awareness is still developing. Takes good angles in pursuit but doesn’t always give 100% effort when chasing down plays from the backside. Still has to get better at stacking and shedding as he prefers to spin off lineman.

Grade: 2.5

Tackling:

When you have a guy his size that moves around well you’ll get some big collisions. Delivers a pop as a tackler but also misses quite a bit. Has to play more controlled as he fails to breakdown. Since he lacks great fluidity he can have trouble making tackles in space. Has to do a better job of finishing in the backfield. Can get good penetration but fail to make the play.

Grade: 2.0

Intangibles:

Plays as part of a rotation so technically doesn’t have very many starts under his belt but still sees a lot of playing time. Very versatile player who gets moved around a lot at SC. Plays end, tackle and even linebacker. Is most comfortable with his hand on the ground and is best suited as a strong-side end in the 4-3 in the NFL. Wouldn’t be totally miscast as a 3-4 end either. Has no known character concerns however will not always chase down plays from the backside or get involved in piles. Motor when pass-rushing is good though. Broke his foot in 2008 due to an off-field incident. Broke his hand in 2010 but returned to the same game and did not miss any games.

Grade: 2.5

Outlook:

Melvin Ingram is a versatile player who shows flashes of ability but still hasn’t quite put it all together consistently. He’s best suited playing on the strong-side in a 4-3 defense despite playing some linebacker in college. He’s got a nice repertoire of pass-rush moves but they need some seasoning in the NFL. He’s got a good base to work with though and should only improve, but that depends on his work ethic. Will likely not be a great pass-rusher in the NFL but if he reaches his potential, around 8 sacks a year consistently, he’ll be a nice secondary pass-rush option for a team while playing the run well.

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Travis Lewis Scouting Report

December 26, 2011 No comments

Position

MLB/OLB

Height

6’2

School

Oklahoma

Weight

228

Class

Senior

40 Time

4.70

Grade

3rd Round

Athleticism:

A solid athlete who is better than most but is also undersized listed at under 230 lbs. Moves well but isn’t as fluid as I expected him to be. Has good range and can make plays sideline-to-sideline. Better than most, but not elite.

Grade: 3.0

Instincts:

Displays very good instincts and has a good feel for the run game. Stays at home on fakes and misdirection plays. Rarely takes false steps and has the quicks to recover. Stays patient and maintains his gap before firing in to make the stop. Knows his keys and is quick to react. Does a good job of keeping contain as well. Doesn’t look as sure in coverage however, where he’ll get caught peeking in the backfield and let his man get by him.

Grade: 3.5

Point of Attack:

Undersized but holds his own inside. Flashes the ability to stack and shed but prefers to avoid blocks and he’s pretty good at doing so. Has a good feel and flows down the line well making sure the back can’t get to the edge. Still lacks the strength to routinely shed blocks but isn’t afraid to meet fullbacks and pulling guards head on. Does a good job of shooting gaps and making stops in the backfield.

Grade: 3.0

Coverage:

Has the athleticism to make plays in coverage and has above average range. However, isn’t as fluid as you’d expect and can have difficulty in man coverage. Also doesn’t display great ball skills as doesn’t routinely make plays on the ball when in tight coverage preferring to play the man instead. Can get lost in zone at times and be late to react to crossing routes or backs in the flats as he is caught looking into the backfield. Needs to be more active, too often remains stranded standing still.

Grade: 2.0

Pass Rush:

Not much of a pass-rusher although he is asked to blitz quite a bit. Isn’t afraid of contact and will meet lineman head-on, however doesn’t do much when he gets there. Has no moves and struggles to disengage. Has to do a better job of finishing when he does get a shot as he’s prone to missing tackles in the backfield.

Grade: 1.5

Tackling:

Solid drag down tackler that doesn’t lay very many big hits. Tends to tackle a bit too high and leave his feet early which leads to some missed tackles. Does a good job of tackling both in space and inside against the run. Breaks down well however whiffs on quarterbacks a lot as he comes in at full speed.

Grade: 2.5

Intangibles:

Regarded as a great leader on and off the field at Oklahoma. A 4 year starter who broke the teams freshman tackle record. Made the Big 12 All-Academic team every year. Could play multiple positions but is strictly a 4-3 linebacker. Would not be miscast inside at MLB but may be a better fit outside. Broke his foot at the start of his senior season but only missed 1 game.

Grade: 5.0

Outlook:

Travis Lewis is a solid linebacker prospect because of his athleticism and good instincts. Although he is undersized, he plays the run better than the pass in my opinion. He is capable of starting from day one but needs to add some bulk and work on his hand usage to shed blocks more consistently. He can play MLB or OLB in a 4-3 scheme so his versatility is a plus. His leadership qualities also make him a good option for a team needing a linebacker that could potentially start in his rookie year.

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Bruce Irvin Scouting Report

December 25, 2011 No comments

Position

OLB

Height

6’2

School

West Virginia

Weight

245

Class

Senior

40 Time

4.55

Grade

2nd Round

Athleticism:

Gifted athlete with a very quick first step. Is fluid and displays natural pass-rushing ability. Shows nice flexibility and the ability to bend around the edge. Has good range and can chase down plays from the backside. Needs to get stronger as he is a bit of a tweener.

Grade: 4.0

Instincts:

Raw athlete who hasn’t played on the defensive side of the ball for long but plays smarter than you’d expect. Does a good job of keeping contain and defends the option rather well. Reads the 3 step drop and gets his hands in the air to attempt to block the passing lane. Still learning the position but is on the right path.

Grade: 2.5

Point of Attack:

Severely undersized at the point of attack and cannot be counted on to defend the run at the moment. Lacks strength to take on and shed blockers in the run game. Gets pushed around easily as he lacks the strength to anchor. Can occasionally shoot gaps and make plays in the backfield as he beats lineman with his quickness. Plays in a situational type role at West Virginia where he can do what he does best, rush the passer.

Grade: 1.0

Coverage:

Almost never asked to drop in coverage as he plays end at West Virginia. Will likely make the transition to 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL so he must work on his coverage skills. Has the athleticism to hold his own but still has to learn the techniques to succeed.

Grade: 2.0

Pass Rush:

Rushing the passer is what he does best. Has a very quick first step and a dangerous speed rush. Shows the natural ability to dip his shoulder and has good flexibility. Lacks a wide variety of moves as his bull-rush is still weak as he has to gain lower body strength. However, displays violent hands on occasion and can extend his arms and shed blocks when rushing up field. Has a nice club move and does a good job of taking advantage of lineman going out wide on him to stop his speed rush, as he quickly cuts back inside. Still has to work on disengaging when originally stood up. Has a great motor and will chase down quarterbacks all over the back-field.

Grade: 4.0

Tackling:

Solid tackler but could do a better job of wrapping up. At times will just lunge with his shoulder to bring the ball carrier down. He’ll have a tough time doing that in the NFL especially since he’s already undersized. Has to finish more often in the back-field as more elusive quarterbacks can side step him as he doesn’t routinely breakdown and make a controlled hit.

Grade: 2.5

Intangibles:

Had a rough childhood where he was essentially making a living on the streets and was just another hood rat. Decided to turn his life around and got his GED. Walked on to a junior college where he excelled as a pass-rusher. Went to West Virginia and has become a tremendous pass-rusher and fan favorite. Has worked hard to get where he is now and seems very determined and motivated. Desire can be seen as he is relentless when rushing the passer. Has to stay out of trouble though or people will be quick to turn against him. Right now is limited as a player. Best projects to 3-4 OLB but has never played the position and coverage is still very foreign to him. At the same time would only be a situational pass-rusher in a 4-3. Whatever the case he’ll need some time to develop before he can make an impact consistently in the NFL.

Grade: 3.0

Outlook:

Irvin is a bit of a project. He has drawn some comparisons to Von Miller but Miller was a better athlete and much more polished. It’s why he’s having a tremendous rookie year in the NFL. Right now, Irvin is strictly a situational pass-rusher. I think he’s best suited in the 3-4 but he doesn’t rush from a 2-point stance often and he’d have to learn the linebacker position. He’ll likely be a situational guy for his first few years in the NFL but he has a lot of potential and pass-rushers like him are at a premium. Being on a team with great veteran leadership wouldn’t hurt as it will help him progress not only as a football player, but as a person.

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Nigel Bradham Scouting Report

December 25, 2011 No comments

Position

OLB

Height

6’2

School

Florida State

Weight

240

Class

Senior

40 Time

4.70

Grade

4th Round

Athleticism:

A solid athlete who displays above average range. Has good straight line speed and a nice burst to close in on the football. Not a fluid athlete overall and he’ll stumble when asked to change directions on a dime.

Grade: 3.0

Instincts:

Instincts are average at best as he can be late to react at times. Will take false steps on fakes and can get himself out of position. Not always aware of what’s going on around him in coverage and will miss his assignment. Can be late to recognize backs going out in the flats and once they have a step on him they’re gone.

Grade: 2.0

Point of Attack:

Not overly strong at the point of attack but is an aggressive linebacker. Struggles to shed blocks and will run himself out of plays. Flashes the ability to use his hands do disengage but lacks technique and strength to do so consistently. Will shoot gaps and make stops in the backfield but usually only does so if he goes unblocked. Takes poor angles and finds himself easily sealed out of the play.

Grade: 2.0

Coverage:

Has the range and athleticism to become a solid coverage linebacker but fails to make plays on the ball. Can be slow to react which gives backs and receivers an instant advantage over him. Not fluid and struggles to change direction in man coverage. Will get lost in zone and essentially be guarding no one. A bit jumpy and will leave his assignment to cover someone else. Has to play more disciplined and do a better job of getting further in his drop.

Grade: 2.0

Pass Rush:

Not asked to rush too often. Is aggressive and isn’t afraid to take on blockers however won’t be much of a threat at the next level. Struggles to shed blocks and once lineman latch onto him he has a tough time getting himself free. However, displays good closing speed when he has his target in sight.

Grade: 1.5

Tackling:

A solid tackler who shows the ability to wrap up. Delivers a pop as a tackler and has laid some vicious hits throughout his college football career. Does a good job of making tackles in traffic as well as in space. Will sometimes come in too hot and fail to breakdown leading to some whiffs.

Grade: 3.0

Intangibles:

Aggressive and seems to play with a chip on his shoulder. A 3 year starter who has played multiple linebacker positions while at FSU. Gets heated in games and talks a lot of trash. Has taken quite a few stupid penalties. Has had some questionable late hits that could get him in trouble in the NFL. I don’t like that at time he’ll jog towards the play thinking his teammates will make the stop. Best suited to playing outside in the 4-3 scheme as he’ll have trouble getting off blocks inside.

Grade: 2.0

Outlook:

I like that Bradham is an aggressive linebacker but that hurts him at times. He doesn’t play smart and he has limited upside in the NFL. He can be an average starter but is probably best suited as a back-up, especially early on in his career. He’ll be a solid middle round pick with the hope that he can be developed into a solid player. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if he never does take that next step.

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