Next up, let's take a look at some of the pass-rushing linebacker prospects who stood out at the Combine.
As the roster stands today...
Our outside pass-rush has been lacking for what feels like decades. Groves is an unrestricted free agent (who Horton will probably want in Cleveland) and our other back-up was undrafted last year. Of the starters, Acho is a great all-purpose linebacker but not a dreamy sackmaster, while Schofield has had a very up-and-down career and may be better-suited to being a situational pass-rusher.
We know under Horton our OLB's were only rushing the passer 30-40% of the time. That's a significant amount of snaps, but it was obvious that their other responsibilities (containing the run and dropping into coverage) were roughly as important as pass-rushing. With a new defensive coordinator and a new emphasis on rushing the passer, will we see those ratios swing more heavily towards blitzing? Will we go away from the A-gap, ILB blitzes somewhat this year? I'd say that depends on the guys we have outside.
Stock Up:
Damontre Moore, Texas A&M
6'4" 250lbs. 34 1/4" arms
1st
A poor 40 and bench may hurt him but he showed burst in the jumping tests and possesses the length needed to succeed as an outside rusher.
Prospect |
40Y |
BP |
Vrt |
Brd |
3Cn |
20S |
60S |
Damontre Moore | 4.92 | 14 | 35.5 | 122.0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Ezekiel Ansah, BYU
6'5" 271lbs. 35 1/8" arms
1st
With his uncommon size and athleticism, Ansah could play just about any position (which he did at BYU).
Prospect |
40Y |
BP |
Vrt |
Brd |
3Cn |
20S |
60S |
Ezekiel Ansah | 4.63 | 21 | 34.5 | 118.0 | 7.11 | 4.26 | N/A |
Dion Jordan, Oregon
6'6" 248lbs. 33 7/8" arms
1st
Measured in at 248lbs. -- which was important as reports said he couldn't keep on weight and often played as low as 220 at Oregon -- and flew through his drills. Excellent movement skills.
Prospect |
40Y |
BP |
Vrt |
Brd |
3Cn |
20S |
60S |
Dion Jordan | 4.60 | N/A | 32.5 | 122.0 | 7.02 | 4.35 | N/A |
Barkevious Mingo
6'4" 241lbs. 33 3/4" arms
1st
I almost didn't include Mingo because everyone expected him to perform as well as he did, but he deserves mention for proving to be very nearly the ideal prospect for a rush linebacker, at least athletically.
Prospect |
40Y |
BP |
Vrt |
Brd |
3Cn |
20S |
60S |
Barkevious Mingo | 4.58 | N/A | 37.0 | 128.0 | 6.84 | 4.39 | N/A |
Jamie Collins, Southern Miss
6'3" 250lbs. 33 3/4" arms
2-3
Collins' stock took a huge jump this week. His 41.5" vertical leap was almost a record-breaker (see what I did there?), and he excelled in all other areas to boot.
Prospect |
40Y |
BP |
Vrt |
Brd |
3Cn |
20S |
60S |
Jamie Collins | 4.64 | 19 | 41.5 | 139.0 | 7.10 | 4.32 | 11.55 |
Trevardo Williams, Connecticut
6'1" 241lbs. 32 1/4" arms
2-3
No longer an underrated speed rusher, Williams showcased top-of-the-class speed and burst. He is a bit undersized, however, which could make him a better choice for 4-3 defenses looking to bolster their pass-rush from the linebacker spot.
Prospect |
40Y |
BP |
Vrt |
Brd |
3Cn |
20S |
60S |
Trevardo Williams | 4.57 | 30 | 38.0 | 124.0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Devin Taylor, South Carolina
6'7" 266lbs. 36" arms
3-4
Incredible size and finishing in the top 5 of most tests get a man noticed. Taylor's career at SCar may not have been everything some expected it to be, but this is an extremely talented athlete.
Prospect |
40Y |
BP |
Vrt |
Brd |
3Cn |
20S |
60S |
Devin Taylor | 4.72 | 14 | 35.0 | 128.0 | 6.89 | 4.30 | N/A |
Cornelius Washington, Georgia
6'4" 265lbs. 34" arms
5
Dominant at both the Senior Bowl and Combine, let me know when you figure out why Washington only came up with a half-sack his Senior year...
Prospect |
40Y |
BP |
Vrt |
Brd |
3Cn |
20S |
60S |
Cornelius Washington | 4.55 | 36 | 39.0 | 128.0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Ty Powell, Harding
6'2" 249lbs. 32 1/2" arms
6
Good results for a 3-4 OLB and a strong Senior Bowl week as a pass-rusher, Powell is another undersized prospect. Luckily, you don't need to know what state Harding is in to call his name on draft weekend.
Prospect |
40Y |
BP |
Vrt |
Brd |
3Cn |
20S |
60S |
Ty Powell | 4.64 | 28 | 37.0 | 122.0 | 6.98 | 4.40 | N/A |
David Bass, Missouri Western
6'4" 262lbs. 33 1/2" arms
6
Everyone's favorite pass-rusher at the East-West Shrine Game, Bass has nice size and length with decent athleticism. Could fit in either scheme with the caveat that he played DT at Missouri Western.
Prospect |
40Y |
BP |
Vrt |
Brd |
3Cn |
20S |
60S |
David Bass | 4.84 | 20 | 30.5 | 111.0 | 7.07 | 4.33 | N/A |
Stock Down:
Sean Porter, Texas A&M
6'1" 229lbs. 32 1/4" arms
3
Came in lighter and shorter than expected, and had fairly average results despite being one of the lightest prospects in the group. Porter will not be well-suited to playing on the line of scrimmage in the NFL, which may limit him to 4-3 LB.
Prospect |
40Y |
BP |
Vrt |
Brd |
3Cn |
20S |
60S |
Sean Porter | 4.75 | 22 | 35.0 | 119.0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Chase Thomas, Stanford
6'3" 244lbs. 32 1/4" arms
4
Always a better player than athlete, Thomas just didn't measure well in any area. Still, he has plenty of good tape as a 3-4 OLB in Stanford's defense so he won't drop far.
Prospect |
40Y |
BP |
Vrt |
Brd |
3Cn |
20S |
60S |
Chase Thomas | 4.91 | 18 | 32.0 | 113.0 | 7.17 | 4.31 | N/A |
Avoid:
Bjoern Werner, Florida St.
6'3" 266lbs. 33 1/4" arms
1
Just not agile enough to project well in a 3-4. You could give him a try (think Whitney Mercilus, Nick Perry) but he'll have more value to 4-3 teams.
Prospect |
40Y |
BP |
Vrt |
Brd |
3Cn |
20S |
60S |
Bjoern Werner | 4.83 | 25 | 31.0 | 111.0 | 7.30 | 4.40 | N/A |
Sam Montgomery, LSU
6'3" 262lbs. 33 7/8" arms
1
Like Werner, better-suited to playing in a 4-3.
Prospect |
40Y |
BP |
Vrt |
Brd |
3Cn |
20S |
60S |
Sam Montgomery | 4.81 | N/A | 34.5 | 114.0 | 7.18 | 4.51 | N/A |
Armonty Bryant, East Central (OK)
6'4" 263lbs. 35 3/4" arms
FA
A sleeper pass rusher with good size, Bryant lacks the agility and change of direction to play in space.
Prospect |
40Y |
BP |
Vrt |
Brd |
3Cn |
20S |
60S |
Armonty Bryant | 4.86 | N/A | 31.5 | 118.0 | 7.32 | 5.00 | N/A |
Prospect |
Prj Rd |
40Y |
BP |
Vrt |
Brd |
3Cn |
20S |
60S |
Peer Average | N/A | 4.67 | 25 | 36.0 | 120.0 | 7.00 | 4.30 | N/A |
Damontre Moore | 1 | 4.92 | 14 | 35.5 | 122.0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Ezekiel Ansah | 1 | 4.63 | 21 | 34.5 | 118.0 | 7.11 | 4.26 | N/A |
Dion Jordan | 1 | 4.60 | N/A | 32.5 | 122.0 | 7.02 | 4.35 | N/A |
Barkevious Mingo | 1 | 4.58 | N/A | 37.0 | 128.0 | 6.84 | 4.39 | N/A |
Bjoern Werner | 1 | 4.83 | 25 | 31.0 | 111.0 | 7.30 | 4.40 | N/A |
Sam Montgomery | 1 | 4.81 | N/A | 34.5 | 114.0 | 7.18 | 4.51 | N/A |
Jamie Collins | 2-3 | 4.64 | 19 | 41.5 | 139.0 | 7.10 | 4.32 | 11.55 |
Trevardo Williams | 2-3 | 4.57 | 30 | 38.0 | 124.0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Sean Porter | 3 | 4.75 | 22 | 35.0 | 119.0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Devin Taylor | 3-4 | 4.72 | 14 | 35.0 | 128.0 | 6.89 | 4.30 | N/A |
Cornelius Washington | 5 | 4.55 | 36 | 39.0 | 128.0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Ty Powell | 6 | 4.64 | 28 | 37.0 | 122.0 | 6.98 | 4.40 | N/A |
David Bass | 6 | 4.84 | 20 | 30.5 | 111.0 | 7.07 | 4.33 | N/A |
Armonty Bryant | FA | 4.86 | N/A | 31.5 | 118.0 | 7.32 | 5.00 | N/A |
Measurables from NFL.com, draft projections from NFLDraftScout.com.
Note that the "Peer Average" is from a post I did last year profiling some well-known 3-4 OLB's and compiling the average of all their measurables. In theory, a prospect wants to record times similar to this "Peer Average" standard.
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