INSIDE LINEBACKERS
Rashaan Evans, Alabama
Game Film Evaluated:
Clemson (2017)
Georgia (2018)
LSU (2017)
Analysis: Compact frame. Moves extremely well laterally. Good range to the sideline and plus burst to close on the ball and shoot gaps. Fluid hips and should be adequate in coverage. Good awareness and excellent motor. Solid tackler who consistently wraps up the ballcarrier. He has good instincts and locates the ball quickly even in traffic. He can side step blockers effectively inside. Flat footed in coverage, squats on routes. Good in zone but is a liability vs TEs in man coverage. Physical player who looks to knock out TEs when blitzing off the edge. He is a hard hitter who wraps up and drives through the ballcarrier.
Summary: Rashaan Evans is one of the most technically sound, instinctive and athletic LBs in the draft. He has impressive athleticism to make plays sideline to sideline and has good awareness to find the ball quickly in traffic. He is one of the best in the class at getting around blockers and making plays behind the line, short of the first down or for no gain. He is a hard hitter with good form. He is good in zone coverage, needs work to play light on his feet in man coverage especially vs the athletic TEs in the pros. He can play inside or as a weakside LB in a 4-3 scheme, he played a lot as an outside LB in bama’s 3-4 front but that isn’t his future. He takes good angles when blitzing but not someone who can turn the corner consistently. Rookie starter and should be more than a solid starter. Late 1st round grade.
Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech
Game Film Evaluated:
Miami (2017)
Clemson (2017)
Boston College (2017)
Analysis: He is a linebacker. Long arms and good frame for the position. Extremely over aggressive in coverage, plays with heavy feet and will get caught flat footed. Needs to play more under control to become at least average in coverage. He can side step blockers in traffic and has upside to be able to stack and shed blockers. Adequate tackler. Takes numerous false steps and often out of position. Impressive burst on the ball. Tight hips and struggles to change directions quickly. Elite and level athleticism. He is physically imposing with tremendous size, length with plus speed. He can strike effectively. When he has a clear path to the ball or locates the ball, he can close on it with elite burst and finish.
Summary: Tremaine Edmunds is one of the highest potential players in the draft. No one at the position has the size, speed, arms and hitting ability. He flashes ability to attack the line of scrimmage times but not consistent. He is not an instinctive player, regularly takes himself out of the play with false steps and not locating the ball quickly. He has impressive burst and should be a force attacking the gaps and trying to blow plays up behind the line. He needs to play more under control and become a more aggressive player. He will never be comfortable in coverage and this will be liability at the next level. At best, I project him to be a mike backer in a 3-4 defense as a inside backer next to a thumper type LB. This will allow him a cleaner path to the ball and take advantage of his burst and tackling ability to make plays behind the line or for short gains. The question is whether he ever fulfills his potential will determine whether he is an average NFL player or one of the games best. Talent is not the issue, it is whether he puts in the work in the meetings and film study to become a more instinctive player in the pros than he was in college. He has elite level potential but he played too often like a 3rd round player. I settle on a late 2nd round grade.
Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State
Game Film Evaluated:
Wyoming (2017)
San Diego State (2017)
Troy (2017)
Analysis: Taller frame built like an OLB. Plays the inside position. Tight hips. Impressive burst and he can really close on the ball quickly. Struggles to get off blocks. Takes false steps and does not play with top instincts. Doesn’t get proper depth in zone coverage. He is capable of making the physical stopping hit even against top prospects like Penny from San Diego State. Good tackler who doesn’t look to deliver knock out blow or just lower the shoulder.
Summary: Leighton Vander Esch brings excellent size to the position and moves well for his size. However he doesn’t do anything special and needs to play in the right system and role to be successful at the next level. He needs to do better taking on blockers, finding the ball quicker and playing to his talent level in coverage. He is athletic and has good speed but doesn’t play like it consistently. He is at his best when attacking the line and more than capable of stuffing the play at the line or even for a loss. He projects to be a inside backer in a 3-4 scheme but needs protection as a mike backer instead of the thumper. 4th round grade who has good potential if he can play a more consistent attacking style of play.
Mike McCray, Michigan
Game Film Evaluated:
Ohio State (2017)
Wisconsin (2017)
Penn State (2017)
Analysis: Big and physical frame, ideal for the inside LB position. He will take on lead blockers, stuff them in the hole and force the play to go elsewhere. His job is to take on blockers to allow his teammates to make the play. Controls his gap effectively. He can be moved out of the hole when he blitzes, no threat on the rush. Big liability in man coverage, tight hips and heavy feet. Penn State attacked McCray consistently getting him in coverage vs Barkley and other athletic RBs. Solid tackler but not a hard hitter or capable of knocking the ball out.
Summary: Mike McCray is a big ideal thumper type middle linebacker who will need to substituted off the field in passing situations. He can handle his gap effectively, stacking and shedding the block in the hole to make the play. However he is limited with his quickness, agility and speed to make plays on the perimeter. He can carve out a niche in the NFL and be thankful in that there are simply not many other prospects who can handle blockers in the box like he can. However the liabilities in coverage will be opportunities for NFL offenses to look to take advantage when he’s on the field. He is a 2 down thumper type LB for a 3-4 defense that faces a lot of power rushing offenses like in the AFC North. 4th round grade.
Micah Kiser, Virginia
Game Film Evaluated:
Boise State (2017)
Navy (2017)
Analysis: Good size for the position, carries his weight well. He moves well laterally and has some good burst to the ball. Does everything well but nothing is dynamic in his game. Effective delayed blitzer and can lay the wood when he gets there. He is able to take on blockers and get off blocks in traffic. He finds the ball well and flows well to the action. He plays with good technique and solid tackler. Not an explosive athlete who can stick in man coverage but gets good depth and awareness in zone coverage. Better when attacking the line of scrimmage vs reading and reacting to the play.
Summary: Micah KIser is a solid LB who can fill a variety of roles inside or outside. However he is not overly athletic capable of holding up in coverage consistently nor physically imposing to make game impact plays either. He locates the ball and makes the play when in position. However tackles for loss, forced fumbles and INTs are not part of his game. He is at his best when attacking the line of scrimmage. Average defender who can play in the base defense and stay on the field in passing situations as well. Good depth player to have. Late 4th round grade.
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