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| Inside Linebackers |
| Last Updated: March 9, 2010 |
Rolando McClain
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Rolando McClain - Alabama (HT: 6-3⅜ - WT: 254)
Projection: Top 15
Positives:
-Smart player, leader of one of nation’s best defenses
-Great mix of speed and size, stand-out TE in high school
-Good explosiveness off the edge
-Scrapes well, has a nose for the ball (270 tackles in three seasons)
-Gets off many blocks with ease, incredible strength allows him to use upper body to move blockers
-Does not get pushed away from plays often, will drive feet and push blockers back into plays
-Character guy, 2008 SEC Academic Honor Roll
-2009 Butkus Award winner as the nation's top linebacker, has shown he can be a force in the NFL
Negatives:
-Needs to work on pass coverage, larger frame makes him stiff in the hips
-Does not play very low, may have problems taking down bigger NFL backs, needs to lower pad level slightly
-Struggled with freshman inconsistency
Brandon Spikes
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Brandon Spikes - Florida (HT: 6-2⅞ - WT: 249)
Projection: 2nd Round
Positives:
-Awareness, excellent play recognition
-Good speed but appears to play somewhat slower in pads (still waiting for 40-time at Pro Day)
-Great at stuffing the run
-Solid tackler, plays low and does not miss many opportunities
-Drops into coverage well and makes big plays (four career defensive TDs)
-Has played against some of the top RBs in the country in SEC
Negatives:
-Not a unique athlete, may be playing over his head a bit
-Tackle numbers have declined significantly (131 in 2007, 52 in 2009)
-Missed three games in 2009
-Suspension for in-game incident leads to character questions
-Opted not to run the 40 at the combine, raises questions about speed
-Draft stock has been falling rapidly
Daryl Washington
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Daryl Washington - TCU (HT: 6-1¾ - WT: 230 - 40: 4.66)
Projection: 2nd Round
Positives:
-Terrific on special teams, three blocked punts in 2007
-Very athletic, all-around player
-Two sacks, three interceptions and a TD in 2009
-Consistent tackler (no games under five tackles in 2009)
-Good speed, uses speed to scrape well and get sideline to sideline with ease
-Knows how to be a leader on a winning team
Negatives:
-Plays in Mountain West Conference, level of competition may not measure up
-Inexperienced, took over as starter before 2009 season
-Could stand to add a little weight
-Speed and size could restrict him to playing in a 3-4 or on the weak side in a 4-3
Sean Lee
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Sean Lee - Penn State (HT: 6-2&8539; - WT: 236 - 40: 4.76)
Projection: 2nd Round
Positives:
-Really smart player who has a nose for the football
-Play recognition skills are among the best in college football
-A team leader, was voted as an honorary co-captain by his teammates this year
-Big upside if he can return to his pre-injury form, was once looked at as a first round lock
-Comes from "Linebacker U" where they have a long history of sending linebackers to the NFL with success
-Extremely productive when on the field, put up 138 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles during his junior campaign
-Versatility, can play as a 4-3 outside linebacker or a 3-4 inside linebacker
Negatives:
-Disappointing senior year, was overshadowed by teammate Navorro Bowman, still accounted for 86 tackles and 11 TFL though
-Tore a ligament in his right knee in 2008 that sidelined him for the entire year
-Doesn't have great measurables, not the biggest, fastest or strongest guy
-His success depends on the health of his knee
-Will be one of the older prospects in the 2010 draft, would open the 2010 NFL season at age 24
-4.76-40 was very unimpressive for his size (236 lbs.)
Darryl Sharpton
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Darryl Sharpton - Miami (FL) (HT: 5-11⅜ - WT: 236 - 40: 4.78)
Projection: 3rd Round
Positives:
-Decent sideline to sideline speed, allows him to scrape well and take good pursuit angles
-Good frame, shorter stature gives him low center of gravity
-Above-average block-shedding skills
-Productive senior season against pretty good opponents (99 tackles including 61 solo)
-Can match up against TEs, uses speed well in coverage
-Has experience in multiple schemes and can play in either a 3-4 or 4-3 defense
Negatives:
-Has struggled with staying healthy (missed most of 2005)
-Needs to lower pad level when tackling, does not wrap up well
-Not the most instinctual player, has problems with counters and play-action passes
-Slow 40 time at combine will scare some teams away (4.78-40 at only 236 lbs.)
Pat Angerer
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Pat Angerer - Iowa (HT: 6-0¼ - WT: 235 - 40: 4.70)
Projection: 3rd Round
Positives:
-Excellent production as a starter, 242 tackles in two years
-Good in pass coverage, five interceptions in 2008
-Played on one of the top defenses in the Big Ten
-Plays tough, does not give up on plays, will impress scouts with drive and desire
-Hits the gaps hard while maintaining control
-Drives feet very well when tackling, moves piles backward
-Character guy, displays both good work ethic and sportsmanship
-Breaks down well, does not miss many tackles, wraps up in space and does not allow many backs to make him miss
Negatives:
-Tackles a little high, needs to lower pad level if he wants to take down NFL backs
-Riddled with injuries early in career but showed some durability in 2008 and 2009
-Not explosive enough to get to the quarterback often, will never be a pass rusher in the NFL
-Needs to add a few more pounds, weight is not bad but has the frame to add some muscle mass
Rod Muckelroy
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Rod Muckelroy - Texas (HT: 6-1¾ - WT: 246 - 40: 4.77)
Projection: 3rd Round
Positives:
-Humble player, leads by example, not the most vocal player, but takes command when on the field
-Very mature, high character player on and off the field
-Smart on the gridirion, an instinctive player who is always around the ball and making plays
-Good tackler, wraps up and never lets go
-Solid in pass coverage, with his intellect and instinct he’s able to read what the offense is doing and be in position to make plays in the passing game
-Would be a great fit as a 4-3 outside linebacker or inside in a 3-4 scheme
-Has put up big numbers the past 2 years for a very good Texas defense
-Prototypical size and build to play ILB
Negatives:
-Has been overshadowed by teammate Sergio Kindle and former teammate Brian Orakpo
-Is not the greatest athlete, shows just average speed when chasing plays to the sideline
-Has never been a dominant pass rusher
-Brings some injury concerns after a season ending injury his freshman year with a ruptured tendon
-Can get pushed around, isn’t the biggest guy and doesn’t have great upper body strength to disengage from blockers
Jamar Chaney
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Jamar Chaney - Mississippi St. (HT: 6-0¾ - WT: 242 - 40: 4.54)
Projection: 4th Round
Positives:
-Plays pretty well in zone coverage, speed allows him to cover tight ends in man coverage as well
-Good ability to read and react, maintains gap control on most plays
-Missed all but one game of 2008 but showed durability starting every game in 2009
-Consistent productivity (totaled 89 tackles in both 2007 and 2009)
-Good at breaking down and making open-field tackles
-Versatility, split time between inside and weak-side backer
-Excellent blend of size and speed, has adequate bulk and ran a 4.54-40 at the combine
Negatives:
-Tackles too high and doesn’t drive feet well, more of a drag-down tackler
-Not a hard hitter, needs to work on running through the ball carrier
-Lacks strength to get off blocks easily, must work on finesse moves to get past blockers
-Could add some upper-body muscle to help shed blocks
Donald Butler
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Donald Butler - Washington (HT: 6-1⅛ - WT: 245)
Projection: 4th Round
Positives:
-Really flourished as a senior setting career highs in tackles and TFL with 94 and 15.5 respectively
-Aggressive player who looks to attack, gets to the ball really quickly
-A leader, vocal player who was known for hyping up the Washington defense
-Athletic, fast and strong, gets into the backfield with ease
-Instinctive, is always in position to make the play, shows the smarts to handle being the leader of an NFL defense
-Great in coverage, shows the ability to drop back and understands zone coverages
Negatives:
-A late bloomer, wasn’t highly touted until late in his senior year where people started to notice his high level of play
-Needs to be more fundamentally sound, doesn’t play with the best technique
-Has to be stronger at the point of attack, can get engulfed by larger linemen when going to the ball
-Hasn’t been utilized much as a blitzer, needs to develop more pass rush moves
Kion Wilson
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Kion Wilson - South Florida (HT: 6-0⅜ - WT: 239 - 40: 4.84)
Projection: 4th Round
Positives:
-Extremely athletic
-Pretty productive 2009 season (93 tackles, sack, forced fumble, interception)
-Very hard worker, always trying to get better
-Natural leader on the field, knows what he is supposed to do every play
-Good size to play multiple backer positions, but best suited in a 3-4 scheme
-Good speed, former cross-country runner
-Very tough, plays through injuries often
Negatives:
-Only played two years at USF, played first two years at community college
-Has struggled with injuries in the past, but played through many of them
-Not a true 4-3 inside linebacker, tweener size may make him best suited for 3-4 ILB or 4-3 weak-side linebacker
-Slow 40 time at the combine may hurt his stock, 4.84-40 is pretty bad for a linebacker under 240 lbs.
Joe Pawelek
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Joe Pawelek - Baylor (HT: 6-1¾ - WT: 237)
Projection: 5th Round
Positives:
-Great pass coverage abilities (nine career interceptions)
-Terrific footwork in coverage, surprisingly agile for his size
-Has a nose for the football, nation’s active career tackle leader (423 tackles)
-Intelligent character guy, 2008 Academic All-American
-Football smart, natural leader on the field and embraces that role
Negatives:
-Not particularly fast (projected 4.70-40)
-Gets blocked away from plays too easily, needs to develop more block-shedding moves
-Plays too high when being blocked
-Not a pass rusher, will not get to the QB often, lack of versatility may hurt him
-Will not be a workout warrior, gets by with intense desire and good work ethic
Boris Lee
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Boris Lee - Troy (HT: 6-0¼ - WT: 238 - 40: 4.89)
Projection: 5th Round
Positives:
-Excellent all-around production in college (338 tackles, nine sacks, eight interceptions)
-Great durability, did not miss a single game in four years
-Decent mix of size and speed, could stand to add a little upper-body mass
-Drops into coverage well and can make big plays, reads quarterback’s eyes well in coverage
-Physical player who takes on blocks without hesitation but needs to work on block-shedding moves
-Has shown flashes of great production against good opponents
-Troy defensive players have transitioned well to the NFL
Negatives:
-Not a great tackler, will not make many big hits, misses too many tackles in space
-Intensity often leads to playing out of position, overruns plays
-Not a pass rusher, has small repertoire of moves
-Needs to drive feet better when tackling and taking on blockers
-4.89-40 at the combine among worst at ILB, will need to prove he can scrape sideline-to-sideline effectively
Reggie Carter
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Reggie Carter - UCLA (HT: 5-11⅝ - WT: 238)
Projection: 5th Round
Positives:
-Good sideline to sideline speed, all-around good athlete
-Solid production (269 career tackles)
-Hits hard and drives through players, forced five fumbles in last two years
-Passionate player, loves the challenges position presents
-Takes good pursuit angles, doesn’t give up on plays
-Vocal leader on the field, fills the role of defensive leader and takes pride in firing up his teammates
Negatives:
-Needs to recognize plays more quickly
-Doesn’t take on blocks and ends up out of position too often
-May be more of an outside pass rusher in the NFL, had problems against interior lineman
Micah Johnson
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Micah Johnson - Kentucky (HT: 6-1½ - WT: 258 - 40: 5.01)
Projection: 6th Round
Positives:
-Excellent size, a force up the middle
-Great lateral footwork, scrapes very well (277 career tackles)
-Heavy hitter, can punish opposing players
-Tackles low
-Is not afraid to take on blockers to get to the ball
-Can run with TEs and bring down larger backs
-Tough, has played through injury (high ankle sprain in 2008)
-Improving in pass coverage, has good instincts
-Intimidating, plays with great intensity
Negatives:
-Gets out of position too easily
-Does not drive feet particularly well when tackling
-Terrible 40-time at combine will hurt (5.01-40), although is he is battling back from an injury in Kentucky’s bowl game
-Has trouble changing direction quickly, may have difficulties with quicker backs
-Was suspended in 2007 for academic reasons
Mike McLaughlin
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Mike McLaughlin - Boston College (HT: 6-0¼ - WT: 236 - 40: 4.83)
Projection: 6th Round
Positives:
-Good frame, shorter stature makes weight a non-issue, shows strong upper body
-Has a mean streak, will take on blockers and get through blocks with fierceness
-Scrapes well, has decent lateral footwork when moving along the middle of the field
-Natural leader, makes sure teammates are in position, defensive captain last two seasons
-Has fluid hips and performs well in zone coverage
-Likes to hit, gets low and wraps up well
-Extremely hard worker with toughness to match
Negatives:
-Not very fast, will have a hard time keeping up with most tight ends and running backs in coverage, does not have great sideline to sideline quickness
-Needs to tackle better in space, does not break down well in the open field
-Not great at reading plays, maintains gap assignments but has trouble re-directing on counters and play action
-Has never been a great playmaker (two sacks, one interception)
-Has struggled with big injuries, needs to show he can be durable with such a physical style of play
Matt Mayberry
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Matt Mayberry - Indiana (HT: 6-2 - WT: 237)
Projection: 6th Round
Positives:
-Character guy, good work ethic, isn’t afraid to mix it up
-Natural leader on and off the field, takes pride in leading teammates
-Takes advantage of opportunities to get to the quarterback
-Good in zone coverage (three interceptions in 2009), can drop back and read QBs eyes
-Very productive in 2009 (108 tackles)
-Great speed (4.45-40)
Negatives:
-Could stand to put on some weight
-Needs to develop more block-shedding moves
-Might be a one-trick pony, will not get to the QB often, doesn’t have explosiveness to get into the backfield with regularity
-Best fit is in a 3-4 scheme, doesn’t have the bulk to plug gaps in a 4-3
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