The argument over which defensive asset — coverage or pass rush — is more important in the modern NFL is a fascinating one. One could say that in an era where a lot of teams are playing more than 75% of their snaps with at least five defensive backs on the field at all times, and others double down with at least six on more than 40% of their snaps, coverage is obviously the superior factor.
One could also say that with so many defensive backs on the field against three- and four-receiver base sets, getting a pass rush going with four defensive linemen and a handful of smart blitzers is the order of the day. After all, it doesn’t matter how many defensive backs you have on the field and how good they are — if they have to cover their receivers for five seconds because your pass-rushers can’t get home, your defense is in big trouble.
In the 2020 draft class, there are all kinds of edge-rushers with all kinds of responsibilities. Here are the 11 best as we see them.
1. Chase Young, Ohio State
Height: 6’5″ Weight: 264
40-Yard Dash: N/A
Bench Press: N/A
Vertical Jump: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Bio: Young started high school as an undersized quarterback, switching to defensive end and tight end once he saw a growth spurt. By his senior season, he’d earned Washington Post Defensive Player of the Year honors with 118 tackles, 37 tackles for loss, 19 sacks and five forced fumbles. Offers came from just about every major program in the country, but after a flirtation with Maryland, he chose Ohio State, following in the footsteps of Joey and Nick Bosa as top-shelf Buckeye edge-rushers. He put up 98 tackles, 40.5 tackles for loss, and 30.5 sacks in three seasons at Ohio State, though there were some concerns about the three-game sackless streak at the end of his collegiate career against Michigan, Wisconsin, and Clemson, Young had a ready answer for that at the scouting combine.
“I had a lot of quarterback hits, a lot of pressures. If you understand football, you would see that. You’ll see how they changed their whole offensive game plan for one guy. A lot of people might not know how to really study a tape or may not know how to watch football, but if you know football, I made an impact in those games.
“Being the best defensive end isn’t about sacks, it’s about being the most disruptive player on the field. You can do that without having a sack.”
As I wrote during the combine, Young was absolutely correct about this. He was a top disruptor throughout the entire season, and he projects to be the same type of weapon at the NFL level very quickly.
Stat to Know: Young recorded a preposterous 75 total pressures in 2018, and while his opportunities were relatively limited in 2019, he still had 56 pressures in just 320 pass-rushing snaps (as opposed to 470 the year before).
Strengths: True field-flipping defender who forces opposing offenses to design their game plans around avoiding him. Has ideal first-step quickness to set tackles on edge and prime wins through the arc to the pocket. Turns the corner to the pocket with excellent bend and power. Strong enough to disable blockers when he gets his hands into their chests. Maintains his speed through the pocket to work mobile quarterbacks. Has a nice array of moves from bull-rush to swim and club/rip that can be developed more specifically at the NFL level. Sorts and sifts through multiple blockers to get where he wants to go. Spies the quarterback through the snap and has an innate sense of how to create pressure from broken plays. Adept enough with his feet to do a decent job in short coverage. Works gaps more than he uses a true inside counter, but has the tools to make it work.
Weaknesses: Young needs a more complete plan when he heads wide and gets beaten. Inside counter isn’t developed as it needs to be. Needs better awareness for run plays, zone reads, and misdirection when he’s pinning his ears back. Redirection reaction can be a problem at times, though the recovery speed is obviously there. Wins more on pure athleticism and power than advanced traits, though he’s well on his way.
Conclusion: The question of whether Yonng is the best and/or most valuable defensive player in this draft class is a fascinating one, and probably highly reliant on whether you think pressure or coverage is more important at the NFL level. There are those who might prefer cornerback Jeff Okudah, Young’s Ohio State teammate, because Okudah brings a lockdown man-coverage mentality that’s as worthy of franchise consideration as any non-quarterback skill set. But if you’re looking for an edge defender with an obvious and easily transferable ability to terrorize quarterbacks at the NFL level, look no further. Young is a different player than either of the Bosa brothers, but he certainly looks to have the same type of potential.
NFL Comparison: Aldon Smith. Smith was an absolute force as a pass-rusher before off-field issues unfortunately wrecked his athletic potential. But when Smith was on his game, he had the same combination of size, explosive speed, and unusual power that allowed him to total 33.5 sacks in 2011 and 2012 — the most for any NFL player in his first two seasons since the sack became an official statistic in 1982. Young absolutely has the ability to make the same kind of impact, and has All-Pro potential especially if he cleans up a few non-pass rush issues that will make him a more complete player.
2. Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State
Height: 6’5″ Weight: 266
40-Yard Dash: N/A
Bench Press: 20 reps
Vertical Jump: 34.0 inches
Broad Jump: 120.0 inches
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Bio: A basketball, track, and football guy in high school, Gross-Matos chose Penn State over Alabama, Clemson, Virginia and Virginia Tech, and Tennessee among others and amassed 11 tackles, 36.5 tackles for loss, and 18.5 sacks through three seasons (the last two as a primary participant).
Gross-Matos has withstood multiple family tragedies in his young life. Michael Gross, his biological father, died at age 29 after he and 2-year old Yetur fell off a boat into the Chesapeake Bay in May, 2000). Yetur was saved by his grandfather, but Yetur’s father drowned. Chelal, Yetur’s older brother died at age 12 in June, 2009 after he was struck by lightning at a Little League baseball field. Yetur added the name of his stepfather, Rob Matos, after his mother Sakinah remarried and Rob adopted Yetur and his siblings.
“They just asked me about what’s the hardest thing I ever went through,” Gross-Matos said at the combine, when asked what NFL teams were trying to bring out of him. “Obviously for me, that was losing my older brother at a young age. And my dad. Just dealing with that. I want to do something better for my family and my mother and that’s kind of how I approached it. That’s the reality of it.
“My mother, Sakinah, she’s a phenomenal, phenomenal woman. And she sacrificed a lot. She lost a lot. And she just keeps positive. She’s the most positive person I know. I’ve got endless love for my mother. She’s the best woman I know.
“My adopted father, I don’t call him my stepdad. He’s just my dad because he’s been a father to me my whole life. Obviously, it sucks not knowing your biological father, but I’ve always had a father as far as I can remember. So, he’s treated me just like his son and I’m eternally grateful for him.”
Stat to Know: In 2019, Gross-Matos lined up 19 snaps in the A-gap, 60 in the B-gap, 19 over the tackle, and 469 outside the tackle. He had 38 total pressures in just 330 pass-rushing snaps.
Strengths: Smooth mover with impressive power from the first step through the snap. Has the capacity to rag-doll blockers out of the way. When he keeps his pad level low, can spring with strength to force blockers off their plan. Length/speed combination gives him an inherent advantage when closing the pocket. Easily and readily works into the interior post-snap to provide inside pressure. Inside move with a rip can be highly effective against tackles. Asjusts well to run plays on the fly, and has a good sense of pocket space to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. Diagnoses well to the ball in mush-rush situations. Looks comfortable along the defensive line — not a one-gap player at the next level.
Weaknesses: Like a lot of collegiate defensive linemen, Gross-Matos hasn’t yet developed his hand movement and technique to the point where it’s an asset. Spends too much time wrestling when he should be attacking. Can be taken out by blocks to his side — smoothness can also fall into a lack of urgency at times.
Conclusion: Defensive linemen with Gross-Matos’ ability to move along the line and win in a “positionless” fashion are more desirable than ever. There’s a lot to like about his game, and if he’s able to become more sudden, he could be a multi-front weapon for a long time at the NFL level. He’d look great as a 3-4 end back when teams had 3-4 ends; now, he can work to either end of the offensive tackle in stalwart fashion.
NFL Comparison: Preston Smith. Like the Mississippi State alum, selected by the Redskins in the second round of the 2015 draft, Gross-Matos combines a lot of desirable natural movement and strength skills, but could use more urgency and violence in his play, especially when dealing with blockers in close hand-fighting.
3. Terrell Lewis, Alabama
Height: 6’5″ Weight: 262
40-Yard Dash: N/A
Bench Press: N/A
Vertical Jump: 37.0 inches
Broad Jump: 124.0 inches
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Bio: A top recruit in the Washington, D.C. area, Lewis took a path taken by a lot of top recruits to the Crimson Tide. He had eight pressures in 34 pass-rushing snaps as a true freshman in 2016 in a defense that has generally proved impossible for true freshmen to crack. Building on that in 2017 was tough due to an arm injury that caused him to miss 10 games, but he still amassed 10 total pressures on just 84 pass-rushing snaps. Lewis then missed the entire 2018 season with a torn ACL and was only able to flash his true potential in his final collegiate season of 2019, when he put up all kinds of pressure.
“To basically cherish everything,” Lewis said at the combine, about what he learned through all the injuries. “Cherish everything that you’re going through. Going through things like that, it kind of takes your focus away from the game, to the point where you cherish other aspects in life. Cherish your faith, cherish your family time when you get it. And also just as far as the game, you learn so much from a different perspective as far as being able to watch things from a coaches perspective.
“My coaches did a good job of still keeping me in the game and around my teammates, to the point where I don’t lose my football IQ. And I can see things from their eyes and watch film with them, and see what they see and sit with them. So then by the time I come back playing football, I know what to expect. I can see things. I’m basically like a coach on the field. Like, I’ll see a motion happen and I’m like, okay, I know what’s coming. I see the situation. They really teach you how to watch film and watch football from a distance.”
Stat to Know: Finally healthy in 2019, Lewis had six sacks, seven quarterback hits, and 35 quarterback hurries in just 259 pass-rushing snaps. His pressure rate of 19.8% ranked third among edge rushers with 100 or more pass-rushing opportunities.
Strengths: Long-limbed movement end who stalks the quarterback with an intriguing mix of short-area quickness and the ability to eat a ton of turf in a big hurry. Explodes off the snap at times, and when he does, it’s very hard for blockers to catch up. Incredibly bendy for a guy his size — can work under blockers and through the hoop at the end of the pocket very well. Has the athleticism and backpedal ability to work short and intermediate as a flat defender. Stabs with his long arms to create spatial advantages he can exploit with quickness to either side. Has an inside counter with plus potential.
Weaknesses: Wins with speed and quickness more than power — saw himself rag-dolled at times by more powerful offensive tackles. Works too high off the snap at times and can be erased if he’s not careful with his pad level. Loses balance battles. Needs the benefit of an NFL weight room. Probably won’t ever present a bull-rush, or any other pure strength moves. Must add to his technique palette to win against more advanced tackles. Some off-ball potential, but he’s probably a one-gap guy.
Conclusion: Given the time he’s missed, Lewis brings a lot of nuance to his game. When he talks about watching film and thinking like a coach, it shows up. Factor that in to the ways in which he showed dominant traits in 2019, and it’s easy to project him as a first-round talent. The injury history is the great unknown, and will likely drop him down boards, but he’s worth the risk.
NFL Comparison: Chandler Jones. One could compare Lewis to any number of “Basketball player as edge-rusher” body types, but he resembles Jones in his quickness to the quarterback, wingspan and movement, and relative lack of power. Durability concerns are obvious, but when he’s healthy, Lewis is an ideal chase-and-catch weakside end.
4. A.J. Epenesa, Iowa
Height: 6’5″ Weight: 275
40-Yard Dash: 5.04 seconds
Bench Press: 17 reps
Vertical Jump: 32.5 inches
Broad Jump: 117.0 inches
3-Cone Drill: 7.34 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.46 seconds
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Bio: Epenesa was the top-ranked defensive end recruit coming out of high school and chose Iowa over a host of interested schools. Though he was a starter for just one season with the Hawkeyes, he saw action as a true freshman, amassing 5.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Overall in three seasons, Epenesa totaled 101 tackles, 36 tackles for loss, and 26.5 sacks while lining up all over the formation.
“I guess D-line play really has all the same basics and fundamentals and it’s just kind of sticking to the fundamentals and football is always football,” Epenesa said at the combine about playing different positions along the defensive line. “But there’s different techniques and everything, so I’m just looking for someone to kind of teach me that way. Someone to show me the ropes just to get me started and get my feet running and I can take it from there and learn on my own. I never played in the inside with significant reps, just in pass rush situations, but I feel like the more reps I get, the better I can be.”
Stat to Know: Last season, Epenesa played just 92 snaps inside the tackles, and 669 outside. He managed 11.5 sacks, 14 quarterback hits, and 31 quarterback hurries in 450 pass-rushing snaps.
Strengths: Moves to the tackle with a head of steam and nasty intentions, using his hands to prevent latches from blockers and consistently disengage. Impressively stubborn when it comes to losing strength battles; Epenesa seems to take that as a personal affront. Uses excellent footwork to feint tackles out of a solid base. Natural grappler who enjoys contact and knows how to generate power with his hands and upper body. Has the diagnostic ability to shake loose from blocks and move to the run game.
Weaknesses: Epenesa isn’t really inherently quick in any aspect of his game — he accelerates off the snap as opposed to exploding off it, he gets to the pocket with awareness as opposed to velocity, and he needs a plan against mobile quarterbacks as they’re bailing the pocket, or he’ll get left behind.
Conclusion: While I like Epenesa as a power-based end with some similarities to Frank Clark, I think his power, nastiness, and ability to dislodge from contact make him a natural fit as an inside/outside hybrid rusher. Epenesa doesn’t explode off the tape as you might expect from a top edge-rusher, but given the extent to which multi-gap defenders are valued in today’s NFL, teams might find him more valuable than those who are sitting around waiting for highlights.
NFL Comparison: Trey Flowers. When Flowers played with the Patriots and turned himself into the type of defender who could earn a five-year, $90 million contract from the Lions, he did so by becoming an equal force on either side of the tackles. Epenesa will be highly-regarded by coaches and defensive coordinators who value positional flexibility and workable tools over raw athletic gifts.
5. K’Lavon Chaisson, LSU
Height: 6’3″ Weight: 254
40-Yard Dash: N/A
Bench Press: N/A
Vertical Jump: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
60-Yard Shuttle:N/A
Bio: Chaisson slipped in and out of football in high school, but was offered a scholarship from LSU at a recruiting camp, and after considering offers from Alabama and other schools, that was that. He had starred for North Shore High in Houston when he did play, and the Tigers were clearly intrigued by his athleticism. A two-year starter at LSU, Chaisson earned multiple on-field and off-field awards (he’s put his name on the SEC Academic Honor Roll three times). On the field, things really came together for him in 2019, when he racked up 60 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 13.5 tackles for loss. He was also a team captain, and was awarded the jersey number 18, which is given to the LSU player who “does all the right things.”
“It’s obvious,” Chaisson said at the scouting combine, when asked what separated him from every other edge-rusher in this draft class. “I’m going to be honest. I’m actually the most valuable player in the draft, when it comes to it. We all know that. When you hire someone do you want to hire someone who speaks one language, or do you want to hire someone that speaks three languages? I speak three languages. I do pass rush. I can drop in coverage and cover anybody you want me to cover. I can play the run. And no offensive lineman has ever just moved me off the ball or bullied me. So, I feel like that’s what makes me more dimensional. And a more valuable player than anybody else in the draft.”
Well… Georgia’s Andrew Thomas might disagree with the “no offensive lineman has ever just moved me off the ball or bullied me” part, but Chaisson does have a lot of value as a pass-rusher. He just needs to be more conversant in those languages.
Stat to Know: Chaisson had four or more pressures in each of his last four college games, but his overall production (51 total pressures over three seasons, and 35 pressures in 370 pass-rushing snaps in 2019) carries a bit of “buyer beware” with it.
Strengths: Shoots off the snap with speed and authority. When he latches on to tackles, Chaisson has a surprising and impressive bull-rush he enhances with long-arm moves. Can win consistently when he throws the first punch. Weird slap move to get free could be developed into an excellent rip technique. Has the 360-degree athleticism to chase to the sidelines and in space, with nascent coverage potential.
Weaknesses: Faces disadvantages in power situations as detailed by the Andrew Thomas clips above. Had the same basic issues against Alabama’s line — can get one-armed and buried against stronger, bigger tackles. If his swats or pushes don’t work, Chaisson doesn’t have any other moves to speak of — another reason he can be easily negated. Needs to be an off-ball player or edge-rusher — doesn’t bring a lot aligned inside.
Conclusion: Chaisson is one of the more intriguing, yet frustrating, evaluations in this class. There are times when he puts it all together and looks like one of the top three edge defenders in this class, but there are far too many instances at this point where he just gets bulldozed by blockers, and it’s not just against the better NCAA tackles. I’ve seen him get shoveled by average tight ends, and the overall rawness of his game makes me struggle when trying to give him a first-round grade. It’s the rare college pass-rusher who’s developed enough to allay any issues with his future development, but in Chaisson’s case, there’s a long way to go.
NFL Comparison: Danielle Hunter. Like Chaisson, Hunter came out of LSU with stupid-good athleticism, and almost nothing resembling a pass-rush plan. Over time, and used to his own benefit in a Vikings defensive front in which he could use his speed to the quarterback as he expanded everything else, Hunter become one of the NFL’s best pass-rushers. Chaisson has the same level of raw ability, and a similar developmental curve. It will be crucial to that development that he’s not asked to do too much, too soon.
6. Marlon Davidson, Auburn
Height: 6’3″ Weight: 303
40-Yard Dash: 5.04
Bench Press: 21 reps
Vertical Jump: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Bio: A four-star recruit, Davidson chose Auburn over Alabama in his home state and saw action as a true freshman with 38 tackles, six tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. He could have left Auburn for the NFL after his junior season in 2018, but kept a promise to his late mother that he would finish school and get his degree. It was a wise move in more ways than one, as Davidson topped out with 11.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
“Naw, man,” Davidson said at the combine, when asked if his rookie year in the NFL would be like freshman year at Auburn. “Because of the way I approach the film room. It’s totally different. I study my opponent before my opponent even knows it. Take details from that details from coaching tendencies. There is always the 10-play rule. The first 10 are always going to be off the wall no matter what. Then they will get back to who there are. At the end of the day, coaches are going to have tendencies, favorite formations. Just learn them.”
Stat to Know: Last season, Davidson played six snaps over the A-gap, 62 over the B-gap, 114 over the tackle, and 406 outside the tackle.
Strengths: Has no issue lining up everywhere along the defensive line, and attacks different gaps with different tools. Brings a fearsome bull-rush, active hands, and nice balance on the edge. Inside, he adds a really nice ability to stack and shed blockers with his upper-body strength and sustaining ability through the play. Accelerates to the back half of the pocket once he gets going. Didn’t take major reps on run downs last season (51%, per NFL.com) but has the power and short-area closing speed to be an excellent run defender over time.
Weaknesses: For a guy with his upper-body strength, Davidson could be even tougher to deal with if he learned to play consistently with a wide base and adjust his feet with his movement. Finds himself on the ground too often on the outside; he’s not a naturally agile mover. Doesn’t yet show the arm-over and rip moves that would make a guy with his body type into a more consistent weapon. Isn’t going to work the arc — there’s not a lot of dip-and-rip here. Davidson is going to get to the pocket straight on. Benefited from Derrick Brown’s presence a lot.
Conclusion: You hear less and less in today’s NFL about “tweeners,” players who aren’t quite adept enough at one position, but don’t fit into any other in a definitive sense. The new need for positional versatility has coaches and coordinators working harder to make such players into productive assets. But Davidson could find himself as a true tweener if he’s asked to work too much at end.
NFL Comparison: Javon Hargrave. The Steelers took Hargrave out of South Carolina State in the third round of the 2016 draft, put him inside the tackles for the most part, and were rewarded with an underrated disruptive weapon. Davidson could be a similar force if he bulks up a bit and works from the center’s outside shoulder to the tackle’s inside shoulder..
7. Julian Okwara, Notre Dame
Height: 6’4″ Weight: 252
40-Yard Dash: N/A
Bench Press: 27 reps
Vertical Jump: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Bio: Born in London, Okwara spent his early years in Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria before his family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina when he was eight years old. He started playing football in the eighth grade and worked his way up to four-star recruit status. Multiple schools offered, but Okwara chose to go to Notre Dame as his older brother Romeo, who plays for the Detroit Lions, did.
Stat to Know: Okwara broke out in 2018 with 61 total pressures, the sixth-most in the NCAA that season. Injuries limited his field time in 2019, but he still put up 32 total pressures on just 202 pass-rushing snaps (314 in 2018).
Strengths: Bendy athlete who can turn the corner on the pocket with quickness if he beats the tackle out of his stance. Works his way deep into the arc with alarming speed; tackles have to set later in their progressions than they’d line. Counters blockers on the bend with excellent leverage and upper-body strength. Has an easy backpedal to get into coverage. Plays well in space with off-call potential and chases with outstanding acceleration. Bull-rush doesn’t always show up, but could be a plus move at the NFL level.
Weaknesses: Plays a lot out of an upright, two-point stance and doesn’t know how to work power into high leverage or elusiveness. Gets washed out and bullied far too easily far too often — doesn’t have a plan with his hands when he gets taken out head-on; at that point, he bounces off and goes elsewhere. Positionally limited unless he adds weight and strength. Doesn’t seem to play with a finishing mentality as a tackler. Snaps against Georgia where he’s pushed a good 10 yards off the line of scrimmage. Needs to develop some semblance of hand technique as opposed to just running right at, or right outside, blockers.
Conclusion: There is absolutely no doubt about Okwara’s athleticism; there are times when you could mistake him for a tight end with his movement skills. His NFL team will have to understand that, at this point, he’s a specialist outside the tackles, and it’ll take time to bring everything else up to par. But he’ll likely reward with splash plays right off the bat.
NFL Comparison: Yannick Ngakoue. Selected by the Jaguars in the third round of the 2016 draft out of Maryland, Ngakoue transformed himself from a pass-rushing specialist with some holes in his game into a do-it-all guy with some dominant effort sacks and pressures. Okwara carries the same physical prototype, and with work and experience, has that potential.
8. Zack Baun, Wisconsin
Height: 6’2″ Weight: 238
40-Yard Dash: 4.65 seconds
Bench Press: 24 reps
Vertical Jump: 32.5 inches
Broad Jump: 115.0 inches
3-Cone Drill: 7.0 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.31 seconds
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Bio: Baun attended two Wisconsin high schools: West Bend East High, where he was a receiver, and Brown Deer High, where he became a quarterback and linebacker of some renown. He was named the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association State Offensive Player of the Year and Dave Krieg State Quarterback of the Year as a senior after throwing for 1,936 yards and 20 touchdowns, adding 1,837 yards 39 touchdowns as a runner. He was also a championship-level basketball player and track athlete. Over three seasons as a linebacker and edge defender for the Bagders, Baun amassed 152 tackles, 30.5 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, two interceptions, and four passes defensed.
“Because I know how to do the edge stuff, I look at inside ‘backers,” Baun said at the combine about which defensive players he studies. “Joe Schobert is a great example, a guy that’s made the transition. There’s guy like Kyle Van Noy as well that do a lot of different things in a really cool scheme. He’s able to lay on the ball, off the ball and kind of show his athletic ability through the position he’s playing.”
Stat to Know: Over his last two seasons, Baun dropped into coverage 195 times and allowed just 112 yards, with five combined pass breakups and interceptions.
Strengths: Works easily and athletically between the edge and off-ball responsibilities. Advanced transitions between pass-rush and run-stopping and coverage. Gets into curl/flat responsibilities with safety-level footwork. Runs and chases swaths of the field in a big hurry. Uses quickness and a low bend around the edge to get through and into the pocket. Has the quickness and diagnostic ability to seek gaps on stunts as a running back would.
Weaknesses: Baun’s lack of bulk and strength as an edge defender shows up quickly and often. Has no consistent response to power and can be easily erased if his first pass-rush plan is foiled. Must develop his inside counter. Gets so frantic in the pocket, he’ll miss run responsibilities at times.
Conclusion: I chose to list Baun as an edge-rusher in our positional rankings, but at the NFL level, he could just as easily take far more off-ball snaps and work his way into a blitzing weapon. He’d be an ideal candidate for teams like the Ravens, Buccaneers, Patriots, or Cardinals, who get a ton of their pressures from blitzes and need half-field linebackers to help in coverage and against the run.
NFL Comparison: Kyle Van Noy. Baun has spoken of the value Van Noy brings to a defense both as an inside and outside rusher, and an off-ball specialist at times. There are elements of Joe Schobert and Jamie Collins in Baun’s game as well. The common denominator is that Baun’s NFL coaching staff will probable have to move him between the first and second levels of the defense, and will be rewarded with a great player if they do it right.
9. Curtis Weaver, Boise State
Height: 6’2″ Weight: 265
40-Yard Dash: N/A
Bench Press: N/A
Vertical Jump: 32.5 inches
Broad Jump: 116.0 inches
3-Cone Drill: 7.0 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.27 seconds
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Bio: An H-back and pass-rusher in high school, Weaver chose Boise State over Wisconsin, Virginia, and Duke and put up 128 tackles, 47.5 tackles for loss, 34 sacks, and two interceptions in his three seasons with the Broncos.
“I watch a lot of film of people,” Weaver said at the combine, when asked which NFL players he modeled himself after. “I like to take things away from their pieces of the game. Everyone is different. Comparisons I really can’t say because they’re doing it at such a high level. I spend a lot of time watching Chandler Jones because of his consistency. He’s always consistent. Every season. And then you have Dwight Freeney. I’ve watched tape of him from back in the day on how he just sold stuff on the field. And then Von Miller with the get-off. His get-off is phenomenal. I’m trying to make a path of my own.”
Stat to Know: While there are legitimate questions about the quality of offensive lines Weaver faced, there are no issues with his production. He put up 147 total pressures in a three-year collegiate career.
Strengths: Though quickness is not his game, Weaver does show the ability to move quickly past blockers when he gets his hands working with strength, and when he rips and swats past tackles. Side-to-side agility is a plus when working around tackles. Has some smoothness off the snap. Shows potential as a situational interior pass-rusher. Run defense is good as long as he maintains effort.
Weaknesses: Thick midsection with some bad weight on his frame. Weaver isn’t what you’d want athletically as an edge-rusher — he’s almost logy off the snap at times, he’s not sudden in his accelerations to the pocket, and if his power/hand moves don’t work out, he really doesn’t have a speed counter. Not a lot of potential in coverage. Must be more consistent with his leverage to accentuate his power. Put up a lot of his numbers against sub-par competition.
Conclusion: It’s interesting that Weaver brought up Chandler Jones, Dwight Freeney, and Von Miller as players he watches, because those are three of the quickest and twitchiest pass-rushers of their eras, and that’s not who Weaver is at all. Ideally in the NFL, he’ll be a strong-side, run-stopping end with some upside as a pass-rusher, with the ability to kick inside and use his power to foil guards. It will also be interesting to see what Weaver can do after he gets into an NFL-level strength and conditioning program.
NFL Comparison: Jabaal Sheard. The Browns took Sheard out of Pitt in the second round of the 2011 draft, and though Sheard was never able to overcome his relative lack of speed and explosiveness as an edge-rusher or as an overall defender, he’s been consistently (if unspectacularly) productive on the edge and against the run. Weaver could be that kind of player if he’s able to get a bit more chiseled, drop the body fat, and optimize his engine for the next level.
10. Bradlee Anae, Utah
Height: 6’3″ Weight: 257
40-Yard Dash: 4.93 seconds
Bench Press: 25 reps
Vertical Jump: 31.0 inches
Broad Jump: 115.0 inches
3-Cone Drill: 7.44 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.43 seconds
60-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Bio: A star in basketball, track, and football at Kahuku High School in Laie, Hawaii, Anae helped his team win the 2015 Division I state championship, defeating a Saint Louis School team that had a junior quarterback named Tua Tagovailoa. Anae chose Utah over Vanderbilt and BYU among other schools.
Stat to Know: Anae had more than 400 pass-rushing snaps in each of his three seasons with the Utes, and saw his total pressures rise from 42 in 2017 to 55 in 2018 to 63 in 2019.
Strengths: Plays with an aggressive, all-out mentality. Works off the snap with a variety of moves — rip to the inside, good shuffle to keep tackles off their base, chop to lessen punches from tackles, and straight-up speed to the outside. Has the athleticism, change-of-direction agility, and diagnostic ability to mush-rush and spy (as he did against Oregon). Brings good quickness into the pocket as a wider defender. Can work across the blocker’s face to the quarterback.
Weaknesses: Plays smaller than he is against bigger tackles who drive him away or attack him with their hands. At times, so quick to the backfield that he’ll get lost against misdirection and running plays. Needs to fire off with a low base so that his twitched-up body type is optimized for first-strike power. Shorter arms are a problem when he tries to extend them into blockers. Saw snaps inside the tackles and got washed out too often — needs to be on the outside.
Conclusion: Anae’s inability to square up against power inside may limit his every-snap NFL potential in hybrid fronts as a 4-2-5 line defender, but he could excel in five-man fronts in which he can use his athleticism to get free, and he does display off-ball potential. His play demeanor stands out, and whoever gets him in the NFL will certainly benefit from that.
NFL Comparison: Markus Golden. Selected in the second round of the 2015 draft by the Cardinals, the Missouri alum took his high-effort style to the NFL, rounded out his palette as a pass-rusher, and became an underrated, consistent edge defender with both Arizona and the Giants. Anae fits that bill in many ways, and don’t be surprised if he sticks in the league for a long time.
11. Jabari Zuniga, Florida
Height: 6’3″ Weight: 264
40-Yard Dash: 4.64
Bench Press: 29 reps
Vertical Jump: 33.0
Broad Jump: 127.0
3-Cone Drill: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
60-Yard Shuttle:N/A
Bio: Zuniga didn’t play football until high school; he was a basketball guy before that. He didn’t catch much notice as a 5-foot-11, 210-pound junior, but when the senior growth spurt happened (perhaps inspired by his 6-foot-8 father Carlos, who played basketball at Tulane), colleges started paying attention. Zuniga wanted to attend LSU, committed to NC State, and flipped to Florida after a late recruiting trip. Zuniga added muscle to his newfound height during a redshirt year with the Gators, and he amassed 118 tackles, 34.5 tackles for loss, 18.5 sacks, and one forced fumble over four seasons. Injuries limited Zuniga to six games in 2019, but he still racked up three sacks and seven tackles for loss.
Stat to Know: Zuniga had just 188 snaps in 2019, but he distributed them well with 58 at the B-gap, 43 over the tackle, and 86 outside the tackle.
Strengths: Frenetic rusher off the snap with nice foot fakes and active hands. Gets his mitts into the chests of blockers with authority. Uses his long legs to work quickly through the first half of the pocket. Has the strength and positive velocity to kick inside and work through double teams. Has the upper-body strength to work through blocks even when his leverage is off and he stands too high. Beats blockers with sifts and rip moves, and shows fearsome speed to the ballcarrier at times. When he gets his hands on a blocker’s numbers, can move him where he wants that blocker to go.
Weaknesses: Zuniga needs more of a “see ball-hit ball” mentality — he’s so aggressive into the pocket, he’ll flail at times and wildly miss when the ball goes elsewhere. Needs a better sense of counters and advanced hand movement; when he’s stoned by power at the line of scrimmage, doesn’t really have a Plan B. Has all the ingredients for a definitive bull-rush, but hasn’t put it together yet. Underdeveloped overall, which is why he’ll explode for flashes and then disappear.
Conclusion: It’s easy to imagine NFL coaches and defensive coordinators looking at Zuniga and wondering just how great he could be if he put it all together from a technical and awareness standpoint. Right now, he’s a box of tools nobody’s built a house with yet, but in the right hands, he could be something special.
NFL Comparison: Michael Bennett. Not the Michael Bennett who made three straight Pro Bowls with the Seahawks from 2015 through 2017 and was the most dominant defensive player in Super Bowl XLIX, but the Michael Bennett who came out of Texas A&M and was undrafted in the 2009 class. Back then, there wasn’t the same respect there is now for multi-gap linemen with great speed, raw ability, and the need for good coaching. Bennett helped to change that, and with some work, Zuniga could benefit from the new paradigm.
