ChiefsPlanet - NFL Draft ****The REAL OFFICIAL 2008 NFL Draft Thread****

the negatives scare me....

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Analysis
Positives: Has a thick upper body build that might lack ideal muscle tone, but he does compensate with good initial explosion and raw, natural power...When he stays low in his pads and keeps his hands inside the framework, he generates a good surge off the snap and into the blocker, doing a stellar job of clogging the rush lanes and collapsing the pocket...Shows good ability to redirect and make tackles in the backfield and has the initial burst that allows him to make plays to the outside...Shows good feet and body control working in space and plays with a high motor...Understands blocking schemes and has no trouble retaining plays, picking things up quickly...Has long, functionally strong arms and large hands to grab and drag the ball carriers down...Plays through pain, evident in 2006 when he competed with a stress fracture in his leg, and in 2007 when he refused to sit out any games despite a knee injury and a sore back...Always seems to be in the right position to make the play, showing a good flow to the ball in the short area (lacks timed speed to give chase in long pursuit)...Has a great work ethic and takes well to hard coaching...Good team leader who works hard in the training room...Has the change of direction agility to make plays moving down the line...His acceleration is evident with his short burst and he displays very good stamina (rare to see him run out of gas)...Has a good concept for taking pursuit angles, showing quickness and explosiveness off the snap...Has the ability to create a new line of scrimmage with his initial step and is quick to gain advantage and shoot the gaps...Displays very quick hands and feet coming out of his stance, plus the body control to recover when he out-runs the play...Has become a physically dominant player who demands double-teams, as he does a good job in using his strength and explosiveness to close gaps and play with good leverage...Doesn't give up much ground to double-teams and creates good separation with his long arms...Reacts well to block pressure and locates the ball quickly...Strong inside run defender who consistently keeps his motor running, as he can make plays up and down the line of scrimmage (just lacks long speed on the chase)...Does a nice job of using his quickness and change-of-direction to spin out...Rarely gives up ground vs. double teams (usually only when he gets too high in his stance and leaves his chest exposed)...Has the brute strength in his hands to neutralize...Splits and redirects with leverage, flashing good strength to penetrate...Does an outstanding job of making plays outside the box and down field, as he uses his long arms effectively to create separation...Will chase and make plays in short pursuit, showing aggressiveness and urgency working down the line...Has the power to make explosive tackles and generates good pressure through a combo pass block, destroying fullbacks who get in his path...Possesses good club and rip moves, as well as a good bull rush... Has the ability to create separation from his opponent with an initial strike...Shows a quick burst to close on the quarterback or halfback from inside the box...Separates in the open with good surge and has very good hand technique to control blocks and disengage.

Negatives: Has a thick frame and while not sloppy, he does lack solid muscle tone, but does compensate with outstanding initial quickness and lower body strength...While he explodes off the snap, he has just marginal speed to make plays in long pursuit (best when shooting the inside gaps rather than try to make plays on the outside)...Has a strong lower body, but he needs to improve his base (gets narrow in his stance), as blockers have had success getting underneath his pads to lock on and wash him out of the play (see 2007 Tulane, Kentucky and Tennessee, and 2006 Tulane and Mississippi State games)...Must do a better job of planting his foot and anchoring vs. double teams (has good hand placement, but needs to counter better at times)...Best when taking angles or shooting gaps (gets too caught up in the battle when taking on isolated blockers at the point of attack)...Lack of ideal size might limit him to one-gap schemes...Generates good penetration, but for some reason, he fails to seal the deal on the quarterback (has only seven pressures in 51 games)...Does not display an array of pass rush moves, but shows good burst on the bull rush...Good complimentary type, but by declining postseason all-star invites it leaves one to wonder if he can dominate at the next level or is a player who was covered up by the LSU gang-tackling scheme (Tiger defensive linemen in the past have not lived up to their college billing in the NFL).