2017 NFL Draft: Top 5 Off Ball Linebackers

Haason Reddick – 6’1″ 237 lbs. – Temple

Reddick came to Temple as a safety and left as one of the best edge players in college football. Now he might be making another position change in the NFL, to inside linebacker.

Haason was unranked in the 2012 recruiting class.

Strengths:

Fantastic athletic testing to play the edge or off the ball. He showed up and held his own at the Senior Bowl, doing a little bit of everything.

Reddick keeps his head up through contact, always looking to make the play. He can explode through gaps and kill plays before they start. Has the bend and agility to run the arc.

Opposing offense do not want him as the free rusher because of how quick he can get to the QB. If he’s playing inside, his A-gap rushes will be formidable.

He works well in space, and ball carriers find it hard to break him down. Reddick scrapes through traffic, showing good vision through the mess. He shows the hips and movement needed to play all three downs. As an ex-defensive back, his coverage ability is there, and he showed that at the Senior Bowl.

Weaknesses:

Reddick’s transition to the inside may take some time. He does get caught on blocks too often, or he’ll try to avoid them rather than take them one.

High pad level lets tackles take him down and he can gets shrugged off easily. Lacks the size and strength to hold the edge.

He has the speed but now the power. NFL blockers could give him problems in the second level with their strength and technique. Pads before knees could be improved and his pass rush plan needs work.

Overall:

I think Haason had the best draft process of any prospect in this class, with his great showing at both the Senior Bowl and the Combine.

The transition to off ball linebacker may take some time, but if he hits his peak, he could become a top player at the position.

NFL Comparison: Jaime Collins

Film Score: 77.5

Athleticism Score: 7.3 (NFL average)

Final Score: 76 (Round 1)