Patriots find a "numbers" player who blew up the pre draft process. He can be a depth fit inside their 34 packages.
--Mark Dulgerian
6'2" Height
215LBS. Weight
Analysis
Strengths
Explosive, quick-twitch athlete. Has superior chase speed and burst to the ball carrier. Possesses above average stop/start quickness. Combines quick feet and loose hips for plus agility. Range to ball carriers will be well above average. Instant reaction time once he diagnoses play. Finds the ball after the snap and stays locked in. Wrap up tackler who likes to body up as a finisher. Aggressive enough to stay at linebacker as a pro. Monster pro day with 38 1/2-inch vertical leap and 4.45 40. Has burst to become dangerous blitzer.
Weaknesses
Must prove he can play heavier. Lacks play strength for the linebacker spot. Absorbs too much contact by lead blockers. Needs to play with better hands and learn to jolt and shed at point of attack. Can be engulfed and will struggle to disengage at times. Turns shoulders and runs rather than scraping with square pads. Some lack of awareness in zone coverage.
Draft Projection
Round 7 or priority free agent
Bottom Line
When you are 6-foot-2, run a 4.45 and post the type of explosion numbers Grugier-Hill did at his pro day, you get late-draft attention, especially as a linebacker with ridiculous range. His lack of natural size and strength is a concern, but could be covered up as a 43 WILL linebacker. If he can get his weight up, he might be able to project inside in a 3-4 defense as long as hes kept clean. Has a shot to be a day three selection and make an NFL team.
-Lance Zierlein
