DRAFT TRACKER 2018
2018
DRAFT TRACKER
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PLAYER
DRAFTED BY
Buffalo Bills
Round 1 • Pick 16
ACQUIRED VIA
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Edmunds combines elite size, speed and explosiveness into a productive, versatile linebacker package that will have evaluators salivating. Edmunds has posted high-impact production over the last two seasons and he still has room to get bigger and better. He will make mental mistakes and his instincts are subpar, but he has an ability to mitigate those issues with his athletic ability. Edmunds can play in any alignment at any linebacker spot and has All-Pro potential no matter where he lands.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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DRAFTED BY
Dallas Cowboys
Round 1 • Pick 19
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Vander Esch is a loose-hipped, instinctive linebacker who played in 2017 like he had a GPS tracker on the football. His production totals against both the run and pass are rare for being a first-year starter and with a frame that is primed for more muscle, his NFL ceiling is high. Vander Esch might benefit from a reduced role his rookie season while he improves his play strength and becomes more skilled at taking on blocks. He's an every-down linebacker with very good starting potential and the talent to fill up a stat sheet.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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DRAFTED BY
Los Angeles Rams
Round 5 • Pick 10
ACQUIRED VIA
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Kiser's impressive production didn't happen on accident and teams will have to weigh his consistent ability to make plays with his modest athletic ability and overall play speed. Kiser is a banger built to play inside the box, but he has limited range and may not offer much coverage ability. Unless he runs well and puts together a solid workout, he could fall in this draft, but his toughness and production give him a shot to be a backup.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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PROSPECT INFO
- Height
- 6'0 3/8"
- Weight
- 230 lbs
- Arm
- 30 3/4"
- Hand
- 8 5/8"
- Wing
- 75"
Production
67.59
Athleticism
64.78
Total Score
132.37
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Highly instinctive linebacker who combines a keen sense of play direction with a feel for the optimal angles to fill up the stat sheet. Scales may lack desired size and speed, but his 36 tackles for loss and 13 sacks over the last two seasons should give an indication of his playmaking ability. Evaluators may hem and haw over where to take him, but he has the football intelligence, motor and skill to continue finding tackles as an eventual NFL starter at inside linebacker or as a 4-3 SAM.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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DRAFTED BY
Carolina Panthers
Round 7 • Pick 16
ACQUIRED VIA
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Two-down inside linebacker with a severe case of thumps who looks to impose his will against ball carriers as often as possible. Smith's lack of speed, athleticism and cover skills could hurt his draft stock, but his history as a consistent tackler and willing banger gives him a good chance to make a team no matter where he is drafted.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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DRAFTED BY
New England Patriots
Round 6 • Pick 4
ACQUIRED VIA
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Sam is an inside linebacker who has the ability to swing over to a WILL spot if needed. He absolutely "looks the part" and he's got the play strength necessary for handling inside linebacker duties. Scouts have questions about his overall football character and his play speed is a little below the NFL norm for the position. Sam's athletic numbers were average at the Combine, but they look good enough on tape. His timed speed could cause him to drop a round or even two, but he has enough talent to become a solid NFL backup who can step into starting reps if needed.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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DRAFTED BY
Cleveland Browns
Round 5 • Pick 13
ACQUIRED VIA
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Avery is a big, athletic linebacker with a history of production whether he's playing inside or outside linebacker. While he's a little tight-hipped, his movement in the open field is generally unencumbered. Avery offers versatility and teams may choose to build on some of the rush talent he showed this season, but his best spot appears to be as a 4-3 strong-side linebacker with plus special teams ability.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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DRAFTED BY
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Round 6 • Pick 28
ACQUIRED VIA
PLAYER ANALYSIS
It doesn't take much tape work to be impressed by Cichy's instincts and quickness to flow to the ball. It does, however, take a lot of searching to find what you need to study Cichy since he didn't play in the Badger's last 20 games due to injury. When healthy, Cichy's intelligence and consistency are big attractions at the position, but his lack of explosiveness and durability concerns could hurt his draft stock. Cichy projects as an NFL backup who will help immediately on special teams.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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DRAFTED BY
Denver Broncos
Round 4 • Pick 6
PLAYER ANALYSIS
On the borderline from a size standpoint, Jewell already had his detractors who worried about whether he was big enough to handle inside duties. On top of that, he ran a painfully slow forty at both the Combine and his forty that will send him tumbling down the draft board. On the field, however, he is a highly instinctive linebacker who combines physicality with a relentless motor to find his way into play after play. Jewell's consistency and football character give him a shot at becoming a solid NFL backup despite his speed limitations.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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PROSPECT INFO
- Height
- 6'1 1/8"
- Weight
- 243 lbs
- Arm
- 32 5/8"
- Hand
- 9 1/8"
- Wing
- 78 1/4"
Production
65.50
Athleticism
71.20
Total Score
136.70
PLAYER ANALYSIS
McCray is a big, physical inside linebacker who plays with most of the characteristics evaluators want from an inside linebacker, but his limited range could hurt his draft stock. McCray could be a consideration for 3-4 teams looking to pair a big body next an athlete at inside linebacker, but he'll need to come off the field on passing downs. If healthy, McCray could become a backup linebacker with a chance to work himself into starting contention down the road.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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DRAFTED BY
New England Patriots
Round 5 • Pick 6
ACQUIRED VIA
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Thick-framed inside linebacker with a taste for contact. Bentley's physical approach and ability to attack and defeat blockers make him an ideal candidate as a run-down thumper along the inside. However, Bentley has athletic limitations that hinder his effectiveness as an NFL finisher and he's ill-suited to handle coverage duties against the pass. Bentley lacks ideal speed and reaction time, but his size and toughness could make him a solid backup inside linebacker who could find reps down the line.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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DRAFTED BY
Baltimore Ravens
Round 4 • Pick 22
ACQUIRED VIA
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Young is a lean, run-around WILL linebacker who has the speed to pursue plays all over the field, but may lack the consistency and play demeanor needed to find many NFL reps. He will run well at the combine and should offer special teams help if given the chance. Young's speed and athletic ability could land him on a roster, but he may be looking over his shoulder every offseason.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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PROSPECT INFO
- Height
- 6'1"
- Weight
- 239 lbs
- Arm
- 32"
- Hand
- 9 5/8"
- Wing
- 78 1/8"
Production
63.52
Athleticism
86.08
Total Score
149.60
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Cabinda has NFL toughness and offers an impressive ability to challenge and win against blockers inside the box, but his lack of athleticism could make finding a home on an NFL roster a challenge unless he can shine on special teams. Cabinda is a former high school running back who may have the potential as a lead blocker to warrant reps at fullback in camp.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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DRAFTED BY
Carolina Panthers
Round 5 • Pick 24
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Nicknamed "Pee Wee" at an early age, Carter is a hungry inside linebacker with a track record of durability and production despite being so lightly recruited coming out. Carter's chances of making a team could be hurt by his lack of size and instincts for an inside linebacker. If Carter can prove to be the special teams demon we saw as a freshman and sophomore at Maryland, his ability to cover and handle core special teams duties could greatly improve his chances.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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DRAFTED BY
Washington Commanders
Round 6 • Pick 23
ACQUIRED VIA
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Technically sound and tough, Hamilton is a 3-4 inside linebacker with good football intelligence who is almost always where he is supposed to be. As with all Alabama linebackers, he has benefitted from big, talented linemen in front of him to occupy blocks and will be forced to do more of the heavy lifting on the next level. Consecutive season-ending knee injuries will likely hurt his draft stock -- especially considering the fact that he may not be able to run or workout for teams before this year's draft.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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PROSPECT INFO
- Height
- 6'
- Weight
- 236 lbs
- Arm
- Hand
- Wing
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Motuapuaka is a productive three-year starter and team leader who plays with a consistent level of grit. However, he lacks the athletic ability and play speed teams usually look for from a draftable linebacker. Motuapuaka doesn't have superior instincts to make up for his deficiencies, but he has a shot to compete for a roster spot if he can shine with toughness and special teams play.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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DRAFTED BY
Las Vegas Raiders
Round 6 • Pick 42
PLAYER ANALYSIS
It's been all downhill for Victor since breaking his leg with four games to go in 2016. He was overweight and ineffective for most of the season and looked like he was in cruise control before losing his job. He does have some quality tape in his background and he's a physical player, but will a team be willing to overlook his off-season weight gain and off-the-field behavior including a November DUI? Victor needs a strong postseason to rehabilitate his draft stock.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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PROSPECT INFO
- Height
- 6'1 3/8"
- Weight
- 238 lbs
- Arm
- 31 1/4"
- Hand
- 9 1/4"
- Wing
- 75 3/4"
Production
56.08
Athleticism
52.79
Total Score
108.87
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Worley isn't an imposing linebacker, hasn't had impressive production and probably won't run well. However, he has a load of intangibles that will appeal to evaluators as either a late-round pick or a priority free agent. Worley is tough and plays with good physicality and could earn a spot at the table as a core special teamer.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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PROSPECT INFO
- Height
- 6'2"
- Weight
- 230 lbs
- Arm
- Hand
- Wing
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Lanning's stat sheet looked extremely impressive as a one-year starter at inside linebacker, but those numbers belie his athletic limitations and lack of instincts. While Lanning is a gamer who should continue to improve with time, he'll have to ball out on special teams early on to have a shot at making a roster. With Lanning's willingness to bang, he could be targeted for a move to fullback at some point.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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DRAFTED BY
Denver Broncos
Round 6 • Pick 43
ACQUIRED VIA
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Bierria is a smart, try-hard linebacker with a solid resume from a successful program, but he lacks the athletic traits and playmaking talent that teams covet from early round linebackers. Bierria's work ethic and leadership are plusses in his favor, but he may end up as a career backup inside linebacker who will need to perform well on special teams to secure his roster spot.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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PROSPECT INFO
- Height
- 6'3"
- Weight
- 243 lbs
- Arm
- Hand
- Wing
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Oplinger has the size and strength of an inside linebacker, but his pursuit speed and short-area athleticism appear to fall below the mark on tape. His best shot is to prove he can be a banger as a backup 3-4 inside linebacker with some potential flex outside to an edge spot in case of emergency. Regardless, his ability to make a roster will likely hinge on his special teams performance.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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PROSPECT INFO
- Height
- 6'1"
- Weight
- 238 lbs
- Arm
- Hand
- Wing
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Two-year starter and 2017 team captain who plays with good energy but lacks the playmaking, athletic traits that teams look for from linebackers. His road to an NFL roster will likely need to be paved on special teams.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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PROSPECT INFO
- Height
- 6'2"
- Weight
- 225 lbs
- Arm
- Hand
- Wing
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Williams lacks some size, is an average athlete and may not have enough play speed to range around the field and make tackles. Despite his shortcomings, he's a physical player with the ability to take on blocks or slip them and he has enough special teams talent that he could eventually find a spot in the league as a backup inside backer.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
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PROSPECT INFO
- Height
- 6'
- Weight
- 216 lbs
- Arm
- Hand
- Wing
PLAYER ANALYSIS
Bennett lacks functional size as and inside or strong-side linebacker and may not be athletic or explosive enough to handle weak-side duties as a pro. Bennett has been a very productive tackler and does find his way to the football, but he may not have the traits necessary for a quality roster challenge.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
Go to Player Page
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