Cincinnati Bengals

NFL insiders believe the Cincinnati Bengals and Trey Hendrickson are in a good place in their ongoing contract negotiations, according to The Athletic's Dianna Russini.

"I did a little digging on it, and I'm still getting really good vibes coming out of Cincinnati that they're going to try and get a deal done with Trey," Russini said at the 13:15 mark of Friday's Scoop City podcast.

Russini added that the Bengals "seem to be trying to move money and get creative with finding ways to get Trey the money that he's gonna get."

Hendrickson, who led the NFL with 17.5 sacks last season, is seeking an extension and a raise on his expiring contract.

3.5 sacks tonight. 17.5 sacks on the season.

Trey Hendrickson was a BEAST for the @Bengals 💪 pic.twitter.com/Ul2vloeM85

— NFL (@NFL) January 5, 2025

The Bengals granted Hendrickson permission to seek a trade in March. He is currently set to make $15.8 million in base salary with a cap hit of $18.7 million next season before hitting free agency in 2026, per Spotrac.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported in March that Hendrickson is seeking "well above" $30 million annually on his next deal.

Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn said in April she believed that Hendrickson "should be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn't think he'd be happy at," a comment that Hendrickson criticized on a subsequent appearance on the Pat McAfee Show.

Head coach Zac Taylor said last week that the franchise's decision to draft defensive end Shemar Stewart with the No. 17 pick of the 2025 NFL draft had nothing to do with Hendrickson, and that he doesn't "think you can ever have enough defensive linemen, especially in this league and this division."

Russini's report, which indicates communication between Hendrickson and the Bengals has improved over the past month, could mean the Bengals are one step closer to fitting both Hendrickson and Stewart into the defense next season.

One NFL executive believes the Cincinnati Bengals went out on a limb when they selected Texas A&M edge-rusher Shemar Stewart with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

"He is the epitome of a high-risk pick with bust potential," the exec said to The Athletic's Mike Sando. "People are going to say Von Miller, but he doesn't make many plays. Runs (fast), and there is no production."

Even with the caveat that no prospect is the finished product coming into the league, Stewart could be a serious work in progress.

In three years with the Aggies, the 6'5", 267-pound defender had just 4.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss. By contrast, Penn State's Abdul Carter had 12 sacks and 24 tackles for loss in just his junior season.

Still, Stewart was the No. 17 overall player on Bleacher Report's big board for a reason.

"It is not all sack production," a different executive said to Sando. "It is total pressures, pressure rate and then physically, it's their three-cone, their 10-yard shuttle, broad jump, those things. The dude the Bengals took had very low sack numbers but was back there all the time."

Trey Hendrickson is entering the final year of his contract. Paying him $30 million a year moving forward will be tough for Cincy after it handed massive extensions to quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

In all likelihood, the Bengals are hopeful Stewart is Hendrickson's heir apparent off the edge. Assuming that's true, it signifies a strong believe in the player development side of the coaching staff.

It was easy to speculate the Cincinnati Bengals may be moving on from defensive end Trey Hendrickson when they selected Texas A&M pass-rusher Shemar Stewart in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft, but that reportedly is not the case.

Judy Battista of NFL.com reported Saturday the Bengals "envision" Hendrickson and Stewart "pairing" together to make life difficult on opposing quarterbacks in 2025.

Stewart will surely be there as the No. 17 overall pick of Thursday's first round, but Hendrickson's future has remained unclear for much of the offseason.

Cincinnati gave the veteran permission to seek a trade in March before it agreed to new contracts with wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Those ensuing financial commitments to Chase and Higgins made Hendrickson's future seem even cloudier, although there has not yet been a trade to this point of the offseason.

Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn told reporters earlier this month Hendrickson "should be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn't think he'd be happy at. I think some of it is on him to be happy at some point, and if he's not, you know, that's what holds it up sometimes.

"So, you know, it takes him to say yes to something, and also, we have all the respect in the world for him. He's been a great player. We're happy to have him. And so maybe we'll find a way to get something to work. We're just gonna see where it goes."

The pass-rusher appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and said those comments were "a little disappointing because communication has been poor over the last couple months."

"Those comments from Katie Blackburn were definitely disappointing & communication has been poor over the last couple of months..

It's been a little bit frustrating & if they have anything they'd like to discuss we're definitely willing to listen" ~ Trey Hendrickson #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/C9PUdfKewj

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 2, 2025

Given that backstory, questions were surely going to come up when Cincinnati selected Stewart.

However, head coach Zac Taylor told reporters that pick had nothing to do with Hendrickson and added, "I don't think you can ever have enough defensive linemen, especially in this league and this division. So, this doesn't speak to anyone else that's on our football team."

If the Bengals do end up keeping the four-time Pro Bowler who led the league with 17.5 sacks last season, that should help Stewart become more productive at the NFL level. The Texas A&M product posted just 1.5 sacks last season for the Aggies, although he has the athleticism and explosiveness to finish with far higher numbers in the NFL.

And lining up on the same defensive line as Hendrickson would mean single blockers throughout much of his rookie campaign, which should help him finish with far more sacks.

The Cincinnati Bengals added Notre Dame DL Howard Cross III as an undrafted free agent after the 2025 NFL draft.

Howard Cross III has an NFL bloodline and had a productive six-year career at Notre Dame. He'll also be one of the older prospects in this year's draft class, as he'll turn 24 during training camp.

Cross is a quick defensive tackle with good athleticism, and he has a handful of pass-rush moves he can win with. That could help him be a productive rusher in the NFL. He also has good get-off to get penetration when slanting and has sneaky strength at the point of attack.

However, Cross is very undersized to play on the inside in the NFL. That's part of the reason why he'll get blown off the ball against the run when he doesn't time up the snap. He struggles to hold his ground against double-teams and down blocks. His bull rush is also ineffective, and his use of hands is inconsistent as a pass-rusher.

Overall, the Notre Dame product might have a tough time finding a true position in the NFL. He was primarily a 3-technique in college, but he might be better suited to slide outside and play as a defensive end with his lack of size and ability to take on blocks. Cross' ceiling is likely as a rotational player in the NFL.

MEASUREMENT AND WORKOUT RESULTS

HEIGHT: 6'1"

WEIGHT: 285

HAND: 10½”

ARM: 32¼”

WINGSPAN: 78⅝”

3-CONE: 7.53

SHUTTLE: 4.63

VERTICAL: 31.5"

BROAD: 8'11"

POSITIVES

– Quick off the ball and has good lateral movement skills to get penetration when slanting.

– Has shown a handful of pass-rush moves he can win with, including a rip, swim and push-pull.

– Decent bend at the top of the rush.

– Good pass-rush motor to get coverage sacks.

– Solid strength at the point of attack. Has more pop in his hands than you'd think.

NEGATIVES

– Very undersized for an interior defensive lineman in the NFL.

– Poor against double-teams and down blocks. Lack of size and strength causes him to get kicked out of his gap.

– Ineffective bull-rusher due to his lack of size and strength.

– Subpar use of hands as a pass-rusher. Often drops his hands and lets offensive linemen make the first significant contact at the point of attack. Also struggles to work the hands after contact.

NOTES

– Born July 31, 2001

– 4-star recruit in the 2019 class, per 247Sports

– Injuries: played through an ankle injury in 2022 bowl game

– Father, Howard Jr., played 13 seasons in the NFL with the New York Giants and won a Super Bowl

– 2023: Second-Team All-American

– 2024: Second-Team All-American

GRADE: 5.9 (Backup/Draftable – 6th-7th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 241

POSITION RANK: DL23

PRO COMPARISON: Kevin Givens

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

The Cincinnati Bengals selected Texas A&M EDGE Shemar Stewart with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Shemar Stewart has many traits that should help him transition to the NFL and grow as a pro. He certainly looks the part, with impressive size, a good frame and long arms. He's also a good athlete and moves pretty well for his size.

Stewart accelerates off the ball well and is strong at the point of attack which, paired with his arm length, allows him to get extension on blocks and set the edge.

His block recognition also stands out as he's consistently in an optimal position to take on offensive linemen. Also, he stays tight to the line of scrimmage when unblocked and has the speed to make tackles from the backside of zone runs.

However, the former Aggie is a project as a pass-rusher. His movement skills are worth working with, but his pass-rush arsenal is currently limited due to poor hand use. Also, he has sub-par bend due to some tightness in his lower body, making it difficult for him to corner at the top of the rush and take efficient paths to the quarterback.

Stewart is pretty good at turning speed to power right now but relies on winning with pure strength and athleticism as a pass-rusher. So, to maximize his potential at the next level, he'll need to work with a good defensive line coach. However, his traits are certainly impressive and something to work with.

Stewart can contribute immediately as a two-down defender and could grow into a complete player. However, as his underwhelming sack production suggests, he will take some time to develop as a pass-rusher.

Schematically, teams could differ on the Texas A&M product's best position as he falls into the fringe EDGE/DL category. Some clubs could want to play him as an even front defensive end, while others see him as more of an interior player.

MEASUREMENT AND WORKOUT RESULTS

HEIGHT: 6'5"

WEIGHT: 281

HAND: 9⅛"

ARM: 34¼"

WINGSPAN: 83½"

40-YARD DASH: 4.59

VERTICAL: 40"

BROAD: 10'11"

POSITIVES

— Great size, length and frame for an NFL defensive end, combined with impressive movement skills for his size.

— Good strength at the point of attack with long arms to get extension and set the edge against offensive tackles.

— Sinks his hips well and has the lower body strength to avoid getting washed inside by down blocks.

— As a pass-rusher, he can put offensive tackles on skates when turning speed to power.

— Has the change of direction skills to test offensive linemen's ability to redirect when using stick moves.

NEGATIVES

— Minimal pass-rush production throughout his college career (4.5 sacks in three years).

— Use of hands as a pass-rusher is poor. He's often late and inaccurate with his hands/chops when working finesse moves, which allows offensive linemen to make the first significant contact.

— Has some stiffness in his lower half, negatively impacting his ability to bend and corner at the top of the rush.

— Occasionally, he will get caught, leaving his gap early as a run-defender.

NOTES

— Born Nov. 28, 2003

— A 5-star recruit in the 2022 class, per 247Sports

— No major injuries

— 2022: SEC All-Freshman Team

— 2024: All-SEC Third Team

GRADE: 8.0 (Year 1 Starter — Late 1st - Early 2nd)

OVERALL RANK: 17

POSITION RANK: EDGE3

PRO COMPARISON: John Franklin-Myers

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

The Cincinnati Bengals have made more headlines than most teams around the NFL this offseason, and director of player personnel Duke Tobin believes they have a championship ceiling even with limitations on defense.

"I believe that our football team can go win a championship, absolutely," Tobin told reporters Monday. "It's a unique group of guys, it really is, and we will add pieces, and defensively we have to elevate ourself."

“A lot of people believe defense wins championships, and maybe that’s true. If we get a little better over there, maybe we will.”

- Duke Tobin
(Bengals Director of Player Personnel)#Bengals @WCPO pic.twitter.com/p2ihvIArGI

— Caleb Noe (@CalebNoeTV) April 21, 2025

Cincinnati signed wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to extensions this offseason and have quarterback Joe Burrow under contract through the 2029 campaign. They have committed plenty of financial resources to the offensive side of the ball while building out the roster.

That star defensive end Trey Hendrickson's future with the team is still up in the air after the extensions for the star wide receivers only further underscores the commitment to offense compared to a defense that was one of the worst in the league last year.

But Tobin hasn't given up on improving both sides of the ball.

"I feel as strongly about the defense as I feel about the offense in terms of necessity, and it's got to work together," Tobin said. "You're always going to be a little heavier on one side of the ball or the other, depending on how you're paying your team. There can be an imbalance based on that, but you still have to have a complementary team. 

"We believe we can outscore anybody. That's our mindset, that's who we are, that's what we've always been about. But you always have to take care of the other side of the ball."

Burrow set franchise records with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdown passes last season all while Chase led the NFL in catches (127), receiving yards (1,708) and touchdown catches (17).

Yet the Bengals still missed the playoffs at 9-8 in large part because their defense finished 25th in the league in points allowed and yards allowed. The inability to get key stops in support of Burrow and the explosive offense proved to be the team's undoing and put that side of the ball under the spotlight heading into the offseason.

Given that reality, it would be anything but surprising if the front office used the majority of its draft picks this year on the defensive side. Perhaps that will put the team in a better position to fulfill Tobin's championship beliefs.

The Cincinnati Bengals selected Georgia IOL Dylan Fairchild with the No. 81 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Dylan Fairchild is a two-year starter at left guard inside Georgia's 54-46 pass-run split, downhill run scheme, predicated on inside zone and gap concepts. Fairchild has a big, broad frame with good arm length, athletic ability and power with an attacking, physical demeanor.

Fairchild excels in the run game, using an explosive first step and jolt on contact to create initial displacement as the drive man on vertical double-teams with the ability to re-leverage his hips, stay attached, and keep defenders covered up to secure rush lanes. He is a loose, fluid mover who can close ground on second-level targets to line them up and get them corralled. Fairchild flashes the ability to anticipate and come to balance against slants and exchanges across his face but lacks consistency and will find himself in awkward, disjointed positions that sap his balance.

In pass protection, Fairchild shows unrefined use of hands that leave him late, his chest exposed and forced into recovery mode too often. However, he flashes impressive ability to match power and grind it down in time to anchor. He also is often a tick late and out of position against line games, delayed blitzes, and loopers that reveal his inexperience and call into question his processing skills.

Overall, Fairchild has the size, athletic ability, raw power, and demeanor to mold himself into a future starting guard. Still, it was a bit of a surprise declaration due to his raw, unrefined skill set that led to a wide floor/ceiling gap and made his landing spot a critical aspect of his projection. Due to the range of potential outcomes in his development, it is difficult to see him as more than a backup as a rookie, but the physical tools are there to take over a job at guard eventually.

MEASUREMENT AND WORKOUT RESULTS

HEIGHT: 6'5"

WEIGHT: 318

HAND: 10"

ARM: 33"

WINGSPAN: 80¾"

40-YARD DASH: NA

3-CONE: NA

SHUTTLE: NA

VERTICAL: 27.5"

BROAD: 9'3"

POSITIVES

— Big, broad frame with good arm length, athletic ability and power.

— Shows impressive twitch and burst out of his stance and in his hands to close ground and deliver jolt on target.

— Excels as the drive man on vertical double-teams with the power to lift and displace defenders off of the ball.

— Good quickness on his climbs and on screens to intersect and corral backers.

— Flashes very good body control to re-leverage, reset and regain his balance after initially losing leverage on a block.

— Plays with an attacking, physical demeanor looking to initiate contact and overrun his target.

NEGATIVES

— Will overshoot and misalign shifty defenders that puts him into wonky, compromising positions.

— Late, erratic strike timing and placement leaves his chest exposed that forces him into scramble mode to recover against power.

— Questionable processing skills against delayed blitzes, late loopers, and line games leave him a tick late picking up secondary rushers.

NOTES

— Born May 8, 2003

— 4-star recruit from the 2021 class, per 247Sports

— Won the Georgia state heavyweight wrestling championship as a junior and senior in high school with a 67-0 record

— 24 career starts at left guard

— 2024: AP All-American Second Team

GRADE: 6.7 (Potential Role Player — 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 139

POSITION RANK: IOL14

PRO COMPARISON: Wes Schweitzer

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

The Cincinnati Bengals selected Miami IOL Jalen Rivers with the No. 153 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Jalen Rivers is a three-year starter at left tackle and guard with seven starts at left tackle in 2024 inside Miami's pass-first (54-46 pass-run split), RPO-based, downhill run scheme. Rivers started each game at left tackle this past season but rotated at left guard through most games. Rivers has a massive, dense build with excellent length, huge hands, solid athletic ability and good play strength.

Rivers win as a run blocker using his girth, play strength and hand placement to quickly win leverage at the point of contact, cover up, latch and displace his target. He does a nice job adjusting when defenders get on his edges showing the hand and foot quickness to reset and secure rush lanes. Rivers dents and feeds his target over as the 'drive-man' on double-teams and his solid movement skills allow him to intersect backers on his climbs. His upright playing style can get him in trouble and into scramble mode against shorter, quick, penetrating defensive tackles but he has the necessary recovery skills to stay in the fight and not get beat cleanly very often.

In pass protection Rivers has a smooth pass set at tackle with an advanced understanding of how to weaponize his length using adept timing and placement to strike and keep rushers at his fingertips. He quickly transitions into his anchor to halt the bull-rush on command and will provide jarring help when uncovered to clear the pocket. Rivers will occasionally get caught drifting against wide-9 rushers that know how to set up inside moves but he has the needed recovery skills to harden and widen his edges to die pinch them off.

Overall, Rivers is a hulking, imposing presence with good play strength, solid athletic ability and refined use of hands to weaponize his considerable wingspan. If his injury history checks out he will be able to compete for a starting role right away at guard in a downhill run scheme with the ability to play tackle in a pinch.

MEASUREMENT AND WORKOUT RESULTS

HEIGHT: 6'6"

WEIGHT: 319

HAND: 10"

ARM: 34⅞"

WINGSPAN: 83⅞"

40-YARD DASH: 5.29

3-CONE: NA

SHUTTLE: NA

VERTICAL: NA

BROAD: 9'0"

POSITIVES

— Massive, dense build with excellent length and huge hands.

— Very good strike timing and placement weaponizes his length and keeps rushers at his fingertips.

— Good play strength and square power to be firm into contact, cover up his target and create displacement to secure rush lanes off of his back.

— Braces and anchors on command against the bull-rush.

— Difficult for rushers to beat cleanly due to his girth, length and active, independent hands to quickly reset and harden his edges.

— Provides jarring help to bump and feed his target over on double-teams and when uncovered in pass protection.

NEGATIVES

— Upright playing style can get him caught high and initially out-leveraged against shorter, penetrating defensive tackles.

— Can drift and overset widely-aligned rushers that know how to set up their moves.

— Lengthy injury history will need to be cleared.

NOTES

— 4-star recruit and from the 2020 class, per 247Sports

— Won the Florida high school state championship in the shot put

— Suffered a season-ending knee injury three games into the 2021 season, had a separate season-ending injury seven games into the 2022 season and missed five games during the 2024 season due to an undisclosed injury

— 30 career starts at left tackle (20) and left guard (10)

— Accepted his invite to the 2025 Senior Bowl

GRADE: 7.1 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter - Round 3)

OVERALL RANK: 99

POSITION RANK: IOL12

PRO COMPARISON: John Jerry

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

The Cincinnati Bengals added Ohio State IOL Seth Mclaughlin as an undrafted free agent after the 2025 NFL draft.

Seth McLaughlin is a three-year starter at center with 34 career starts including 10 in 2024 inside Ohio State's 54-48 run-pass split, multiple run scheme offense centered around zone and pin-pull with gap principles mixed in. McLaughlin won the Rimington Trophy in his lone year with the Buckeyes despite rupturing his Achilles after 10 games. McLaughlin has a wide-bodied frame and stout build with good play strength, square power and solid athletic ability.

McLaughlin is brings a firm, stout presence to the run game with a firm understanding of spacing, timing and the play's intent on combination and double-teams. He does a nice job of being thick on contact, generating vertical displacement and securing the first-level before timely releasing to the second. McLaughlin engages backers square on contact and usually is able to widen them out before slowly losing control late in the rep. He has solid quickness and efficient footwork on reach blocks to hook and/or widen when needed to get nose tackles and shades walled off. There will be times he is caught high at the point of attack and forced into scramble mode after ceding ground initially and he can overshoot his target on back blocks and get his face crossed.

In pass protection McLaughlin shows impressive patience, timing and placement to strike through and stick rushers attempting to work across his face while having good play strength to anchor against power. He has been a little up and down recognizing tackle twists but his drag hand is consistently active, engaged and responsive to backside pressure, allowing him to quickly help his guards when needed.

Overall, McLaughlin is an older prospect coming off a major lower leg injury with solid athletic ability and the mental makeup, build, play strength and technical savvy to compete for the pivot job when healthy and stick as a starter long-term in a multiple run scheme.

MEASUREMENT AND WORKOUT RESULTS

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 304

HAND: 9½"

ARM: 31"

WINGSPAN: 78¼"

40-YARD DASH: NA

3-CONE: NA

SHUTTLE: NA

VERTICAL: NA

BROAD: NA

POSITIVES

— Boxy, stout build with good play strength and square power.

— Very good as the 'set-up' man to cover up, create lift and get on the plus side of the line of scrimmage on duo doubles and inside zone combos.

— Excellent drag hand on slides and combos provides a firm, consistent presence while allowing him to quickly pick up threats coming from the backside.

— Has enough quicks and agility with efficient footwork to consistently reach and seal head up nose tackles and shades with the strength to widen them out when needed.

— Flashes good patience, independent strike timing and placement in pass protection to land his punch and gain control of attempted moves across his face.

NEGATIVES

— Adequate arm length and reach leads to his edge being slowly but consistently softened.

— Pads can rise, get him lifted on contact and forced into scramble mode to recover from initially ceding ground.

— Can get caught aiming too far outside on target that quick moves across his face can expose and generate penetration in pass protection and on back blocks.

NOTES

— 3-star recruit from the 2020 class, per 247Sports

— Started 24 games at center at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State for the 2024 season where he started 10 games

— Torn Achilles suffered during practice on November 19th

— 2024 Rimington Trophy winner

— 34 career starts at center

— Earned his bachelor's and master's degrees while at Alabama, graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA

— Accepted his invite to the 2025 Senior Bowl

GRADE: 7.3 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter - Round 3)

OVERALL RANK: 87

POSITION RANK: IOL9

PRO COMPARISON: More athletic Bradley Bozeman

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

The Cincinnati Bengals selected Clemson LB Barrett Carter with the No. 119 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Barrett Carter is a good coverage linebacker. He has impressive athleticism that allows him to man up against running backs and tight ends, and he has the speed to carry them down the field. He also has good eye discipline in zone coverage and has the ability to pattern-match, which is significant considering how modern NFL defenses function.

Over the years, Carter's run defense has improved. He has enough physicality and strength to set the edge against tight ends and his missed tackles have significantly dropped this past season. Additionally, he's solid at using his athleticism to slip blocks in space when offensive linemen are coming in hot to the second level.

However, the Clemson product still struggles to hold his ground against offensive linemen and will allow running backs to pick up extra yards instead of being aggressive and closing in on them. Also, his instincts are still a work in progress and linemen who are more measured when working up to the second level will be able to stay in front of him.

Overall, Carter has a chance at becoming a complete backer in the NFL if his ability to stack and shed improves and his instincts against the run become more consistent. Schematically, he'd be a good fit as a "SAM" linebacker with his ability to cover and take on blocks against tight ends.

MEASUREMENTS AND WORKOUT RESULTS

HEIGHT: 6'0"

WEIGHT: 231

HAND: 9¼”

ARM: 32⅛”

WINGSPAN: 78⅝”

40-YARD DASH: 4.63

SHUTTLE: 4.41

VERTICAL: 34.5"

BROAD: 9'8"

POSITIVES

— Impressive movement skills overall; good change of direction and speed.

— Can cover tight ends and running backs in man coverage with his athletic ability.

— Good eye discipline in zone coverage to locate threats coming into his area. Has shown good route recognition to pattern-match.

— Reads the quarterback's eyes well and has the movement skills to tighten throwing windows. Also, stays deep in his area as an underneath defender in zone coverage to help defensive backs against throws to the middle of the field.

— Speed helps him close or cover the flats in coverage and crash downhill against the run.

— Physical and strong enough at the point of attack to set the edge when taking on blocks against tight ends. He also takes on blocks with his hands.

— Takes solid angles in pursuit against outside runs.

NEGATIVES

— Lacks the strength to hold his ground and get off blocks from offensive linemen in the running game.

— Instincts against the run are shaky, he often fits into the wrong gap and will fall for eye candy in the backfield.

— Passive when tackling. Lets ball-carriers come to him when he can reduce space or yards.

— Needs to do a better job of understanding how to use safety help in zone coverage. Will overplay his leverage instead of funneling the receiver into the safety.

— Subpar ball skills in coverage. Struggles to locate the ball in the air and lacks the hand-eye coordination to get PBUs

NOTES

— Born Oct. 23, 2002

— 5-Star recruit in the 2021 class, per 247Sports

— 2023: Second-Team All-ACC, All-ACC Academic Team

— 2022: Fourth-Team All-American, First-Team All-ACC, All-ACC Academic Team

— Injuries: 2022 (Concussion, missed 1 game), 2023 (Ankle, missed 1 game)

GRADE: 6.9 (Potential Role Player — 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 121

POSITION RANK: LB8

PRO COMPARISON: Kwon Alexander

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder