Defensive End/Rush Linebacker

Arizona

6-3 263

Draft board overall prospect rank: #34

Draft board overall defensive end rank: #7

Overall rating: 80 (early 2^nd)

40 time: 4.66

3/15/11: Everyone’s looking for the next everything. NBA fans have been looking for the next Michael Jordan for over a decade. NHL fans have been looking for Gretsky’s heir, MLB fans someone who is the next Nolan Ryan. This offseason, it seems everyone’s trying to find the next Clay Matthews. Matthews was a dominant stud in all facets of the game this year for the Super Bowl winning Packers and now everyone is quick to compare linebacker prospects Von Miller and Akeem Ayers to him.

Brooks Reed might be the closest thing to Matthews in this class. I’m not saying he’s as good. I’m saying they’re similar players and that’s Reed’s absolutely upside. Reed has one of the best motors I’ve ever seen. He never gives up on a play. I commented several times in my Senior Bowl notes throughout the week that he was like the energizer battery. He just keeps going and going and going. I wouldn’t be surprised if he never slept; if he just keeps going and going and going all the time.

He’s a high character kid and a team captain, but don’t take my word for it. Take his. Click here for my interview with this future NFL player. His sack totals aren’t amazing, but his tackle for loss numbers are really good from year to year and he’s a 3 year starter. He proved to be a lot more athletic than expected at the combine, running the fastest 10 yard split of any lineman and running a 4.66 at 263. He also amazed at the drills in both The Combine and The Senior Bowl.

He’s being looked at by both 3-4 and 4-3 teams. He’s a little undersized for a 4-3 lineman, but he makes up for that with hard work and feistiness. He hasn’t played linebacker much in college, but he’s athletic enough to make the switch to rush linebacker and he has the work ethic and motor to make a position change.

That’s the one difference between him and Matthews (as prospects). Matthews played linebacker at USC. However, both are equally explosive and relentless. Both are not great natural athletes, but make up for that with work ethic and hustle. Also, both have crazy hair. Just saying.

NFL Comparison: Poor man’s Clay Matthews