Upshaw reminds me of James Harrison.
Short, stocky, high motor. Not an athletic freak, but is a strong, hard worker who finds a way to make plays.
He'll be one of the 10 best players from this draft class. Hopefully he falls due to lack of height and speed, and we trade up around the late-teens/early 20's to draft him. He has a lot of experience in the 34, was coached by Saban, and fills a huge need for the Pats.... it would be a perfect pick. But something tells me we end up trading down, or picking at a position we don't need nearly as much as OLB.
As far as being "elite athletically".... well, Shawn Crable chased down running back Javon Ringer in College.. How did Crable turn out?
Athleticism isn't everything.
The fact is, Upshaws a proven player in the toughest division in College and stepped his game up against the better teams.