Strengths: Possesses good height, adequate bulk and room on his frame to get bigger. Also possesses good straight-line speed for his size. Very instinctive and gets quicker breaks on the ball than most at his position. Takes solid angles in pursuit, consistently breaks down in space and plays under control. Does a very good job of tackling low and shows adequate power at the point of attack. Does not miss many open field tackles. Displays good instincts and shows good awareness in zone coverage. Closes quickly on the ball in front of him and will separate the receiver from the ball with initial pop. Also displays better-than-average ball skills in coverage. Has some potential as a pass rusher and uses his straight-line burst and power to occasionally make plays in that facet of the game. He's a hard worker with great passion for football.
Weaknesses: Lacks ideal athleticism. Has good straight-line speed but is stiff in his hips. The more space he's in the less effective he becomes. He struggles to change directions quickly and will not be able to match up versus most RB's in man-to-man coverage. Not an explosive hitter and seems to lack ideal power with his hand punch. Slightly undersized and needs to improve bulk in order to hold up as a strong-side LB in the NFL. Also must improve his hands and consistency when attempting to shed blocks. Slowed by a knee injury last year and durability is somewhat of a concern.
