DE Opposite Of Hunter

[JustinTime18™]

2022 draft class is stacked.

[Guest]

2. *Drake Jackson, USC (6-4, 255)Best Trait: Varied rush speeds
Unlike most college pass rushers, Jackson doesn’t have to win with his first step to be disruptive. He has the long-striding speed and fluid ankle flexion to run the hoop, but he also displays a natural feel for varying his rush speeds to shake blockers and win different gaps. Jackson is loose-jointed, athletic and long, but his effort level and compete skills are just as impressive.
If you have studied Jackson, then you understand his go-to pass rush move. He loves to push hard outside to widen the tackle before crossing the face of the blocker with a sudden cut back inside — like this play vs. Utah’s left tackle. On this rush sequence, Jackson (No. 99) does a great job transferring his momentum to create a rush lane and bursting off his plant foot to close on the quarterback.
Must Improve: Consistency as a finisher
Jackson consistently attacks with a revving motor, but he often arrives too hot and needs to play under control to be a better finisher, especially in the pocket. He could also use additional bulk on his limbs and heavier hands to power through double-teams and strengthen his bull rush. Jackson played more of a stand-up linebacker role in 2020 and shed 25 pounds from his freshman season.
2021 Season/2022 NFL Draft Outlook
A four-star recruit out of high school, Jackson committed to USC and made an immediate impact as a freshman with a team-high 11.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks over 11 games. Last season as a sophomore, Jackson lost weight and moved to more of a hybrid role as a boundary edge rusher in defensive coordinator Todd Orlando’s scheme. He responded with 5.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in six games, earning All-Pac 12 honors for the second consecutive season.
In two seasons at USC, Jackson has played two very different defensive roles and flashed dominant-level ability both years. Loose-jointed and long, he plays with outstanding speed, hand skills and nose for the football. Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux is currently No. 1 on the list, but Jackson isn’t far behind in terms of the best pass rushers in the eyes of NFL scouts.
3. *George Karlaftis, Purdue (6-4, 275)Best Trait: Violent, well-timed hands
On his tape, Karlaftis consistently disrupts the rhythm of blockers due to his strike power and physical hands. He pairs an explosive first step with various power techniques (stab, two-handed swipe, long arm, etc.), relying on his hands as his go-to weapon to break down and win the point-of-attack. His hands are not only violent, but they are well-timed and strategic, which allows him to reach the chest of blockers or control their wrists.
On this play from the season opener against Iowa last season, Karlaftis (No. 5) uses a long-arm stab to attack the right tackle, win the corner and then finish at the quarterback. His powerful, violent hands are the central recipe for his pass rush success.
Must Improve: Tackling technique
For a player with his hand strength and physicality, there were too many missed tackles on Karlaftis’ tape. According to PFF, he has a 19.4 percent missed tackle rate over his two seasons in college, which isn’t a catastrophic number, but something that can be improved with better technique.
2021 Season/2022 NFL Draft Outlook
Alabama wanted him. So did Clemson, Ohio State and several other national powers. But the Karlaftis family wanted their four-star recruit to attend nearby Purdue — and that is what he did, becoming the Boilermakers’ top signee in the 2019 class. A native of Greece, Karlaftis moved to West Lafayette in eighth grade and picked up football. Fast forward a handful of years and he became a Freshman All-American in his adopted hometown, leading Purdue with 17.0 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. Karlaftis played in only three games last season due to injury and COVID-19.
Karlaftis is a charged-up athlete with the requisite physicality, power and instincts to shut down the run and rush the passer. Along with his aggressive play style, he is an explosive athlete with a 37-inch vertical and 10-foot-1 broad jump at 275 pounds, according to Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List. As long as he stays healthy and returns to his freshman form, Karlaftis has the tools to be an NFL starter and future first round pick.

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4. Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan (6-6, 261)Best Trait: Relentless competitor
There is plenty on tape to love about Hutchinson and what he brings to the field. He has strong hands to stack-and-shed, natural instincts to find the football and the balanced athleticism to redirect and chase down plays. He was No. 2 on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List, and his explosive short-area testing numbers show up on the field. But what stands out the most with Hutchinson’s game is the way he always plays his tail off — his relentless play personality directly leads to production.
This goal line play against Minnesota sums up Hutchinson’s on-field energy. Lined up at right defensive end (No. 97), he bursts into the left tackle and uses his heavy hands to put him in reverse, forcing running back Mohamed Ibrahim to change directions. Hutchinson is quick to detach and pounce on the ball carrier, forcefully slamming him to the ground for no gain.
Must Improve: Pass rush plan
Hutchinson is highly competitive and he isn’t shy using his physical hands as weapons. But his pass rush moves don’t always show enough set-up or creativity to defeat blocks. Though his aggressive nature and physical talent are a disruptive combination, Hutchinson can move up this list with an improved counters and sequencing.
2021 Season/2022 NFL Draft Outlook
As the son of a former Michigan defensive lineman, Hutchinson grew up maize and blue. So when he became a U.S. Army All-American defensive lineman himself and the No. 1 recruit in the state of Michigan, there was no mystery where he would be playing his college ball. Hutchinson was a true freshman backup before he put himself on the NFL map as a sophomore starter. Last season, he was on a first-round trajectory before season-ending surgery to repair a fractured leg.
With his mix of physical talent and competitive drive, Hutchinson is a football coach’s dream. He has logged snaps at every defensive line position while at Michigan, flashing the upper body physicality to be a battering ram, but also the agile, flexible lower body to stay balanced on his feet. If he stays healthy and plays up to his ability as a senior, Hutchinson will compete with Karlaftis and a few others to be the first Big Ten player drafted in April.
5. *Zach Harrison, Ohio State (6-6, 265)Best Trait: Length
Both on paper and on the film, Harrison’s length is extraordinary. According to one NFL scout, Harrison has an 86-inch wingspan, 10 1/4-inch hands and arms that measure “just shy” of 36 inches. The scout also said he expects the Buckeye pass rusher to run in the low 4.5s in the 40-yard dash at 265 pounds. On the field, Harrison still requires development to become a more efficient rusher and maximize his inches. But his length and speed alone are too much for some blockers to handle.
On this play against Indiana, Harrison (No. 9) is lined up over the B-gap to the inside shoulder of the left tackle and shows why every inch matters. He uses a two-hand swipe to create an outside rush lane and unleashes his long arms to knock the ball out of the quarterback’s hand mid-throw for the incomplete pass.
Must Improve: Feel for the position
Still raw in several areas, Harrison must develop his on-field anticipation to improve his snap timing and recognition of blocking schemes. As a pass rusher, he can be quick to lose leverage and the rhythm of his move-to-move transitions. In order to maximize his impressive gifts, Harrison must improve his understanding of angles and overall feel for the position.
2021 Season/2022 NFL Draft Outlook
With impressive size and athleticism, including a 10.7 100 meters in high school, Harrison became the consensus top recruit in the state of Ohio and one of the top recruits nationally. He considered programs like Michigan and Penn State, but playing his high school ball 20 miles north of Columbus, the Buckeyes didn’t let him leave the state. Harrison flashed his impressive talent over his first two seasons in college, but for the most part he was a rotational player off the bench, averaging less than 24 snaps per game. Despite a crowded defensive end depth chart in 2021, the coaches are expecting Harrison’s snap count and production to take a big jump this season.
A potential first-round pick, Harrison is incredibly toolsy as a prospect with the speed and length that will have NFL coaches salivating. And with another year of tutelage under legendary defensive line coach Larry Johnson, NFL scouts are hoping to see a more mature pass rusher on the 2021 film.

[Guest]

Looks like a good class. But with any luck, one of Wonnum, Jones II, and Robinson will step up and be that guy.