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LB Scouting Reports - 2023
Bird’s Eye View: Positional Analysis
The 2023 LB class lacks any dynamic prospect that demands attention as a Top 10 pick. But this class has playmakers. Jack Campbell (Iowa) was the leader of the Hawkeyes’ relentless defense over the last two years and is an old school LB that seems out of style these days. Sewell (Oregon) is a tremendous athlete and likely to be the first LB off the board in April. Trenton Simpson (Clemson) is a great athlete with speed and range. Keep an eye on Troy’s Carlton Martial (a potential day 3 pick), the FBS all-time leader in tackles. Martial is diminutive for the LB position (5’9”) but to fans who remember him, so was the late Sam Mills – who is now deservedly enshrined in Canton. Martial is always near the ball and uses his size well to dart around linemen in space.
Positional Grade: B
Trenton Simpson, Clemson
6021 / 235 / 32.3” Arms
Good size and overall length. Extremely fast with excellent range. Quick with very good lateral agility. Very good tackler – good technique and drives through contact. Looks like a big safety and moves like a WR. Very good athlete. Explosive closing burst on the ball. Built to excel in today's NFL.
Trenton Simpson, Clemson
Player Comparison:
Isaiah Simmons, Arizona
Ivan Pace, Cincinnati
Player Comparison:
Monty Rice, Tennessee
Ivan Pace, Cincinnati
5102 / 231
Decent sized ILB for the Bearcats who lacks height but has a solid build. Transfer from Miami (OH) where he was a First Team All-MAC LB in 2021. Earned the 2022 AAC Defensive POY honors in his first year in Cincinnati. Recorded 22.5 TFL, second best in FBS. Very good balance and body control and breaks down well in space to secure tackles. Extremely quick and active – shows ability to get depth in coverage drops and cover a zone effectively. Very athletic and plays with effective range in run support. Very instinctive and keys quickly, and typically, accurately. Good hand use and can shed blocks effectively. Can be neutralized by size but is very difficult to size up and get a clean block on in space.
Jack Campbell, Iowa
6045 / 249 / 31.7” Arms
Excellent size. Extremely instinctive. Reads keys and diagnosis plays quickly. Displays closing burst on the ball. Light on his feet and displays effective range. Reliable, fundamentally solid tackler. Tackling machine who led the nation in tackles in 2021 (141). Responsible for setting the defense and displays leadership skills. A traditional, old-school LB who appears to have enough athleticism to play in space in the NFL.
Jack Campbell, Iowa
Player Comparison:
Leighton Vander Esch, Dallas
Noah Sewell / Oregon
Player Comparison:
Kenneth Murray, LA Chargers
Noah Sewell / Oregon
6015 / 246 / 31.5” Arms
Brother of Detroit All-Pro ORT Penei Sewell. Excellent sized LB with the mass and length desired at LB. Smooth athlete who covers ground efficiently. Shows promising ability to stack and shed. Flashes the ability to bend, flatten, and close on the QB. Smart and disciplined. Takes smart angles and understands coverage concepts. Very good range aided by excellent instincts and a high football IQ. Keys and diagnosis quickly, especially against the run. Effective blitzer. Brings his pads on contact and can really deliver pop on his tackles. Recorded 56 tackles / 5.5 TFL / 1.5 sacks / 1 INT / 1 FR in 2022.
Owen Pappoe / Auburn
6002 / 225 / 31.6” Arms
Possesses the size, speed, and athleticism desired by every NFL team. Recorded 256 tackles in his career. Plays ILB for the Tigers. Capable of dislodging the ball from the carrier with bone-jarring hits (e.g. 2022 Penn State game where he forced a fumble by Penn State QB Sean Clifford). Utilizes an effective swipe to knock the ball out of the carrier’s hands. Keys and diagnosis running plays quickly and accurately. Naturally instinctive. Capable of getting skinny, slicing into the backfield, and securing the tackle. Very good form tackler. Improving ability in shedding blocks but is at his best when he has clear lanes and is able to flow to the ball. Very smooth athlete who moves with ease. Enough agility and athleticism to match-up with TEs in coverage. Good range and will chase the ball at all three levels of the defense. High football IQ and is assignment responsible – rarely out of position. Light feet give him flexibility and the ability to navigate through trash – very good balance. Rarely takes false steps and he trusts his eyes. Recorded 92 tackles / 2 sacks / 1 INT / 2 FF in 2022.
Owen Pappoe / Auburn
Player Comparison:
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Cleveland
Mohamoud Diabate, Utah
Player Comparison:
Christian Kirksey, Houston
Mohamoud Diabate, Utah
6033 / 229
​Former transfer from Florida. Long, lean LB with excellent athleticism in space. Athletic enough to line up in the slot on occasion. Can be neutralized, if reached at the second level by an opposing lineman. Excellent range. Good instincts and football IQ. Excellent blitzer displaying closing burst and ability to flatten and close on the QB. More likely to run around blocks than take them on and lacks some strength, especially in the lower body. Good length. Makes plays in the backfield – led Utah in TFLs in 2022. Finds the ball and closes quickly. Secure open field tackler.
Dee Winters, TCU
5110 / 227 / 31.5” Arms
Adequate size and overall length. Displays explosive burst on the ball. Keys and diagnosis quickly on plays in front of him. Very good range. Very athletic and can cover a zone well. Used as an edge on passing downs and is an effective blitzer with a good closing burst. Good tackler but will dive at some tackles. Needs development in hand use to shed blocks.
Dee Winters, TCU
Player Comparison:
Devin Bush, Seattle
Isaiah Moore, North Carolina State
Player Comparison:
Germaine Pratt, Cincinnati
Isaiah Moore, North Carolina State
6020 / 234
Good height and build for an ILB. Physical and tough. Keys quickly against the run and then fills with force. Smart and assignment sound, executing his responsibilities consistently. Reliable tackler. Effective in zone coverage in the short-to-intermediate zone. Surprisingly smooth in coverage and picks up the TE in man coverage effectively. Good communicator. Limited effectiveness as a blitzer. Recorded 13.5 TFL in 2022. 55 career starts in Raleigh.
DeMarvion Overshown / Texas
6026 / 229 / 32.2” Arms
​Possesses ideal height and length for a LB with long arms and a large wingspan. Solid build. Displays great range and speed. Possesses a highly explosive closing burst – elite short area quickness. Keys and diagnosis suddenly, drives, and brings his pads on contact when he sees the play develop in front of him. Physical tackler. Very good athlete with smoothness and natural balance. Breaks down well to make tackles in space. At his best when he is able to flow to the ball without having to fight through blocks. Takes some missteps and instincts are not as developed as you’d like for a three-year starter – but is able to make up for mistakes with fantastic speed and agility. Length is utilized well in pass coverage and is able to compete at the catch point with big TEs. Perhaps the most athletic LB in this draft. Recorded 96 tackles / 10 TFL / 4 sacks in 2022.
DeMarvion Overshown / Texas
Player Comparison:
Divine Deablo, Las Vegas
Jeremy Banks, Tennessee
Player Comparison:
Nick Bolton, Kansas City
Jeremy Banks, Tennessee
6010 / 232 / 32” Arms
Good size with a solid build and overall length. Typically plays in space but also utilized off the edge on some long yardage downs. Intelligent and a team leader – responsible for defensive adjustments. Good instincts and is usually near the ball. Solid, form tackler. Displays good range when in coverage or in backside pursuit. Effective blitzer. Solid and physical run stuffer.
Nolan Smith, LB / Edge, Georgia
6021 / 238 / 32.5” Arms
Not overly big but has good length and an athletic build built for today’s NFL. Very athletic and quick. Extremely fast and shows great range in the run game. Limited use in coverage and is mostly used as an Edge Rusher. Great bend and flatten ability. Displays a sudden closing burst on the QB. Very good open field tackler. Instinctive and always near the ball. Keys and diagnosis extremely well. Missed significant time in 2022 due to injury. Fantastic athlete who may be a better pro than college player.
Nolan Smith, Georgia
Player Comparison:
Micah Parsons, Dallas
Ventrell Miller / Florida
Player Comparison:
Quincy Williams, NY Jets
Ventrell Miller / Florida
5116 / 232 / 32.4” Arms
​May lack some desired height but has a solid, athletic build with long arms relative to his height. Exhibits good speed and range to cover a zone or chase plays down from the backside. Keys and diagnosis effectively, although he is prone to being over aggressive and fills the wrong gap, at times. Has an explosive closing burst on the ball carrier. Could be developed into a very effective blitzer at the NFL level. Willing to fill gaps and he holds the POA well. Displays good tackling form and breaks down well in the open-field to secure the tackle. Gets good depth in his zone drops. Better at using speed and quickness to evade blocks than shedding them – needs development in hand fighting techniques. Has missed significant time with injuries during his career in Gainesville. Recorded 74 tackles / 8.5 TFL / 2 FFs / 1 FR in 2022.
Daiyan Henley / Washington State
6003 / 225 / 33” Arms
Transfer from Nevada. Built for today’s NFL, Henley has an athletic build with less than optimal height but good arm length. Quick and has very good range. Light on his feet and closes on the ball quickly. Matches up well with RBs and TEs in man coverage. Assignment sound and a high football IQ. Breaks down well in the open field and is a reliable open field tackler.
Daiyan Henley / Washington State
Player Comparison:
Malcolm Rodriguez, Detroit
Carlton Martial, Troy
Player Comparison:
Sam Mills, NFL HoF
Carlton Martial, Troy
5073 / 210
Extremely undersized LB. Displays outstanding range – both quick and fast. Keys and diagnosis quickly against the run. Extremely instinctive. Explosive and reliable tackler who is consistent and productive - career FBS leader in tackles (563), averaging 11 tackles per game in his career. More likely to slip a block than shed it. Passionate, team leader responsible for getting his defense properly aligned. Gets good depth on his pass drops. May be converted to safety in NFL due to size concerns.