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Main as much as the 2021 NFL draft, which begins April 29, Yahoo Sports activities will depend down our prime 100 total prospects. We’ll depend them down in teams of 5 for Nos. 100-51, adopted by extra in-depth reviews on our prime 50 gamers, with assist from our scouting assistant, Liam Blutman. We reserve the correct to make adjustments to gamers’ grades and evaluations based mostly on damage updates, pro-day exercises or late-arriving data from NFL groups.
Earlier prospect rankings: Nos. 100-96 | 95-91 | 90-86 | 85-81 | 80-76 | 75-71 | 70-66 | 65-61 | 60-56 | 55-51 | 50. OT Liam Eichenberg | 49. WR Terrace Marshall Jr. | 48. LB Chazz Surratt | 47. EDGE Joe Tryon | 46. OT-OG Alex Leatherwood | 45. CB Asante Samuel Jr. | 44. DL Levi Onwuzurike | 43. LB Jabril Cox | 42. DT Daviyon Nixon | 41. EDGE Ronnie Perkins | 40. LB Nick Bolton | 39. CB Ifeatu Melifonwu | 38. WR Elijah Moore | 37. OT Jalen Mayfield | 36. EDGE Carlos Basham Jr. | 35. CB Elijah Molden | 34. RB Travis Etienne | 33. WR Kadarius Toney | 32. EDGE Jayson Oweh | 31. LB Zaven Collins | 30. DT Christian Barmore | 29. QB Mac Jones | 28. CB Caleb Farley | 27. RB Javonte Williams | 26. C-OG Landon Dickerson | 25. TCU S Trevon Moehrig | 24. CB Greg Newsome II | 23. WR Rashod Bateman
22. Miami EDGE Gregory Rousseau
6-foot-7, 266 kilos
Yahoo Sports activities draft grade: 6.05 — attainable instant starter
TL;DR scouting report: Growth-or-bust prospect with beautiful instruments however a practical lack of tape, expertise
Video games watched: Florida (2019), Virginia (2019), Georgia Tech (2019), Pitt (2019), Louisiana Tech (2019)
The thin: A 4-star Rivals recruit, Rousseau made the large change from high-school receiver/security/linebacker to defensive lineman with the Hurricanes. He performed in two video games in 2018, making 5 tackles, earlier than struggling a damaged ankle and taking a medical redshirt. In 2019, Rousseau shocked the faculty soccer world with 51 tackles (4 for losses), 15.5 sacks (second nationally to solely Chase Younger), two compelled fumbles, one fumble restoration and one batted move in 13 video games (eight begins). He was named first-team All-ACC and ACC Defensive Rookie of the 12 months. Rousseau opted out of the 2020 school season and declared early for the 2021 NFL draft.
Upside: Jumps off the display together with his mixture of measurement and athletic traits. Uncommon, distinctive size — beautiful wingspan (83 1/4 inches), nice arm size (34 3/8 inches) and a number of the greatest palms (11 1/8 inches) you’ll ever seen on a soccer subject.
Ran effectively at his professional day — a 4.67 40-yard sprint with an eye-opening 1.57-second 10-yard cut up (sooner than LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase). Bench-press complete (21) isn’t fairly as eye-popping, but it surely works for a participant with 34-plus-inch arms.
One-year manufacturing was large. Logged 15.5 sacks on a mere 280 pass-rush snaps — an insane disruption charge. It’s even wilder that he didn’t turn into a starter till the sixth recreation of the season and solely averaged a shade greater than 40 snaps per recreation.
Athletic sufficient that he was requested to play just about each method on the line of defense (together with a ton of snaps at nostril deal with), rise up as an edge rusher and likewise drop off often into protection. Additionally ran down punts in protection extensively — made the opening special-teams deal with in bowl vs. Louisiana Tech.
Great rush when lined up inside — and flashes often nice hand use. Makes use of a rip transfer and is simply too too quick for guards to deal with. Excellent subpackage rush potential as an enormous inside defender on passing downs. Has the size to be a shot blocker in time.
Makes use of his size to bull rush opponents and get them on their heels. Will cross blockers’ faces. Counters again inside effectively after working the arc — can change his rush course effectively. Quick finisher. Hung out with famous pass-rush guru Chuck Smith throughout opt-out season.
Pure run-stopping potential. Protects his center effectively from blockers. Presses out shorter-armed blockers and sheds naturally. Presses out shorter-armed blockers and sheds naturally. Will flatten down the road and again bottom TFLs because the unblocked man.
Comes from humble roots however with a powerful, supporting household. Employee who has some pleasure in his craft. Performs onerous more often than not. Thrilling, ascending expertise to mildew.
Draw back: One of many least-experienced prospects on this total class — 546 school snaps. One-year producer who opted out.
Has lots to study defending the run and setting more durable edges. Nonetheless adjusting to the ditch warfare life. Palms might use extra refinement but in addition extra pop.
Might add much more energy — performed nearer to the 250-pound vary in 2019. Can get torqued by rushers when he will get too excessive. Pad degree is a constant challenge. You’d count on extra pace to energy in his rushes. Slaughtered some tight ends, however just a few appeared to just do tremendous blocking him one on one. Studying how one can anchor. Legs seem a bit skinny and undeveloped.
Solely common testing numbers — 30-inch vertical leap, 117-inch broad leap and a 7.50-second 3-cone drill. Some offensive guards topped these numbers. So-so get-off quickness. Common bend. Can get a bit off kilter — finds himself on the bottom a bit.
Not likely an edge rusher. Did loads of it however appeared to have extra pass-rush success working contained in the deal with. Lacks superb twitch on the nook. He’ll must bulk up if he desires to play any extra snaps at nostril deal with, which he did a good bit.
Finest-suited vacation spot: The NFL group that takes an opportunity on Rousseau nearly have to be ready for him to serve a redshirt-type of season in 2021, given his lack of expertise and refinement as a move rusher. Rousseau’s athleticism will be put to work early, however anticipating something greater than a developmental season in 12 months 1 could possibly be foolhardy.
Though he won’t be on the spot espresso, nonetheless, Rousseau reads as a uncommon specimen who might become one thing really particular. Some groups really deal with this as a developmental league; others, sadly, don’t.
His touchdown spot is essential for his cultivation. We might see him being a base 4-3 EDGE or possibly a 3-4 OLB (a la Julius Peppers in Inexperienced Bay), however his finest work may find yourself coming inside as a 3 or 5-technique DL if Rousseau can add 20 to 30 kilos of bulk with out shedding his quickness.
Do you know: As a high-school receiver — and an enormous one at that — Rousseau chased down a defender following a turnover, working almost 80 yards and tackling his opponent shy of the objective line regardless of the participant having greater than 10 yards’ head begin towards the tip zone.
Participant comp: It’s just about unimaginable to provide you with a comp for Rousseau given his uncommon dimensions and lack of soccer.
Might he turn into Calais Campbell or DeForest Buckner (who performed within the 260s as school freshmen)? Or is Rousseau the subsequent Shawn Oakman or Lynden Path?
The closest we might arrive at was David Irving, who was 273 at his professional day however performed extra inside within the NFL within the 290-pound vary. That is likely to be Rousseau’s finest path to maximizing his expertise.
Anticipated draft vary: Second spherical
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