STRENGTHS
Tanoh is a raw yet talented and “potentially” dominating defense lineman for the team smart enough to select him in this draft. He has the potential to play in any style of defensive front on the inside and on the outside. He is tall, strong and extremely athlete with quick twitch quickness not seen in players of his size and length. His wing span and leg span alone give him advantages that most football players do not have. He is still growing into his body and with experience and learning better overall defensive lineman techniques this kid could be something really special. The sky is the limit for him and for the team that selects him in this draft. The future is bright for Tanoh and that future could include him being able to break the NFL Salary cap because his next contract could be the contract to end all contracts, he has that kind of potential.

CONCERNS
Tanoh has excellent athletic talent but he has no idea how to use that talent to his advantage. He is working way to hard and not working smart. He has the potential to take two steps and be into the back field shed or make a pass rush move and sack a quarterback very much like former Buffalo Bills great Defensive End Bruce Smith. He has those long legs and long arms and all he has to do is learn how to keep offensive lineman off his body and the improvement in this kid’s game will be dramatic. He has an excellent work ethic and as soon as he gets into NFL strength and conditioning program and learns better hand techniques and pass rushing moves he will dominate because in spite of his size he is a fluid athlete with quick feet.

BOTTOM LINE
The potential for Tanoh to become a dominating Defensive Lineman is obvious to me. Some people will downgrade him because he played for Villanova a Division 1-AA and not for a top team in Division 1-A, but that’s just nonsense because potential is just that… potential and all potential has to be developed no matter what division you play at. Some will say he’s too tall and some will even question his athleticism. Don’t listen to any of that because the only thing that will stop this kid from becoming an impact and special player is him. He has to want it and he has to have the ability to take what he learns in practice on to the field. Right now he is accomplishing everything just on athletic talent and that means it’s time for him to learn. It’s time for him to cut down the amount of steps it takes for him to get to the quarterback. It’s time for him to learn how to keep players off his body and shed quickly and make tackles. It’s time for him to learn to put up his hands quicker to knock balls down with his God given height. Right now he is a man playing with boys but at the next level he will be a man playing against men and he has to improve his techniques or there is no level of athletic talent that will help him to succeed. After watching him at just one practice at the Senior Bowl and with just a little coaching this kid showed unbelievable improvement. It’s scary the potential that Tanoh has to become one of the best to play the game and it’s scary how much his talent reminds me of former hall of Fame Defensive End for the Buffalo Bills Bruce Smith. Bruce Smith was about 6’3” with very long arms and long legs and a torso that was about the same size as my torso (Small). Tanoh is 6’7” with long arms and long legs and a long torso and the fact that Tanoh has athletic talent equal to Bruce Smith should alert you to the potential that is attached to a 6’7” frame at a slim looking 290 Lbs. That information alone should alert you to this kid’s potential. I have no idea what round Tanoh will be selected in but it would not surprise me to see some playoff team in the 1st round take him for development reasons and because of his potential along with securing a 5th yr option they would have. That might be the smart thing to do.

Drew Boylhart  FEB.2017