STRENGTHS
Fred is the modern-day cover linebacker that teams are looking for or as I like to call them, your run and chase linebacker. Fred is not a quick twitch type of athlete but he is a quick-thinking type of athlete. He has solid cover skills and shows the high football IQ to run your defense like a coach on the field. He has good change of direction skills and has an excellent burst to the ball. Fred has the talent to cover down the field in single coverage's and is excellent being used outside the box in the slot to cover the big pass catching tight ends that have been causing havoc for defenses. Fred can be used inside if you have some big bodies in front of him and allow him to flow to the play because Fred is excellent at sifting through the trash and making tackles. He shows leadership skills through his play on the field.

CONCERNS
Fred needs to improve his upper body strength and this will improve his tackling techniques. At the college level (at times) Fred’s tackling was a little questionable and although he did get the job done he does get sloppy at times and falls off struggling to secure his opponent. Also Fred is a solid player but not a flashy impact tackling machine type of player. This could be because of the way he was used in his college defensive system because the athletic talent and football IQ is there.

BOTTOM LINE
Fred could be a surprise pick in this draft. He fits a system and when players fit a system unless there are a lot of teams that play that system that are in need a player with Fred’s talents can get lost in the shuffle. All I can say is watching him in the Senior Bowl practices and seeing how many coaches interacted with him suggest to me that Fred might be in demand more than most other linebackers in this draft. He has the speed and the ability to be used in the type of defense that is getting more and more popular in the NFL. Teams are using 5 DB’s with 2 linebackers who can run and chase more and more as their base defense and not just in passing down situations. More teams are using this configuration with big defensive lineman who are better adept at stopping the run more and more and keeping those light, fast linebackers on the field instead of substituting them in just in obvious passing downs. Fred can be one of those linebackers in that style of defense because he can cover and run and make quick decisions. If he gets stringer in his upper body to make secure tackles in space and between the tackles than Fred could become one of the defensive player steals of this draft. In the right system Fred is an impact player, in the wrong system…Fred is dead, yup that’s what I said.

Drew Boylhart   APR.2018