STRENGTHS
Drew has the potential to become an excellent multi-position linebacker for the team that selects him. He has the size and liner length teams are looking for in players to play just about any position on both sides of the ball in today’s NFL. Drew plays with an excellent burst to the ball and anticipation. He has that ability, while the play is happening, to analyze what is happening in front of him and quickly react to it. He plays with a high football IQ that helps him to gain the advantage quickly and disrupt the offensive line’s blocking scheme making tackles all over the field. Drew does a good job in zone coverages and because of his football intelligence, it is very hard for his opponents to run screens and wheel routes successfully against him. In the right defensive system, Drew will be an impact defensive player, and given time he can be an impact player in any defensive scheme.
CONCERNS
There are a few small concerns if Drew wants to continue to be an off the line, linebacker. He anticipates the play in front of him but doesn’t communicate that to his teammates helping to make them better. Drew will need to gain a lot more strength to deal with the bigger, stronger and more athletic offensive lineman. He does show some coverage skills but will have to show more of it in his workouts to convince teams that he can handle wheel routes and Tight Ends in single coverage.
BOTTOM LINE: 1.97
Drew flashes big time when he is playing on the line of scrimmage and that makes him a perfect fit as an ER/OLB in a 3/4 defense. The teams that run that style of defense will rank him higher than teams that do not and that will affect his draft status. I really like Drew’s potential and maybe because of that, I’m nit-picking but to me, if Drew improves these little things at the next level he can play multiple positions on and off the line in any style of defense and will become a core player and the type of player a team can build their defense around. If he doesn’t correct these issues then he becomes a good defensive player who needs to be in the right system (3/4 Defense) to impact and that’s not a bad thing it’s just…he has so much more potential than just being a good player. At least that’s how I see it. Give Drew some time to build his strength up and decide exactly what kind of defensive player he wants to be and fans should fall in love with him for sure.
