STRENGTHS
Chop reminds me of another Penn St Edge Rusher who was the Buffalo Bills 1st-round pick in the 2009 draft. Like Aaron, Chop has all the physical and athletic qualifications teams look for in the perfect Edge Rusher for the NFL. His size and arm length are close to being perfect. His athletic numbers at the combine will be close to being perfect. He has the speed, burst, and quickness on paper that should be able to embarrass offensive linemen. Chop can duck his shoulder and turn the corner to make a sack whenever he wants to. He is fluid and has the strength and long arms to keep players off his body and shed blocks. Chop could be a dominant defensive lineman because of his physical and athletic skills. The question is…why hasn’t he been?
CONCERNS
Chop with all of his physical and athletic talent has NEVER been a dominate Defensive Lineman at the college level. Why would that change at the next level, because he can run and jump with the best? He obviously lacks the passion, consistent effort, mental strength and needed football IQ to match his potential dominating physical and athletic talents.
BOTTOM LINE: 2.72
If you want to go off Chop’s combine workout numbers and hope your favorite team selects him then be my guess but don’t come to me and tell me the combine means nothing. That being said, maybe they will be right and Chop will become a dominating Edge Rusher. Let’s me be honest, I would draft Chop in the later rounds because of his workout numbers. After all, his physical and athletic talents are real and Chop has had some pretty good games but those games are few and far between. I’m not talking about stats, I’m talking about play that other teams game plan for and double team, effort, and making a big play in a big game. Let’s just say that for all of his obvious physical talent his film leaves a lot to be desired. Maybe I’m prejudiced because of the Bills Aaron Maybin pick that year. After all, It was the year I threw my bowl of Fruit loops at my TV when the Bills selected Aaron. I have never gotten over that pick to this day. Maybe the fear that the Bills will once again will reach out for a player like Chop and that is what’s driving me on this profile. If that happens I pray to God that he makes me eat every word of this profile. In fact, if any team drafts him in the 1st round I pray he makes me eat this profile. I understand how teams can overlook production not matching athletic talent. I just struggle with selecting that player early in the draft. Year after year some teams fall for the banana in the tailpipe routine and my guess is, it will happen once again this year.
