STRENGTHS
AJ is a big powerful defensive lineman. He has a solid overall athletic talent to play inside or on the outside in a 3-4 offense. He has this unique ability to make plays the most when his team needs it and seems to get stronger and quicker as the game goes on showing excellent physical stamina and therefore a solid work ethic. AJ is stout against the run and does an excellent job playing in a 2gap system. He has the size to play more that one position on your defensive line inside or outside depending on down and distance. With his size and long arms AJ has the ability to develop into an outstanding defensive lineman but he still has some work to do.
CONCERNS
AJ is limited athletically but that did not stop JJ Watt and if AJ will get serious and learn to become more explosive off the line and better hand techniques he has the potential to be just as impacting. Right now, he is a tweener for the next level. He doesn’t have the foot speed and flexibility to be a pass rusher on the outside and lacks the hand fighting techniques and bulk to be used on the inside. That being said there is no reason at all that AJ can’t become a power pass rusher very much like Watt became if he gets more serious about intensifying his workouts and become more explosive off the line of scrimmage. Otherwise, you have drafted your self a solid defensive lineman but not a dominating one as he has been at the college level.
BOTTOM LINE 2.22
I see what I see, it’s not personal to me or though I suspect it is very personnel to AJ All I can tell you is that he needs a kick in the buttocks to improve past the level he is right now. That level is fine for college but if he wants to impact at the next level he has to up his game. That means to stop this macho garbage of engaging and then throwing his opponent to the side to make tackles. At the next level, he has to use hand techniques to shed blocks and make tackles. I know he can use the correct techniques because in the fourth quarter when his team needs a sack he does it. When his team needs a stop at the line of scrimmage…he does that also. I see the potential to play above his athletic talent but I don’t see it all the time. I’m not suggesting the effort isn’t there on every play or that he is not trying but I am suggesting that he has a lot to improve on if he wants to impact at the next level as he has at the college level because he is limited athletically. JJ Watt came out and made himself even better than he was with his limited athletic ability and I know if AJ works as hard as Watt did that he can too but for the purposes of this draft, what you see is what you get with AJ and that is a solid defensive lineman and not necessary an impact one unless…. He works as hard as Watt has to become more explosive off the line of scrimmage and improves in every facet of his game.
