» Ndamukong Suh

NFL Draft: Initial Reactions

David — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 05:32:25 +0000

Tonight started off on a predictable note, as the names of Sam Bradford, Ndamukong Suh, and Gerald McCoy were called (in that order). But soon after that, the Draft launched into exciting uncertainty towards the end of the top 10 selections, and continued until the very end of round one.

Of the many surprises, several stood out more than the rest.

Ndamukong Suh drafted by Detroit Lions (NFL.com)

First, was the Jaguars selection of Tyson Alualu. Unless I am mistaken, nobody predicted that pick, and many people, including myself, thought he would not be in the first round at all. Perhaps, the Jaguars are looking to transition to a 34 front. I figured they would go for Earl Thomas, but those Jags seem to beat to their own drum.

Undoubtedly, the second biggest surprise was the dynamic drop-off of Mel Kiper’s favorite player, Jimmy Clausen. What was going on there? I’m sure Todd McShay is gloating to Kiper because McShay had been warning us that this could happen. Perhaps, McShay will get to be on set next year, instead of the too-talkative Steve Young.

By the way, did anyone else who was watching the draft on ESPN think that Young talked too much, and Kiper too little?

Third big surprise was the Eagles trade up to get Brandon Graham. I am a huge fan of Graham, and he absolutely deserves to go this high. But I didn’t think many teams felt the same way.

Fourth shocking event was the fact that Tim Tebow wound up getting a call from the Broncos at #25. When the cameras switched to the Tebow party, somehow I thought he was celebrating in a room not unlike a dentist’s office.

The fifth surprise for me was the absence of Taylor Mays. I guess all teams saw his lack of instincts and were afraid of taking him in the first round.

And the sixth thing that caught me off guard was how far Bryan Bulaga slipped. Him going to Green Bay makes a lot of sense. But thought he would be scooped up no later than #9.

The final surprise was how aggressive the Detroit Lions have become in the Draft. They came away with two impact players in Suh and Jahvid Best. If they had waited to see if Best was available at #34, I think they would have been disappointed.

Overall, I was very excited to watch the first round this year. The new format was an excellent decision because it not only gives the GM’s a breather, but it also makes watching the Draft more palatable for fans. I look forward to more trades tomorrow!

Mock Draft Discourse

David — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 05:09:47 +0000

Designing a mock draft can be a daunting task because of the breadth and depth of knowledge required to create a good one. Some draft projections make a well-read fan shake their head in disbelief. While other more creative mock drafts can stimulate excellent discourse.

Up until the draft, I’d like to spend some time breaking down the mock draft picks within the Draft community in the hope that it may stimulate some quality discussion (or at least some good thoughts).

As a part of the first segment I will start by looking at the various picks assigned to the teams drafting in the 1-2 range (starting with St. Louis). I’ll express why I think an individual is a good or bad fit for a given team.

#1 St. Louis Rams

Possible choices: Sam Bradford

After he successfully answered the nagging questions about his health, Sam Bradford has become the consensus #1 overall pick. Ever since I released my first mock draft, I figured that things would play out this way. The Rams are desperate for a young quarterback to lead this team, especially after just releasing Marc Bulger. I won’t rehash things too much, but Bradford is the best quarterback prospect in the Draft, and is a legitimate top 5 selection. On many levels, it makes little sense to choose one of the DT’s over the game’s most important position.

#2 Detroit Lions

Possible choices: Russell Okung, Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy

My friend at Lions In Winter, Ty Schalter artfully explained why each of these players would or would not fit into the Lions system.

Suffice it to say, the Russell Okung selection was a knee-jerk lashing out against the under-appreciated LT Jeff Backus. In actuality, the Lions real hole existed at LG. If you add in the fact that they just patched that hole up by trading for a capable starter in Rob Sims, the selection of Okung makes even less sense. I will concede that selecting Okung (or Trent Williams) would give the Lions their future LT once Backus retires, and it gives them additional flexibility and depth. They could have insurance for Gosder Cherilus if he continues to slump at RT, but that is still an exorbitant sum of money to hand out to a RT.

It is well known that LT provides considerably more positional value than a DT. But pass rushers are very valuable. Period. Ndamukong is not a 2-down run-stuffer. He is every bit a 3-down pass-rushing, run-stopping defensive lineman, which raises his value. I would agree that Okung should be the pick IF all things were equal. We aren’t considering apples to apples here.

Ndamukong Suh is considered the far superior prospect, and I don’t say that to take anything away from Okung. It’s just that Suh is a fantastic prospect. When you pay a player $40+ million, you have a faint hope that this player can be really special. In my estimation, Suh has a higher chance of being that kind of player.

The important key to drafting in the top 5 picks, as Mike Mayock says, is “to control value.” I believe Suh is the better value. His talent outweighs Okung’s positional value advantage.

The other possible target of the Lions is Gerald McCoy. I happen to believe he is not quite as good a fit as Suh for the Lions defense if you look at the defenses that both defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham and head coach Jim Schwartz have run in the past.

For example, McCoy is a perfect fit for the Tampa Two defense, which relies almost exclusively on it’s front four to generate pressure, and thrives with a gap penetrating 3-technique such as McCoy. The Lions too would rely mainly on their defensive front to generate a pass rush, but they are also have more duties in the run game. Gunther Cunningham likes to show different looks, and a scheme diverse player like Suh will allow him to create some unique packages to confuse opposing offenses.

Even so, I can’t argue strongly against McCoy because he is such an exceptional player. But I’d rather have Suh, if I were the Lions.

2010 NFL Combine Final Results

David — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:54:48 +0000

As with any other sporting event, we are naturally interested in crowning winners and losers for the NFL Combine. These are top level athletes known for their competitive fire and desire to win. There is no doubt that the prospects on the field this week were competing against each other in some form or fashion. For that reason, I think it is interesting to toss my two bits into the arena of opinion and name some winners and losers for this year’s Combine.

Combine Winners

Ndamukong Suh (NFL.com)

Bruce Campbell

Just a dominant overall performance by Campbell. He looked fantastic in every drill on Saturday. Did his workout catch the eye of Al Davis and the offensive tackle-hungry Oakland Raiders?

Ndamukong Suh

Talk about nimble…. Suh was like a dancing bear. It was absolutely evident that he was prepared to compete at the Combine. 32 reps on the bench could be a key factor in separating himself from Gerald McCoy who only had 23 reps.

Taylor Mays

NFL scouts in attendance said that Mays’ actual clocked time in the 40 was closer to the 4.24 than his official time of 4.43. He was nearly as fast as advertised.

Jerry Hughes

Strength still a concern for Hughes, but there will be no questions about his athleticism and ability to transition to 3-4 OLB at the next level after putting on a display in agility during drills.

Eric Berry

Came in bigger and stronger than expected. His drills were very clean, and he ran a fast 4.47 in the 40, coupled with an amazing 43 inch vertical.

Trent Williams

Superb speed (4.88 sec) and fantastic footwork firmly plants Williams within the top 10 of the Draft. The doubts concerning his height were squashed, too. He is a solid 6’4” plus change.

Sam Bradford

Bradford has to be on this list, even though he didn’t work out. He checked out medically, which means he is again a serious contender for the #1 overall pick.

Jahvid Best

Best ran the fastest 40 time of all the running backs (4.35 sec). That is always a momentum shifter.

Jacoby Ford

Fastest man at the combine (4.28 sec) will catch the eye of evaluators. Speed causes teams to overlook a multitude of flaws.

Dorin Dickerson

The Pittsburgh prospect was better than Jared Cook last year. Dickerson was the top tight end performer in the 40-yard dash (4.40 sec), broad jump (10’10”) and vertical leap (43 inch). He also posted great marks in the bench press ( 24 reps), 3-cone drill, and 20-yard shuttle. Teams will be very intrigued by his athleticism.

Devin McCourty

Of all the defensive backs, McCourty looked the smoothest in drills. His strong suit is fluidity in his transition and breaks on the ball. He made himself some money on Tuesday.

Ryan Matthews

An very good overall, especially for a big running back (6’0,” 218 lbs.) workout might have been enough to push Matthews into the 1st round. He ran a fast 4.45 in the 40, and was a top performer in the vertical leap, 20-yard shuttle, and bench press.

Combine Losers

Joe Haden (NFL.com)

Joe Haden

His slow 40 time (somewhere around 4.58-4.62) shocked me. His tape is fantastic, but he has to answer the speed questions to maintain top corner status.

Rolando McClain

Was the pulled hamstring a ploy? Probably not, but I wanted to see McClain answer questions I have about his speed.

Carlos Dunlap

This was supposed to be his time to shine. But his workout was very average. He looked clumsy when moving laterally, and his straight line speed wasn’t near what was expected.

Dez Bryant

I want to know why he didn’t work out.

Anthony Davis

Concerns about his work ethic were confirmed by his lack of preparation. Apparently, he looked soft in the middle, and his 23 bench press reps were not impressive for a man of his size.

Donovan Warren

An unofficial 4.58 sec in the 40 isn’t great for a cornerback. Warren wasn’t a top performer in any category.

Brandon Spikes

Another one of those guys who didn’t run for one reason or another. This raises a red flag regarding his timed speed. We know he is a great football player, but we wanted to see how good an athlete he is.

Dan LeFevour

No good reason given for not throwing. Thes4e quarterbacks don’t seem to understand that scouts only want to see their footwork and delivery. Accuracy really doesn’t matter at the combine.

Rich Eisen

Good ol’ Rich…. I thought maybe this would be the year he broke 6.0 in the 40. Guess we will have to wait until next year. Hopefull, he will wear better exercise clothes than a suit next time.

Suh Versus McCoy: War in the Trenches

David — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:42:31 +0000

On Thursday, April 22nd, we will gather together to witness the NFL Draft, appearing for the first time on prime time television. But assuredly, this will be a special occasion for yet another reason, an event which has been seen only once before, back in 1970. Barring catastrophe, two defensive tackles should join the elite, counting themselves among the rare few to be chosen in the top 5 of the NFL Draft.
These two fine players have waged a proverbial war in the trenches all season to be considered not only the best at their position, but the finest prospect of 2010. We all are familiar with the aptly-named Ndamukong Suh, who left an indelible impression on all who watched him almost single handedly throttle Texas in the Big 12 Championship game. But his peer, Gerald Mccoy, has quietly garnered attention from NFL evaluators for his talent for disruption.

What most people may not realize is just how little separates these two, a race that may not be concluded until negotiation time, just days before the Draft begins.

So, let’s take a closer look, shall we?

Ndamukong Suh’s rise to the top has been meteoric, to say the least. In August, all but the most astute were aware of the lineman from Nebraska. Seven months later, he is a household name, and the people’s choice for number 1 overall to the St. Louis Rams. His well-deserved reputation in most circles is such that it is quite uncommon to hear someone try to find holes in his game. I mean think about it, the guy finished the season with 12.5 sacks, and led his team in tackles…as a defensive tackle, for crying out loud! All this led to him earning consensus 1st team All-American honors as well as being invited to the Heisman Trophy award ceremony, which hasn’t honored a defensive lineman this way since Warren Sapp. In addition to this high honor, Suh came away with virtually every other award imaginable: the Lombardi Trophy, Outland Trophy, Bednarik Award, and the distinguished Nagurski Trophy for defensive player of the year.

All the buzz and awards seem to point to the obvious fact that Ndamukong Suh will be the number #1 pick of the draft. The majority of draft sites, including high profile sites like ESPN, NFLdraftscout, and Scout.com consider Suh to be the best defensive lineman available in this draft. But in NFL circles, another name is thought to be more deserving of that spot.

Pro Football Weekly’s draft writer Nolan Nawrocki recently published his evaluation of the top underclassmen in the draft. And although I don’t endorse the order of some of his picks, his reasoning regarding one player in particular is quite intriguing:

1. Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy — A strong, disruptive, explosive inside rusher who has been dominating the college football scene since he stepped onto the field, McCoy has warranted higher grades from NFL evaluators than Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh and stands a legitimate chance to be the first overall pick in the NFL draft.

Gerald McCoy earned the respect of scouts early on in his career, to a point where he could have declared for the draft as a redshirt sophomore and still would have been considered a top 15 pick. However, he came back to school to earn his degree, and to improve his abilities for one more year. His production was more modest than Suh’s, recording 6 sacks and 32 tackles this season. He was a finalist for the Lombardi Award and earned 1st or 2nd team All-American depending on which source you look at.

This begs the question, how can Gerald McCoy still be considered a better pro prospect by NFL scouts than Ndamukong Suh? The answer is concealed within the game tape.

First of all, McCoy is viewed as a very polished, true 3-technique penetrator. He is very violent and extremely disruptive, slipping off blocks like water on rock. He has solid character, works extremely hard, and is surprisingly durable. And at 6’4, 295 (with a frame to hold more weight) he possesses the wide girth necessary to hold up in the interior. Most importantly, even though he doesn’t always make the big play himself, McCoy affects plays with frightening regularity, which is perhaps the number one reason why scouts love him.

In comparison, Suh is an extremely powerful player with great quickness and superior balance. He has been unblockable at times, even against double teams. Nevertheless, he is viewed as a somewhat raw prospect compared to McCoy because his form of dominance in the college game may not work nearly as well in the pros. His natural abilities are so great that he has been dominant at the college level without having to develop much of a pass rush repertoire. He relies too heavily on his strength, which could cause some problems when trying to acclimate to the pro game. In the NFL, strength alone is almost never enough to make a player great unless you’re a revolutionary player (which Suh could be). The offensive linemen are simply too powerful for a one-trick pony to beat consistently, especially one who weighs less than 300 pounds (and could very well weigh in around 285-290 at the Scouting Combine). At best, he is going to need some coaching at the next level to learn how to beat linemen in other ways. In the worst case, he might be asked to make a position change to end, where he probably could be a dominant force just like Richard Seymour. If teams believe he can successfully make that position switch, thus playing at a level not unlike Richard Seymour, then his awesome value remains in tact.

I just can’t get that Big 12 Championship game out of my head. Gerald McCoy never was able to single handedly control a game like that.

Suh absolutely took over that game in a way that I have never seen before from an interior lineman. That is the tantalizing upside to which I previously referred. My only question about that game is whether he can do such a thing consistently at the next level, because those Texas interior linemen had been a weakness for the Longhorns all season.

Ultimately, we have to factor circumstances into why McCoy may be selected over Suh. The first four teams in this draft (St. Louis, Detroit, Tampa Bay, and Washington) all run 4-3 defenses, which seems to favor McCoy. And now that we know the powers that be believe that Gerald McCoy has better realized ability than Ndamukong Suh as a defensive tackle prospect, it seems all is working in his favor right now. Suh’s potential may be greater, but his NFL readiness isn’t near that of McCoy. And like it or not, that matters in this league. But can a team justifiably pass on potentially the can’t miss player of the decade? Because that carries some weight, too.

Based on your experience, who is the better pro prospect and why?

Why Detroit Gets Suh

David — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:04:45 +0000

Recently, I was having a conversation with my friend Ty, author of The Lions in Winter blog, shooting the breeze about Lions-related news and some Draft morsels. I told him about how I’ve been calculating strength of schedule for several of the league’s bottom feeders. He pointed out to me, the latest buzz about the draft is all about which team will get Ndamukong Suh. I’ve peeked around NFL fan forums and draft message boards to confirm this statement, and it most certainly is the case.

So here’s the truth. Week 15 of the NFL regular season has changed everything.

Before this week, there were 3 teams with a decent shot at getting Suh. Tampa Bay was holding the number 1 draft spot, until they smothered the Seattle Seahawks, and Cleveland was nipping at their heels with the number 3 slot. However, both teams miraculously won their games, thus pushing them both behind Detroit. Now, the draft order should look like this:

St. Louis Rams
Detroit Lions
Tampa Bay Bucs
Cleveland Browns

In order for the Lions to maintain this number 2 draft slot, they must maintain a weaker strength of schedule than the Bucs. Considering that the Lions have a nine game advantage over the Bucs with only two weeks remaining, it seems likely that Detroit will be selecting ahead of Tampa in April.

Right now, here is how each team stands in strength of schedule in terms of win-loss record:

Detroit Lions opponents: 115-108 (0.51570 %)

Tampa Bay Bucs opponents: 124-98 (0.55856 %)

Finally, the main reason that Detroit will land Suh in the draft is because St. Louis should be drafting a QB with the number 1 overall pick. This is a quarterback-driven league, and although the Rams need to upgrade their pass rush, they will decide to replace Marc Bulger with a young signal caller.

The only way that I see Detroit passing up Suh is if they are given a blockbuster deal worth at least two 1st round picks, and will allow the Lions to pick outside the top 10 for once.

Draft Scenarios (New Format)

David — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:19:34 +0000

(1) St. Louis Rams

Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

Soonersports.com

The days of Marc Bulger are numbered, and the franchise needs to add young talent at quarterback if they are serious about winning any time soon. And considering how the Rams have already used top 5 picks on DE and OT, the only justifiable position to take this early is a quarterback.

It is debatable who the best quarterback is, but St. Louis runs a version of the West Coast offense. For this reason, I would give a slight edge to Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford over Washington’s Jake Locker. Bradford is blessed with superior leadership qualities, and supreme accuracy, two things that NFL teams covet out of their signal caller. Additionally, his experience operating out of the shotgun should not hurt him too much, since the Rams often utilize this formation themselves.

(2) Cleveland Browns

Jake Locker, QB, Washington

Gohuskies.com

Unfortunately, both of these players have contracts that may prevent Cleveland from upgrading the position.However, I do believe that Mangini will find a way to get an able-bodied QB to Cleveland in the form of Washington’s rocket armed Jake Locker. The Huskies signal caller is gifted with all the physical tools necessary to be a great NFL quarterback.

(3) Detroit Lions

(A) Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

Courtesy of Huskers.com

Detroit has many needs, including a glaring hole at LT. But if I learned anything last year about how the Lions’ front office drafts, it is this: they draft purely on grade and not based on need. If they have the chance to add perhaps the best player in this class, then it’s a done deal. They sorely need help on the interior of the defense, and there is no better way of doing this than acquiring a dominant DT like Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh.

After seeing the Vikings’ Kevin Williams shred the Lions’ offensive line by blowing up plays in the backfield, it seems that the Lions will be salivating at the ability to obtain such a similar talent in Suh. His unique blend of athleticism, strength, and technique will make him a fearsome force- exactly the type of player that Detroit has lacked for so long.

(B) Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

how the safety spot beside rookie Louis Delmas has been a revolving door in recent years. Players like Marquand Manuel and Kalvin Pearson aren’t cutting the mustard. So, a ball hawk roaming the weak Detroit secondary would be exactly what the doctor ordered.

(4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

(A) Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

Since Tampa doesn’t need a LT or QB right now, they are in position to take the best player available. Sabby Piscitelli isn’t scaring opponents, and Jermaine Phillips is a free agent after this season. If the Bucs couple a promising young safety with the talent already present at cornerback, they could have a frightening secondary.

Eric Berry is a game breaking safety prospect that would aid the Bucs in both pass coverage and run support. Tampa hasn’t had an impact player at safety since John Lynch departed for Denver.

(B) Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

Soonersports.com

Tampa would undoubtedly love to add Ndamukong Suh to help fix the league’s worst run defense. But Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy is one heck of a consolation prize if they decide to address the area of greatest need. The interior of the defensive line has been unable to get pressure, and they have been unable to hold their assigned gaps effectively. A gap penetrating tackle like McCoy is what Tampa had in Warren Sapp during their Super Bowl run.

(5) Oakland Raiders

(A) Taylor Mays, S, Southern Cal

NFL.com

Raiders’ owner Al Davis is a sucker for speed and athleticism. The failure of former 1st rounder Michael Huff can only bolster his interest in the super-freak known as Taylor Mays. His amazing athleticism for a 6′3, 235 lb safety is remarkable. And if he times as expected in the 40 yard dash at the Combine, then he becomes the obvious candidate here.

Grabbing Mays this early is not advisable, but we are talking about the owner who selected a punter in the 1st round way back when. Mays isn’t known for his coverage or ball skills, but he certainly can lay the wood and possesses the elite straight line speed that Davis covets.

(B) Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma St.

NFL.com

Although Mays is perhaps the player Davis “will” choose, the player he “should” choose is someone else entirely. Despite using three top 10 picks on offensive skill players in the last three years, Oakland is ranked last in the league in 1st downs and total yards per game. I am assuming that the Raiders will give JaMarcus Russell one last year to prove himself before letting him go. And the trend thus far has been to add weapons to aid his development. How about selecting an elite LT to protect the quarterback and give him time to throw the ball?

Russell Okung is a tremendous athlete with excellent length and footwork. He is a bit raw but the tools to be good are all there.

Draft Scenarios

David — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:48:37 +0000

1. St. Louis Rams

Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

2. Cleveland Browns

Jake Locker, QB, Washington

It has been widely publicized that Eric Mangini is not keen on quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn. I don’t blame him one bit. The passer ratings of the two QB’s are 36.2 and 70.4 respectively. Unfortunately, both of these players have contracts that may prevent Cleveland from upgrading the position.

However, I do believe that Mangini will find a way to get an able-bodied QB to Cleveland in the form of Washington’s rocket armed Jake Locker. The Huskies signal caller is gifted with all the physical tools necessary to be a great NFL quarterback.

3. Detroit Lions

Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

Depending on how Suh grades out, and whether he is still on the board when the Lions make their selection, Detroit’s contingency plan may be to select the other can’t miss defender available: Tennessee safety Eric Berry. His elite skill set could be too much for GM Martin Mayhew to overlook, especially considering how the safety spot beside rookie Louis Delmas has been a revolving door in recent years. Players like Marquand Manuel and Kalvin Pearson aren’t cutting the mustard. So, a ball hawk roaming the the weak Detroit secondary would be exactly what the doctor ordered.

4. Tampa Bay Bucs

Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

Eric Berry is a game breaking safety prospect that would aid the Bucs in both pass coverage and run support. Tampa hasn’t had an impact player at safety since John Lynch departed for Denver.

Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

5. Oakland Raiders

Taylor Mays, S, Southern Cal

Raiders’ owner Al Davis is a sucker for speed and athleticism. The failure of former 1st rounder Michael Huff can only bolster his interest in the super-freak known as Taylor Mays. His amazing athleticism for a 6’3, 235 lb safety is remarkable. And if he times as expected in the 40 yard dash at the Combine, then he becomes the obvious candidate here.

Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma St.

Russell Okung is a tremendous athlete with excellent length and footwork. He is a bit raw but the tools to be good are all there.

Picks 6-10 coming soon!

Player Profile- Ndamukong Suh

David — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:19:16 +0000

Ndamukong Suh

Height: 6-4
Weight: 300
DT
Nebraska

Courtesy of Huskers.com

Attribute	Rating
Explosiveness
Pass Rush
Run Defense
Strength
Agility
Football I.Q
Tackling
Durability

Scouting Report

Coming out of high school, Ndamukong Suh (pronounced En-dom-ah-ken Soo) was regarded as the top recruit in the state of Oregon. Over the last four years, his knack for making plays has turned him into perhaps the best pro prospect in the entire country.

Explosiveness: Shoots into the gap quickly to make a play in the backfield. Generally, very effective at anticipating the snap count, but he occasionally jumps offsides as a result.

Pass Rush: Together with his long arms, Suh consistently demonstrates excellent use of hands to keep opponent at bay or to get the strong punch into the chest of blocker. Shows the ability to toss linemen aside with a club move. Very productive pass rusher (7.5 sacks last year/12 sacks this year). Possesses excellent balance due to his superior footwork and agility, thus making him extremely tough to take to the ground. Suh is aware enough to bat down passes at the line of scrimmage if he knows he won’t make it to the quarterback, and has shown a knack for plucking the ball out of the air with his good hands. Can get a good push and will slip between the double team. Because of his immense strength, Suh mainly gets by with only power moves. But he flashes an effective swim move to keep blockers guessing.

Run Defense: Moves down the line and sifts through blockers effectively. In goalline situations, plays low and can plug the center of the line. With his excellent quickness, he regularly penetrates into the backfield to make the tackle or force the ball carrier to bounce outside. Occasionally won’t get pads low enough, presumably when he is anticipating the cut block. When this happens, Suh will lose his anchor against the run. Lacks the natural girth of a true nose tackle and I struggle to see him putting on much more weight. Although he should be a good 3-technique undertackle, Suh could be a great penetrating end in a 3-4 front, similar to a Richard Seymour.

Strength: Superior functional strength, especially in his lower body and core. As noted before, Suh can throw blockers to the side once he locks onto them. Can push the double team back enough to affect opposing quarterbacks.

Agility: In his youth, Suh was an accomplished soccer player, which undoubtedly helped him maintain strong balance and footwork. Of all of his traits, the Nebraska defensive tackle is said to have incredible agility for a man his side. His athleticism is reminiscent of Minnesota Viking DT Kevin Williams.

Football I.Q: Very good play regonition skills. Quick to sniff out screens. Awareness in passing situations is one of his strongest suits, where he shows the instincts to drop back slightly into zone coverage to make a play on the ball.

Tackling: Due to his agility, Suh is an accomplished tackler in space. Led the team in tackles last season with a total of 76. Will drive through ball carrier and has the explosiveness to put some pop into his tackles. Often is able to make one-armed tackles while fighting off blocker with other hand.

Durability: Has struggled with knee issues especially in his first two seasons. But has had no major issues in 2009.

Possibly interested NFL teams:

Tampa Bay
Detroit
Cleveland
Carolina
Kansas City

Ndamukong Suh