Ross Blacklock | DL | TCU
Elevator Pitch
An athletic interior defender with plenty to like in his game, Blacklock possesses the explosiveness to be a disruptive gap penetrator at the next level. He offers value as a pass-rusher with his active hands and lateral quickness in the open field. While he can get better as a gap-eater against the run, he should be able to start in his rookie year.
Vitals
Height | 6-3
Weight | 290
Strengths
Blacklock’s combination of speed and determination makes him a player to watch out for at the next level.
He fires off the ball with impressive acceleration, hitting top speed quickly and requiring astute planning for interior blockers to even hope to stop. He is a coordinated and functional athlete who can bend and generate power from his hips well. Blacklock plays with very good drive in his lower body, fighting hard on every play and converting speed to power at a high level. He can change direction well in space and chase down ball carriers, too.
The TCU alum offers plenty of upside as a pass rusher. In addition to the aforementioned quality athleticism, Blacklock has a solid array of pass-rushing techniques in his arsenal. He plays with a sense of urgency with his hand quickness, and he does a good job of fighting to shed blocks and develop a plan heading into every rush.
Weaknesses
Blacklock is much more of a gap penetrator than a player who can hold blocks and eat up holes in the run game. He doesn’t do a great job of working through blocks to make plays against the run, and his instincts on said plays could use some work. His play strength is good but not great, and there are some plays where he gets eliminated by a powerful jab from blockers.
He’s a disruptive interior defender, but Blacklock is often a split second too late to grab a sack or a tackle for a loss, settling for pressures and serving as a presence, instead. He didn’t have a season with double-digit tackles for a loss in college, and his career high in sacks in a season is only 3.5. There is some minor concern for injury, too, as he missed his entire 2018 season due to a torn Achilles.
Projection: 2nd Round
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