Houston DL Logan Hall checks in at No. 2 in Unpacking Future Packers, a countdown previewing the 2022 NFL draft for Packers Wire.
The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2022 NFL draft.
An NFL team can never have enough pass-rushers. The Green Bay Packers have a solid pair of edge rushers in Rashan Gary and Preston Smith. That pass-rushing duo combined for 18.5 sacks this past season.
Green Bay’s defensive line coach, Jerry Montgomery would like to see the Packers add a twitched-up interior pass rusher to the mix.
With Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry and Jarran Reed, the Packers have the makings of a great defensive line. Aside from Clark, there isn’t an explosive interior pass-rusher among that group.
A player that Brian Gutekunst could target in the 2022 NFL Draft to fill that void is Logan Hall. The Houston defensive lineman checks in at No. 2 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.
A three-star recruit, Hall recorded seven tackles for loss during his first three seasons on campus. This past season Hall recorded 48 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks for the Cougars.
“The First-Team All-AAC defensive tackle served as the anchor of Houston’s 4-2-5 defense in his first full season as a starter,” Steve Helwick, the Houston reporter for Underdog Dynasty said. “The defensive line was the strongest component of the Cougars’ successful 12-2 campaign, and the Houston defense ranked fifth in total sacks in the FBS to earn the moniker of “Sack Ave.” Hall registered six of his seven career collegiate sacks and 13 of his career 19.5 tackles for loss in 2021. His breakout season created a positive symbiotic relationship with the rest of the defensive line. On top of frequent backfield pressure, Houston finished 10th in rushing defense with their athletic front four wreaking havoc. Defense spearheaded the path for the Cougars to an undefeated AAC record and a conference championship appearance, where they fell to a prospect-loaded Cincinnati team in Hall’s final outing.”
Hall is a disruptive player with a relentless motor. The Houston defensive lineman lived in the opponents’ backfield this past season. Hall is strong at the point of attack and does a great job of splitting double teams. He has stack and shed ability. He has good change of direction skills and is able to make plays up and down the line of scrimmage.
“Hall was decent against the run in college as one of the ringleaders of a Top 10 run defense,” Helwick said. “At 6’6”, he will need to focus on his flexibility as well as getting lower when aiming for opposing running backs. Thus, leverage is an area of improvement. However, Hall’s ability to power through blocks in the run game helps create more opportunities to record these stops, so he still remains a strong prospect in this facet of the game.”
As a pass-rusher, Hall is twitched-up. He’s explosive off the snap. He can line up on the edge or in the interior. He is a powerful and explosive pass rusher that converts speed to power. With his power, Hall is able to consistently push the pocket and disrupt the action in the backfield. It’s a treat to watch him toss offensive lineman to the side like they are rag dolls. He has strong, violent hands, with a devastating bullrush.
“If there’s one word I’d use to describe Hall, it’s ‘explosive.’ His speed (clocked a 4.88-second 40-yard dash) is superior to the majority of defensive tackle prospects and more on-par with defensive ends, but his power resembles that of an interior lineman,” Helwick said. “When combining those attributes, it creates a versatile pass rusher. His arsenal of swim moves to navigate through defenders is one of his calling cards, and he possesses an active set of hands when rushing.”
Hall finished his career at Houston with eight career sacks, with 6.5 of them coming this past season. Not eye-popping production, but he arrived on campus at 220 pounds and left weighing 283 pounds. His best football is in front of him and he has the making of a disruptive force.
“Overall, he’s an incredibly physical player and he often wins battles in the trenches by pushing around his opponents,” Helwick said. “Seven sacks in his college career doesn’t tell the full story of Hall’s pass rushing ability. He shared plenty of production with other esteemed defensive linemen including 2021 first round pick Payton Turner, 2022 draft prospect David Anenih, and Houston’s returning star EDGE rusher in Derek Parish.”
Hall is an impressive athlete for a man of his size. At the combine, Hall clocked a 40-yard time of 4.88 with a 10-yard split of 1.67. Hall’s three-cone time (7.25) was faster than Rashan Gary’s three-cone time (7.26). That athleticism is a big reason why Hall was No. 54 on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks list.
From Feldman:
He’s a unique player who will line up inside at 3-technique and sometimes shift outside to the edge. Payton Turner, who went in the first round at 6-6, 270, and sources inside the UH program said Hall is bigger and a better athlete. The 6-7, 275-pound Hall was unblockable in spring ball. He’s added about 35 pounds in the past three years and is a 375-pound bencher and 365 in the clean. Coaches say if Turner topped out at 21.5 MPH on the GPS then Hall can hit an even faster number. He is that athletic and also has outstanding change of direction for being so big and long.
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Fit with the Packers
Hall is a versatile defensive lineman. He lined up all over the defensive line for the Cougars. With his versatility, athleticism and age (22), Hall could be a player Gutekunst targets with the 28th overall pick.
He could line up as the five-tech or he could provide quality depth at outside linebacker behind Gary and Smith.
“For starters, his speed at 6-6 and 283 is impressive,” Helwick said. “There are so many things Hall is capable of as a result of that lethal combination. Whether it’s bull rushing or utilizing quick hands and swim moves to fly past blockers, Hall has a variety of moves he can call upon at any moment. Also, you can see his sheer amount of athleticism by the way he explodes off the line at every snap.”
The biggest question mark teams may have about Hall is where to play him long term? Teams are always in the market for players with his power and twitch. If a defensive coordinator can’t find a place for a man with his traits, you may want to look for a new defensive coordinator.
“Hall was primarily a 3-tech at Houston, but in the NFL, he seems best suited as a 5-tech in a 3-4 as opposed to an outside linebacker,” Helwick said. “That is primarily mainly due to his 6-6, 283-pound stature, but his skillset as a defensive tackle in college also suggests his strongest fit remains on the defensive line as opposed to linebacker.”
Regardless of where Hall lines up, he looks the part with his frame, power and quickness off the snap. A team can never have enough pass rushers and Hall would provide an immediate impact as a designated pass rusher and could be a long-term running mate up front for Clark. Don’t be surprised when Gutekunst pulls the trigger on the twitched-up pass-rusher with the 28th overall pick.
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