Category: Scouting Reports

2020 NFL draft: Chase Young scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Ohio State edge defender Chase Young

Chase Young | EDGE | Ohio State

Height | 6-5

Weight | 265

College Bio Page

Career Stats

Strengths

Would it be cheating to just say “everything”?

Truth be told, there are very few things that Young doesn’t do well. He accelerates very well off the snap and possesses great short-area quickness, and his hip and ankle flexibility allows him to consistently rip and dip underneath offensive tackles at a high level. He has great range as a tackler and change direction fluidly in space. Young’s pad level as a pass-rusher is reliable, and he has shown that he can get inside hand placement on a pretty regular basis. His understanding of leverage helps him out tremendously.

Young rushes with heavy hands that pack a powerful punch upon contact but also move actively and quickly. He excels at exposing the set points of offensive linemen to find the best path to the quarterback and has the agility to bounce inside on outside rushes when a hole presents itself. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound rusher also has a lengthy and muscular frame that is well built for the physicality the NFL presents.

If you’re looking for production, then Young has that, too. He stepped in as a true sophomore and tallied 10.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for a loss in place of Nick Bosa in 2018. Young put together an even better performance in 2019, as he has 13.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for a loss through just 8 games this year. His ability to produce and dominate in a powerful conference like the Big Ten is encouraging for his prospects in the pros.

Weaknesses

Young doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses, but that’s not to say he doesn’t have room to improve. He could stand to build some lower-body strength and get better at rushing with his weight underneath him, as doing so would benefit his power game. He can get better at avoiding being sealed off in run support and eating gaps in run support. His counter game could also be improved, as he finds himself stuck at times if he doesn’t win the initial battle at the point of contact.

Young was also suspended for two games in 2019 for accepted an unauthorized loan from a family friend. While the situation isn’t severe and shouldn’t affect his draft stock, teams will likely ask him about the suspension leading up to the draft.

Bottom Line

An athletic, ferocious, polished and productive pass-rusher, Young is a well-rounded prospect with a very high ceiling at the next level. Even with his suspension, he should be selected very early in April.

Projection: Top 3

2020 NFL draft: Tyler Johnson scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Minnesota wide receiver Tyler Johnson

Tyler Johnson | WR | Minnesota

Height | 6-2

Weight | 205

College Bio Page

Career Stats

Strengths

If you’re looking for a polished and intelligent route runner, you won’t find too many in this class who fit that bill better than Johnson.

He does as good a job of stemming his routes as nearly anyone in the nation. He excels at using leverage to his advantage when creating separation, he can sell his route well, and he has the hand techniques to break free from tight man coverage. Johnson’s shiftiness further helps him out, as he can change direction seamlessly and sink his hips into his cuts very well. He runs his routes with great pad level and can make sudden movements, showing off his impressive body control.

Johnson is also valuable after the catch. A decisive and intelligent ball-carrier, he combines the sharpness in his cuts with his ability to see the field and finds a way to extend the play with the ball in his hands. Though his skill set projects best as a ‘Z’ receiver in the pros, he could play in essentially any alignment and perform well.

Weaknesses

Despite being 6-foot-2 and weighing 205 pounds, Johnson isn’t a very physical receiver. His role in the NFL won’t come as a jump-ball receiver who can outmuscle defensive backs to make circus grabs. He doesn’t box out defenders on 50-50 balls very well, and his ability to make catches is hindered by tight, physical coverage. Though he has shown some promise in breaking press-man coverage, he is going to need to get more aggressive when stronger cornerbacks try to lock him up at the line of scrimmage.

Johnson is a good athlete, but he isn’t much better than just good in that regard. His straight-line speed is passable but not great, and he doesn’t seem to have the raw athleticism to burn cornerbacks on vertical routes. He’ll be able to beat defenders with his shiftiness and football IQ, but he would be even more dangerous if he just got a little bit faster.

Bottom Line

A smooth operator with route-running savvy and skills after the catch, Johnson is a polished and fluid receiver with potential to excel at the next level. He may not reach true No. 1 receiver status on a team, but he’s a shifty target who should make a sizable impact on a team’s offense.

Projection: Round 2

2020 NFL draft: Derrick Brown scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Auburn defensive lineman Derrick Brown

Derrick Brown | DL | Auburn

Height | 6-5

Weight | 318

College Bio Page

Career Stats

Strengths

Brown has an impressive physical skill set for an interior defensive lineman. He carries a lengthy, yet muscular frame and has a body that’s ready for the NFL. He fires off the ball with impressive acceleration for a big man and has enough mobility to be a threat on stunts. Brown’s power at the point of attack is noticeable, and he carries a lot of upper-body strength in his frame.

When it comes to hand usage, Brown is one of the best defensive linemen in the class. He is good at working off of blocks to make tackles in space, but he also rushes with active hands and has an arsenal that’s full of pass-rushing techniques and counter moves. His ability to create arm extension through his jabs and reset his hands is very good, as well. A three-year starter at Auburn, Brown has the pedigree of an early-round pick.

Weaknesses

Brown has raw strength in his frame, but his pad level prevents him from unlocking his true potential in terms of play strength. He can be a bit too high when he engages with blockers at the point of attack, and he doesn’t always get all of his weight underneath him. Though he fires off the ball pretty quickly, he doesn’t do a great job of converting speed to power.

When Brown gets into the open field, he doesn’t have much in the way of lateral agility. He doesn’t extremely fluid hips or ankles and, for the most part, struggles with changing direction. He’s very much a defensive lineman who desires to fire straight into the backfield, and that can result in him over-pursuing ball carriers or opening up gaps as a run defender.

Bottom Line

A physical defender with size, strength and speed, Brown fits the prototype of a three-down interior defensive lineman. He’s still a bit of a work in progress, but his hand usage and his physical attributes should see him get drafted pretty early when the draft rolls around.

Projection: Round 1

2020 NFL draft: Paulson Adebo scouting report

Everything you need to know about Stanford cornerback Paulson Adebo

Paulson Adebo | CB | Stanford

Height | 6-1

Weight | 190

College Bio Page

Career Stats

Strengths

Teams like length at the cornerback position, and Adebo certainly fits that criterion.

His 6-foot-1 frame bears lengthy arms and the size to match up physically with some of the league’s taller wide receivers. Adebo has the physicality in his skill set to jam receivers in press-man coverage, and he does a very good job of using his hands to counter release techniques and shut his opponents down. He is also a willing tackler who takes good angles and possesses the play strength to bring ball carriers down.

Adebo is more than just a big and physical corner, though, as he blends intelligence and athleticism into his game, as well. He is a patient defender who times his jumps on routes very well and fires out of his stance with great acceleration for his size. His hip fluidity is intriguing: he flips his hips with ease and has the athleticism to mirror his receivers’ routes consistently. If you’re looking for ball production, Adebo has that, too, as he has topped four interceptions and at least 10 pass deflections in each of his two seasons as a starter.

Weaknesses

Adebo did not see any playing time during his freshman year. Though he has been productive since, there are some flashes of his relative inexperience at times. His ball production is impressive, but there are times when he can be late to turning his head towards the ball and tracking it down on deep throws, thus impacting his ability to make a play on a more consistent basis.

He shows promise as a tackler, but his form could still use a little bit of work. His footwork in press-man coverage isn’t incredibly consistent yet, so considering he will likely spend a lot of his time in that role in the NFL, he should work on not wasting any steps at the line of scrimmage.

Bottom Line

Adebo is a length, physical and athletic cover man who has the physical tools that teams love at the outside cornerback position. His upside makes him one of the best prospects at his position in this draft class.

Projection: Round 1-2