The Chargers drafted linebacker Nick Niemann in the fifth-round with the intentions of him aiding a special teams unit that finished last in the league last season.
While the majority of his money will be made in that department in his first season, Niemann profiles as a player that can make an impact on the defensive side of the ball.
Niemann comes from a school that has a knack for producing quality NFL linebackers, with the likes of Ben Niemann (Nick’s older brother), Christian Kirksey, Anthony Hitchens, Josey Jewell.
Niemann had a solid career at Iowa. Even though he didn’t start until his last season, he was a key piece as an every-down weak-side linebacker, in which he posted 77 tackles (team high) and helped the team finish as a top-10 national defense in scoring and yardage.
Niemann, however, really turned heads at the Hawkeye’s Pro Day, where he posted a 40 time of 4.45, a shuttle time of 4.14, a 10-yard split in 1.48 seconds, which would have tied Jonathan Taylor for the fastest at the 2020 combine and a 6.67 second three-cone drill.
The testing numbers are eye-popping, but Niemann’s tape shows a player with the core traits that can contribute at the position at this level.
Niemann’s calling card is his tackling ability, as he ranked fourth in the Big 10 in tackles per game last season, averaging 9.6 hits per game.
Niemann is good interior run defender, showing very good mental processing to recognize blocking schemes quickly, which allows him to maximize his quickness to attack gaps, displaying physical toughness on contact to secure tackles in his gap.
Against outside runs, he shows the speed and range to be able to cover the field sideline-to-sideline. In addition, his processing ability helps him take good angles to intersect the ball carrier, helping raise his pursuit ability.
While Niemann does a great job of evading blockers in space and makes for a difficult second-level target for offensive linemen, he does lack technique and strength which will force him to struggle to match at the point of attack.
In today’s NFL, playing linebacker is more than just run defense, however.
Even though Niemann wasn’t tasked with a lot of responsibilities in coverage compared to other linebackers, he did enough sufficiently in that department to fare well in this league.
In man coverage, he has the speed to hang in space with slot receivers, and he should have no issue doing the same with athletic running backs and tight ends in the NFL.
In zone coverage, he shows comfort and route recognition skills across the middle as well as in the flats. When he sees the ball in the air, he has impressive movement skills to close the distance.
Finally, Niemann brings quickness and sufficient effort as a blitzer.
The bottom line is that Niemann is a talented linebacker who looks to fit the mold of the NFL’s new-age linebackers. He has the ability to make stops inside and outside the tackles and the coverage instincts and athleticism to stay on the field on third down.
Drue Tranquill, Kenneth Murray and Kyzir White stand above him on the depth chart at the moment, but if an injury were to occur, Niemann is the ideal guy that can be counted on to start in the upcoming season.
By Year 2 or 3, Niemann could be in a position where he is fighting for a starting job for the Chargers, given the fact that White will be a free agent at the end of the season and Tranquill will be at the end of the 2022 season.
With his skillset and developmental potential, Los Angeles might have a good one on their hands for years to come.