2021 NFL Draft Defensive End, Edge Rusher Rankings Top Five
5. Gregory Rousseau, Miami
Size: 6-7, 266
The Good: Very long and with the frame to add even more weight, he’s a huge end who’s tough to get around and has just enough burst to be seen as a bit of a speed rusher, too.
He only did it for one year at Miami, but it was a monster 2019 campaign with 54 tackles with 15.5 sacks as he grew into a game-wrecker. He’s still improving and still has room to grow – in a good way – with the upside to be an even stronger run defender to go along with his pass rushing skills.
There’s a bit of a risk here, but the raw tools and overall look to his game should be enough to at worst make him a good part of a rotation. However …
The Not-So-Good: The lack of overall experience hurts. He needs to improve his repertoire of moves, he’s going to have to get used to dealing with athletic NFL tackles on a consistent basis, and he might have to make himself into a bigger player to find the right role – and that raises the issue.
At 275ish to 280 can he still be a pass rusher with that great finishing ability? He might be way more of a project than it appears, and …
.@Greg_R5 put in serious work today 💪 pic.twitter.com/SyRt3XRB5p
— Canes Football (@CanesFootball) March 29, 2021
NFL Draft College Perspective Thought: Here’s one guy who’s getting hurt in the NFL Draft process for opting out last year. No one seems to be dogging the decision, but absence makes the scouting heart go skittish.
Last year at around this time he would’ve been seen as a rising star with a world of upside coming off the great redshirt freshman year, but a year later the momentum isn’t there and now everyone is highlighting the potential problems all because of a lack of experience.
Whatever.
In a draft without a whole lot of great options for the position, draft him, develop him, and he’ll be a good football player somewhere on a line for the next decade.
Projected Round: Second