2013 Draft
Inside Linebackers
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28	*Kevin Minter	ILB	1	LSU	rJr	5116	246	1st-2nd
BRS (Gollin) - Combine time was 2/10 seconds slower than pre-season est., but he brought it back down to 4.67 on his pro day. More heady than physical or athletic. Played in good program. Figures to help PP21 and others mentor his teammate Mathieu. Pre-Combine Forty - 4.68. Combine - Forty: 4.81. Ten: 1.67. Reps: 25. VJ: 33.0. BJ: 9-11. 20S: DNP. 60S: DNP. 3C: DNP. Pro Day (Brandt) - Minter ran a 4.67- and 4.72-second 40-yard dash. He looked steady in positional drills and recorded a 34 1/2-inch vertical, a 9-foot-6 broad jump, a 4.49-second short shuttle and a 7.39-second three-cone drill. PFW Audibles - "...Gets to the spot fast and has some pop. He is a tackling machine. His reads are a little off, but I'm not so sure it's the way they are coaching him. I think he's better than the kid from Cal (Mychal Kendricks) that went in the second (round) last year." Based on NFLDraftScouts -  Cerebral defender. Very good anticipatory skills with the burst and agility to beat offensive linemen to the ball. Good effort to slip blocks, including a quick swim move, spin move and hand-slap to shake free. Aggressive / little regard for his own body, jumping into the pile. Not a textbook hitter but consistently gets his man to the ground in the open field, using good upper body strength to drag down ballcarriers. Uses his hands well to strip away at the ball. Times the snap well as a blitzer and closes quickly. Reads the quarterback's eyes nicely in pass coverage and has a feel for what is happening around him. Enough lateral agility and speed to cover backs. Passionate player with a high-revving motor. Not the physical thumper that some teams prefer in the middle / may lack the sheer athleticism to handle the outside. Prefers to elude or spin away from blockers than physically take them on and shed. Wraps his arms around runners' legs but not a consistently explosive hitter.  Has been surrounded (protected) by an awful lot of speed and appears to lack elite speed. Can be beaten to the sideline and relies on angles, vision and effort, rather than speed to track down ball-carriers when in pursuit. Compared to DeMeco Ryans -- Minter is slightly undersized and relies on his instincts and reliable tackling ability -- rather than sheer explosiveness -- to accumulate impressive stats.
30	Manti Te'o	ILB	2	Notre Dame	Sr	6012	241	1st-2nd
BRS (Gollin) - Did nothing exceptional physically at the combine to distract scouts from his off-the field issues. No matter what they say, there will be red flags planted in the deep recesses of the minds of scouts and GM's. That said - my gut tells me this is a good kid with a huge upside (but not without some degree of risk - i.e. can he get his head together on the field)? As the late Joel Buchsbaum used to say: "He can make your draft or break your heart." Pre-Combine Forty - 4.75. Combine - Forty: 4.82. Ten: 1.62. Reps: DNL. VJ: 33.0. BJ: 9-5. 20S: 4.27. 60S: DNP. 3C: 7.13. Pro Day (Brandt) - The Heisman Trophy finalist slightly improved his 40-yard dash times from February’s NFL Scouting Combine, posting times of 4.75 and 4.71. He looked good in his position drills, too. Te’o is a smart, steady player who knows what he’s doing. PFW Audibles - "...(he's) a very religious,  religious, religious kid. I haven't gotten a vibe for bull**** from him. When this came out and the way it came out - it wreaks of someone trying to see him fall. I will tell you this - Baltimore is losing their leader (Ray Lewis). They always seem to land the guy with 'issues' and then they go on to play in Pro Bowls the next 10 years. It could fall into their hands again." Based on NFLDraftScouts -  Intense competitor who covers a lot of ground with his rangy, active playing style and lateral agility to cover both sidelines. Trusts his eyes and attacks the action quickly, with a high football IQ to play smart, assignment football. Needs to tighten his angles in space and get stronger at POA to consistently finish once he gets his hands on the ballcarrier. A smooth, thickly-built athlete whose ability to quickly diagnose the play is why he projects as a starter at the next level.
95	Jon Bostic	ILB	3	Florida	Sr	6007	245	3rd-4th
BRS (Gollin) – Pleasant surprise. My kind of ILB (More tough and smart than athletic) but also surprised with good workout numbers across the board. Due for an upgrade. Pre-Combine Forty - 4.78. Combine - Forty: 4.61. Ten: 1.58.. Reps: 22. VJ: 32.5. BJ: 9-10. 20S: 4.24. 60S: DNP. 3C: 6.99. Pro Day (Brandt) - Did well in the positional work outs. Based on NFLDraftScouts -   Instinctive, physical football player who doesn't back down from a challenge. Reads the action well and is faster to the ball than straight line speed might indicate. Closes with aggression, bringing his hips and driving through the ball-carrier to make the big hit. Seems to enjoy the physicality of the game, rushing to take on fullbacks and pulling linemen. Keeps square and takes on blocks aggressively, rarely losing ground. Slides off blocks to make the tackle when the ball-carrier gets close. Good drag-down strength. Keeps his eyes on the QB when dropping into coverage and understands route development, slipping into holes to thwart passing opportunities. Good ball skills for the position. Times his blitzes well. Natural special teams candidate due to his aggression, physicality. Vocal team leader. While Bostic is quick to take on blockers, he isn't necessarily quick to shed them. Shorter than ideal arms and will lose sight of the ball when battling with blockers. Just adequate sideline-to-sideline speed / may struggle to protect the edge against speedier NFL ballcarriers. A bit stiff in his upper body /can be eluded in the open field. Relies on his eyes rather than athleticism when in coverage and will likely struggle in the NFL, making him likely a two-down linebacker. Compared to David Hawthorne -  Bostic will make a club as an effective run-stuffing middle linebacker despite a lack of top-notch speed.
112	Nico Johnson	ILB	4	Alabama	Sr	6020	248	3rd-4th
Pre-Combine Forty - 4.63. Combine - DNP. Pro Day Forty: 4.74. Pro Day (Brandt) - Johnson ran the 40-yard dash in 4.74 and 4.75 seconds. He had a 30-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-2 broad jump. He did a 4.38-second short shuttle and a 7.37-second three-cone drill. Johnson also went through the position drills.
130	Kiko Alonso	ILB	5	Oregon	rSr	6030	238	4th
Pre-Combine Forty - 4.74. Combine - DNP. Pro Day (Brandt0 -  Alonso ran the 40-yard dash in 4.74 seconds on each attempt. He had a 30 1/2-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-9 broad jump. His short shuttle time was 4.18 seconds and he had a 6.93-second three-cone drill. He did not bench at the NFL Scouting Combine or at the pro day. Alonso had a good workout.
159	Kevin Reddick	ILB	6	North Carolina	Sr	6013	243	5th
BRS (Gollin) – Talented, but motor issues. Forty time decent, but Ten split is close to the top for LB's. Didn't do agility drills. Pre-Combine Forty - 4.75. Combine - Forty: 4.72. Ten: 1.57. Reps: 23. VJ: DNP. BJ: 9-5. 20S: DNP. 60S: DNP. 3C: DNP. Pro Day (Brandt) - Reddick had a 30 1/2-inch vertical jump, 4.33-second short shuttle and 7.18-second three-cone drill, and stood on the rest of his numbers from the combine. PFW Audibles - "...(he's) intense. He's everything you want in a leader. He's smart and instinctive. His speed is average." Based on NFLDraftScouts -  Often used as a blitzer … has been impressive attacking downhill. But also made too many mistakes for a two-time team captain and four-year starter. A bit straight-linish and stiff, but makes up for his lack of fluidity with nstincts and defensive intelligence, putting himself in positions to succeed. Has the skill-set to earn a starting job in the NFL and currently projects as a solid second day selection. Questionable effort on the field in 2012, too often giving up on plays once engaged and going at half-speed if the play isn't run directly at him. Rarely leaves the field so some of it might be fatigue, but inconsistent urgency and motor is a large concern that will force NFL teams to think twice on draft day.
166	A.J. Klein	ILB	7	Iowa State	Sr	6012	250	5th
Pre-Combine Forty - 4.72. Combine - Forty: 4.66. Ten: 1.66. Reps: 20. VJ: DNP. BJ: 9-5. 20S: DNP. 60S: DNP. 3C: DNP. Pro Day (Brandt) — Klein had a 33-inch vertical jump, 4.35-second short shuttle and 7.09-second three-cone drill. He stood on his official 40-yard dash time of 4.66 seconds recorded at the NFL Scouting Combine. Klein was favoring his right knee during the pro day workout, but had a good performance anyway. Klein — who is from Kimberly, Wis. — is one of the few athletes to leave the state of Wisconsin and really work out well elsewhere. BRS (Gollin) – Heady and physical but not all that strong or athletic. Comparison to Laurinaitis (by NFLDraftScouts) counts for something. Forty time better than pre-combine est. Based on NFLDraftScouts -  Excellent key and diagnosis skills. Reads the action and gets a jump-start, often beating blockers to the ball. Better than advertised speed to the flanks and in pursuit downfield /has a quick accelerator, able to slip through gaps to make plays at the LOS. Scrapes the edge nicely, with good balance and flexibility to dip under the reach of offensive linemen, turn quickly and close on the ball. Technically sound defender who extends his arms and delivers a blow to separate from would-be blockers before they have a chance to latch on. Reliable open-field tackler. Breaks down well with the patience to wait for the ball-carrier to commit before making the secure wrap-up tackle. Alert in zone coverage. Reads the quarterback's eyes and has a good understanding of route-development and burst to close on the ball. Good ball skills. Has the vision to set up blocks on the return and surprising open field running skills. Passionate defender who was voted a team captain as a junior and senior. A bit of a 'tweener  - lacks ideal athleticism for the outside and does not take on and shed blocks well enough to remain inside. Usually has to give ground to release from blocks once his opponents get their hands into his chest. Is Not a physically intimidating striker, though he is a reliable tackler. Lacks ideal fluidity for man to man coverage in the NFL. Compared to James Laurinaitis.
205	Bruce Taylor	ILB	8	Virginia Tech	rSr	6012	237	6th
BRS (Gollin) – Technically sound, but small size and slow forty time aren’t helpful. Pre-Combine Forty - 4.82. Combine - Forty: 5.01. Ten: NA. Reps: 19. VJ: 30.5. BJ: 9-7. 20S: 4.39. 60S: DNP. 3C: 7.21. Pro Day (Brandt) - Taylor ran the 40 in 4.93 and 4.95 seconds. He had a 32 1/2-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-6 broad jump. He did the short shuttle in 4.35 seconds, and opted not to run the three-cone drill. Taylor also did positional drills. Based on NFLDraftScouts -  Long, muscular athletic-looking frame with ideal bulk to play the inside. Diagnoses the run early and takes sound angles to the football. Disciplined tackler who rarely overpursues. Maintains line of pursuit through contact with good closing burst. Good awareness and vision to track the runner through traffic. Adequate suddenness to stop and start, break down in space and redirect to mirror a ballcarrier. Exhibits anchoring strength to hold position and contain the edge against the pulling guard or outside tackle. Good use of arm extension and hands to shed blocks at the line of scrimmage. Some raw, natural power to set the edge and funnel the runner back inside.  Has edge -contain discipline and patience on the backside to allow play to develop before collapsing. Diagnoses and closes well on plays in front of him. Locks onto backfield assignment and is susceptible to play-action. Late to break on plays to the opposite side of the field. Doesn't display a lot of fluidity in his drops or lateral movement, / lacks consistent awareness of what's happening behind him on zone drops. Lacks straight-line speed that pass-focused NFL defenses prefer in their LB’s. Relies more on closing burst than first step / lacks initial explosion from a stop. Limited range sideline-to-sideline and is best suited playing in a box inside, rather than in space. Compared to Jasper Brinkley - a "downhill" linebacker who plays best when he can utilize his physicality and instincts to make plays around  LOS. He played a little bit of everywhere at Virginia Tech, but would be best suited playing inside on running downs . Lacks upside.
226	Albert Rosette	ILB	9	Nevada	rSr	6-2	245	6th-7th
Combine - Not Listed. Pro Day - Not listed.
249	Nick Clancy	ILB	10	Boston College	rSr	6-2	234	7th
Combine - Not Listed. Pro Day - Not listed.
267	Greg Blair	ILB	11	Cincinnati	Sr	6-1	252	7th-FA
Combine - Not Listed. Pro Day - Not listed.
282	Steve Beauharnais	ILB	12	Rutgers	Sr1	6007	240	7th-FA
BRS (Gollin) – Saw him a lot in college. Like him a lot – has a nose for the ball/makes plays (That’s his job). His 20 yard shuttle time (measuring COD agility) was 2nd best of all LB's. Pre-Combine Forty - 4.78. Combine - Forty: 4.84.. Ten: 1.63. Reps: 19.. VJ: 33.0. BJ: 9-10. 20S: 4.20. 60S: 11.95. 3C: 6.99. Pro Day (Brandt) — Beauharnais ran the 40-yard dash in 4.67 and 4.71 seconds, and had a 36-inch vertical jump. He then stood on the rest of his numbers from the NFL Scouting Combine. Beauharnais had a good position workout; he’s very athletic and fluid. PFW Audibles - "...more of a backup than a starter, but he's a good football player who will find a way to play. I really liked his instincts." Based on NFLDraftScouts -   Good athleticism and a relatively lanky build for the position, seeming to have the frame to handle another 10 pounds of muscle without a significant loss of quickness. Attacks the LOS when he sees a gap, with an impressive burst to the ball-carrier. Good lateral agility and balance when "playing the keys" with enough speed to meet backs at the edge. Generally a reliable wrap-up tackler. Occasionally asked to rush the passer as down defensive end, with enough burst to cross the face of offensive tackles. Good awareness and athleticism in coverage (has four career interceptions). Looks to slip past blocks rather than taking them on and shedding. Struggles to disengage once opponents have locked into his frame. Will spin away from blockers to break free, turn his back to the ball and lose ground. A bit stiff in his upper body, allowing ball-carriers to spin away from him. Effective drag-down tackler. Compared to: Clint Sintim.
303	Steve Greer	ILB	13	Virginia	rSr	6-0	236	7th-FA
Combine - Not Listed. Pro Day - Not listed.
312	Dan Molls	ILB	14	Toledo	Sr	6-1	230	7th-FA
Combine - Not Listed. Pro Day - Not listed.
320	Vince Williams	ILB	15	Florida State	rSr	6-0	240	7th-FA
Pre-Combine Forty - 4.79. Combine - Not Listed. Pro Day - Not listed.
350	Sam Barrington	ILB	16	South Florida	Sr	6007	246	7th-FA
BRS (Gollin) - Impressive raw workout numbers on pro day for size. Combine - Not Listed. Pro Day Forty: 4.69. Pro Day (Brandt) — Barrington took part in position drills, and clocked in a 4.69 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He recorded a 37-inch vertical leap and went 10-foot-2 in the broad jump. Barrington also went 4.25 in the short shuttle.