2011 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Marcel Dareus, Alabama
By Editorial Staff
6-3 296lbs Sophomore
Stats:
2008- 4 tackles,
2009- 33 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 9 tackles for loss, 1 INT
Pros:
Marcel Dareus might be the best athlete among the 2011 defensive line draft prospects. He demonstrated his athleticism when he intercepted a pass and ran it back for a touchdown during the BCS National Championship Game, where he earned defensive MVP honors. He has great quickness and snap count anticipation. The combination of those two allows Dareus to penetrate into the offensive backfield. What makes Dareus such a good overall prospect is his ability to control offensive lineman and stuff the run. He is versatile enough to play a defensive end in a 3-4 defense and a defensive tackle in a 4-3 defense.
Cons:
As of right now the biggest question mark for Dareus is his experience. He was part of big rotation along the defensive line at Alabama which limited his snaps. He needs to show he can make a major impact with consistency. Some NFL teams are scared off if a player doesn’t receive a lot of snaps.
Thoughts:
Dareus should get plenty of snaps this season to prove he is one of the top prospects in this draft. His combination of size and ability will have NFL scouts drooling over his potential. He will get plenty of attention because he is versatile enough to play in any scheme.
Projected Round:
Right now Dareus is on the fringe of our 2011 NFL Draft Prospect Big Board. I need to see a bigger sampling in order to move him up. However, he is definitely in the 1st round discussion based on his potential alone.