Luke Kuechly Scouting Report, LB, Boston College

This is our Luke Kuechly scouting report. Kuechly is a talented LB prospect who plays for Boston College, an absolute tackling machine.

For all of our other scouting reports go to our scouting report page

Measurables

6’3 242 pounds, 31″ arms, 9.75″ hands

4.58 40 yard dash, 27 bench press reps, 38″ vertical, 123″ broad jump, 6.92 3 cone drill, 4.12 20 yard shuttle, 11.43 60 yard shuttle

Kuehcly was a top performer in every drill but bench press

Stats:

2010: 183 tackles (110 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 3 Passes broken up, 2 forced fubmles

2011: (through 10/12/2011) 99 tackles (58 tackles solo), 1 interception, 7.5 tackles for loss

Pros–Good size…great instincts…tackling machine…smart kid…team leader…very sharp…performs under pressure…can play sideline to sideline because of instincts and speed… very aggressive against the run…solid in coverage limitations…relentless…extremely productive…making more plays in the backfield this year

Cons–Plays on a terrible team, or not a very good team…up tackles at an alarming rate, but very low percentage come behind the line of scrimmage (in 2010 and also 2011, but less so)…only three career sacks so not a great interior pass rusher, or he is not used in that way a lot

Player comparison–Barrett Ruud, Tennessee Titans

Final thoughts:

Kuehcly showed off much more athletics than many anticipated at the combine and cemented himself in the first round. Kuechly’s biggest concern now is why didn’t he make a lot of plays in the backfield and do you want a player in the first round who doesn’t make big plays, but rather just makes a lot of small ones? It’s almost akin to taking a possession WR in the first round or a high volume catch guy who doesn’t get a lot of touchdowns.

NFLmocks preseason scouting report/bio

Also known as “Clark Kent” because of his very reserved look off the field and Superman-like play on the field, Kuechly (pronounced Keekly) is one of the best linebacker prospects in the class of 2012, and possibly one of the best prospects overall. He is a supremely talented athlete with great speed, smarts, and overall ability. He is what you would consider a “five-tool” player at his position, and he could be a top 10 pick when all is said and done. The former ACC Rookie of the Year and now two-time All-American is poised to have another huge season for the Eagles on the inside. When you watch this guy play, you can see that he dedicates a lot of time to the film room. He has incredible instincts, great closing speed, and if you try to run past him, or even near him, you are making a mistake. Last year as a sophomore, he was a consensus All-American and he led the nation with 183 tackles, and added three interceptions, two forced fumbles, and 1.5 sacks. He shows very good ability in coverage for a young linebacker, and reads the quarterback’s eyes well. This kid is simply relentless, and he will only get better as he takes the reins as the true leader of the Eagles defense with the departure of Mark Herzlich. He should undoubtedly be one of the top linebackers selected in the next two years, and he is only going to improve as he is only 20 years old.

Video

Positives and Negatives (2010)

Kuechly vs Florida State

Kuechly vs Nevada (2011)