Jonathan Bullard, DE, Florida: 2016 NFL Draft Scouting Report

The fact that the word “bull” is in the name of Florida defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard is no coincidence. A big bodied lineman, Bullard comes at quarterbacks with that classic “bull rush” mentality. Here’s a look at the senior defensive lineman’s draft stock heading towards the 2016 NFL Draft.

Height: 6’3

Weight: 283 lbs

Class: Senior

Strengths

Bullard is very quick off the line. He’s pushing the offensive lineman back before the guy is even out of his stance. Even more impressive is that Bullard can play anywhere across the line. While he may translate best as a 4-3 defensive end, he’s proven to be strong enough to play defensive tackle.

As mentioned before, Bullard is a classic bull rusher and can be very effective rushing the passer. His ability to penetrate the back field is shown here against Vanderbilt as he defends the run and almost comes up with a safety.

That example shows his quickness and effectiveness coming off the edge. Now lets see him do it as a defensive tackle.

Those two plays show exactly why teams are interested in him as either a defensive end or a defensive tackle.

Weaknesses

There are a couple of weaknesses in Bullards game that must be addressed. One is that he tends to stand a little too upright, thus loosing some leverage. Secondly is some questions regarding his athleticism and agility. Most of that comes up when he’s trying to shed blockers or move left to right around them.

One final thing that I’ve seen as an inconsistency is that he can over pursue runners. His angles are either dead on or a step behind.

I’ll also note he suffered multiple injuries in his final season. While he did make all of his starts, he suffered injuries to his knee, arm, and hamstring. Those concerns may contribute to a fall in draft stock in late April.

Final Thoughts

Because of his strength and pass rushing ability, Bullard has the potential to fall into the late first round range. While I would place him in the early to mid second, scouts are intrigued by his versatility and ability to play in multiple scheme effectively. A team looking for a pass rusher off the edge (such as Carolina, Kansas City, or Arizona) would be pleased with Bullard with their late first round pick.