Carl Nassib, DE, Penn State: 2016 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Heading into the 2015 college football season Carl Nassib was nowhere to be found on NFL Draft big boards. An undersized back-up defensive end who only had two sacks in his collegiate career. The 2015 season was an entirely different story. Nassib bulked up and earned the starting job alongside the likes of Austin Johnson and Anthony Zettel.

With little to no expectations heading into the season, Nassib blew people away with his nation-high 15.5 sacks and bull rusher attack. He would win the Vince Lombardi award, given to the best defensive player in the country. He joined past winners Ndamukong Suh, Luke Kuechly, and Aaron Donald on a prestigious list he could only dream of makings.

Measurables 

Height: 6’6

Weight: 273 lbs

Hand Width: 10.38 in

Arm Length: 34.12 in

Wing Spand: 82.78 in

Strengths

Carl Nassib is your typical bull rusher prospect. He has great upper body strength and can be a force to reckon with coming off the edge. He also shows speed, flexibility, and a natural bend coming out of his stance and working his way around offensive tackles.

You also can’t deny his production in 2015. His 15.5 sacks led the country and his awareness and anticipation led to some truly dominating performances. One of those games was against Buffalo when he had three sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception.

Nassib has also been impressing at the Senior Bowl.

Weaknesses

One of the key things to remember is that Nassib only started for one year and he is still raw. You can see that when he gets a lack of leverage and relies too much on his speed and power. He can also be a bit over aggressive, but at the moment I don’t see that as something that will hold NFL teams from drafting him.

Here’s another tape from the Senior Bowl practices showing some of Nassib’s weaknesses with direct one-on-one battles.

Team Fits: New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Final Thoughts

Carl Nassib as just a name on a depth chart six months ago, but an incredible season has pushed him further and further up NFL Draft boards. His 15.5 sacks will probably bump him up a couple of rounds higher than his total ability, but with a solid defensive line coach he could turn into a decent NFL pass rusher.