Steve Longa, OLB Rutgers: 2016 NFL Scouting Report
By Brady Lunt
While growing up, Steve Longa had a love for soccer. Upon reaching the US however, he decided to play football and the transition was almost instantaneous. Longa has been a starter every season since entering Rutgers as a redshirt freshman and has put together some impressively productive seasons. His freshman year, for instance, he totaled 123 tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles. He was named co-Defensive MVP that same year, followed by honorable mention All-Big Ten his junior year. So the question comes, can Longa turn this high-end college production into NFL-caliber talent?
Measurables
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 240 lbs
Year: Junior
Strengths
A tenacious and aggressive defender, Steve Longa is constantly looking for action and isn’t afraid of making the physical stand. Understands how to take proper angles and rarely find him out of position to make a tackle. A strong and finishing tackler who doesn’t miss his target often. Does a nice job diagnosing the run play and always seem to be where he needs to be to make the tackle. A high motor player who is always moving and constantly powering ahead. Extremely productive, racking up three straight 100+ tackle seasons, including four games with double-digit tackles in 2015 alone.
Weaknesses
Struggles in coverage, lacking the speed and agility to chase down running backs and wide receivers. While he comes off as a tenacious defender, he appears to lack the strength needed to fight off blocks. An undersized linebacker, Longa lacks the frame to add more weight which could raise some signals to scouts. There were too many times where he got smothered by bigger opposing offensive lineman.
Final Thoughts
Steve Longa is an intriguing talent, with massive amounts of production and an aggressive, attacking style of play that always seems him in the middle of the action. But scouts will have to weigh these traits with the fact that he’s undersized and not very adept in coverage. He will need to start by make a living on special teams and as a backup, but has the potential to be an eventual starter with the proper time, coaching, and training.
Round Projection: 6th Round