Ian Seau, LB, Nevada: 2016 NFL Draft Scouting Report
By Jeff Olson
It’s always wise to develop your own opinions when researching a player. You can’t let a reputation or the school a guy plays for or family ties play a role in the evaluation process.
That being said, there is just something special about a linebacker named Seau. Junior Seau was the fifth overall pick in 1990 and dominated the NFL from that time until 2009 on his way to a hall of fame career.
Now the torch is passed to his nephew, Ian Seau.
Strengths
Ian Seau brings decent tools to be a pass rushing linebacker at the NFL level. Although he played mostly DE at Nevada, I like him better standing up when he pins his ears back to hunt the quarterback. He is quick off the snap and has decent functional strength at the point of attack.
Seau does a lot of the little things right. He gives good effort and wont take any plays off. He’s also a guy who will get his hands up in the passing lanes, making a play on the ball even when he doesn’t make it home as a rusher.
Weaknesses
Seau is a little too stubby for my liking. He’s only 6’2 and has trouble getting off blocks when opposing lineman get their hands on him. This would be less of an issue if Seau had any real pass rush moves developed, which he does not.
While quick off the snap, Seau lacks impressive closing speed. More mobile quarterbacks in the NFL will be able to simply run away from him and make a play. He’s not the most fluid athlete, lacking ideal balance as edge rusher.
Playing primarily defensive end at college, Ian Seau will really be learning the position from scratch. We know very little of what his instincts as a linebacker would look like, or how comfortable he would feel as a guy who tracks and chases the ball as opposed to just rushing the passer.
Overview
It’s easy to like Ian Seau based just on his name alone. However, he will never be the player his uncle was; you have to take him as his own man. Ian is a project linebacker who basically has to totally learn the position he would play in the NFL.
He is smart, hard working, quick off the snap and would have enough strength to play linebacker at the next level, so I definitely think there is a place for him in the NFL.
Expect him to go late on day three and be a back up pass rushing linebacker in a 3-4 system down the line.