Nyeem Wartman-White, ILB, Penn State: 2017 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Nyeem Wartman-White, a 2012 three-star recruit, started 24 of 30 career games for Penn State. He was granted a medical redshirt after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the second game of his freshman year in 2012.
This wouldn’t be the only major knee injury for Wartman-White, as he suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in 2015 and a torn ACL in his right knee in 2016. Over the course of his career, he missed 34 games as a result of an injury. He decided to enter the 2017 NFL Draft rather than pursue a sixth year of eligibility.
In the 30 games, Wartman-White did appear in, he recorded 124 tackles, 9.5 for a loss and 1.5 sacks. In his career, he played for two head coaches and five different defensive coordinators. He possesses solid size with good athletic ability.
Measurables
Height: 6-1
Weight: 240 lbs.
Games Watched
2016: Pittsburgh, Temple
2015: Temple
2014: Michigan State
2013: Central Florida
Strengths
Nyeem Wartman-White displays good instincts against the pass as he identifies the play quickly and locates receivers entering his zone. From man coverage, he locks onto his man and mirrors routes closely to take away check-downs and force tight windows.
In this game against Central Florida from his redshirt freshman season, Wartman-White is responsible for the tight end to the right of the formation. The TE runs a drag route and is all alone with Wartman-White in the middle of the field as the receiver to the left clears space by running deep downfield.
From his linebacker position, Wartman-White quickly identifies the TE in his area and closes on the receiver to prevent an easy completion. This forces quarterback Blake Bortles to look elsewhere. With the pressure closing in, Bortles heaves an ill-advised pass to the next receiver in his progression. As a result of the pressure, the pass is underthrown and easily intercepted by the defense.
Against the run, Wartman-White demonstrates solid athleticism as he explodes out of his stance and aggressively attacks the gaps. He shows good awareness by not losing sight of the ball and exhibits a very good burst to the outside on stretch plays. Good play speed allows him to cover a wide range from the second level and cutoff the ball carrier’s angle to the sideline. He displays solid balance through contact to make the stop and bring the ball carrier to the ground.
Despite his injury history, Wartman-White isn’t afraid to throw his body around and level an opponent. That’s exactly what happens on the following play as Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook attempts to scramble to his right. The linebacker closes on the ball faster than Cook anticipates and can land a very good shoulder tackle on the former Spartan before he can slide.
Weaknesses
Nyeem Wartman-White aggressively attacks the first move he sees and is caught out of position on play fakes and counters. This play against Pittsburgh is a good example. From his linebacker position, Wartman-White sees the quarterback turn to his left to hand the ball off. He quickly attacks the B gap but is caught well out of position when the ball carrier cuts back to the right. Left guard Dorian Johnson can reach the second level and push him further out of the play as the running back picks up 24 yards.
Stiff hips prevent Wartman-White from changing direction quickly and turning upfield. He struggles to fight through traffic and finds himself blocked before hitting the gap downhill as a result of marginal play strength. This also hampers him once blocked as he lacks the strength to disengage from blocks.
Here, the left guard climbs to the second level of the defense and easily turns Wartman-White (lined up at RILB) away from the play before he can chase the running back down the line of scrimmage.
Wartman-White’s injury history is the biggest blemish on his resume. He appeared in just 30 games while missing 34 due to injury. He was at Happy Valley for five seasons, three of which were ended by serious knee injuries.
Overall
Overall, Nyeem Wartman-White is a backup inside linebacker who wins with play speed and competitive toughness. He’s not someone who possesses the playing strength required to be a run stopper in the middle of the field. His injury history will likely prevent him from being selected in the 2017 NFL Draft, but he showed enough in limited action to get a look in training camp as part of a 90-man roster.
If Wartman-White is going to make an NFL roster, he’ll have to stand out on special teams. He’s proven capable of covering tight ends and running backs in passing situations, so a role as a third-down linebacker down the road isn’t out of the question.