Inside the War Room: 2021 NFL Draft defensive player review

2021 NFL Draft Scouting Notes

-One of the more athletic linebackers in this year’s class is LSU’s, Jabril Cox. When watching his film it is impressive how smoothly he moves in the open field. He looks natural in coverage and in fact, was one of the leaders among linebackers in interceptions this year with three. In coverage, he shows both the speed to keep up with most opponents he sees, and the awareness to play zone coverage at a high level.

While he is stronger when it comes to defending the pass than stopping the run he does show the quickness to play sideline to sideline and is a strong tackler. In order to improve his game against the run, he is going to have to do a better job of fighting off blocks and play more physical overall.

-USC’s Talanoa Hufanga is one of the better strong safety prospects in the draft. What makes his game so appealing is his physical style of play. USC plays him close in the box when they go to a one safety look and this is where he has earned his reputation as one of the hardest hitters in the Pac-12. He shows great force when making a tackle and even displays the ability to switch to an outside linebacker role in the NFL. While he is not as strong in pass coverage he was able to lead the Pac-12 in interceptions this year with four.

His biggest issue in coverage is he lacks the fluid hips that allows a player to keep up with more swift wide receivers. Another concern teams might have with him is his physical style of play could lead to him being injury-plagued. A pro comparison Hufanga will surely draw is a larger Bob Sanders, as both players were great against the run and knew how to hit.

-One of the deepest positions in the 2021 NFL Draft is defensive end. The depth of this position will likely cause talent edge rushers to fall into the second, and one of the players likely to last until day two is Cincinnati defensive end Myjai Sanders. When evaluating Sanders the first thing that pops out is his impressive athletic ability. This ability allows him to get a great bend off the edge, and make plays in the open field.

He shows an outstanding burst off the line of scrimmage as well, which is one of the reasons he has recorded 10.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks in just nine games this year. One other positive with him is his high football intelligence. He shows great awareness when not able to get to the quarterback, which has allowed him to bat down five passes this year.

The biggest knock on him would be that while he does have great length coming in at 6-foot-5, he needs to bulk up from his current 258-pound weight. Cincinnati’s game against Georgia on January 1st will go a long way in determining where Sanders goes in the 2021 NFL Draft as it is his first action against a Power Five opponent this year.

-Despite having somewhat of a down year this year, look for Central Arkansas’s Robert Rochell to be one of the first FCS players drafted this year. The main reason he is so highly regarded by NFL general managers is his impressive athletic ability.

According to Bruce Feldman’s Freak List, Rochell has an 11-8 broad jump, 41-inch vertical jump, and runs the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds. If he can post anything close to these numbers at the NFL Combine he will be one of the most talked-about prospects of the week.

While 2020 was one of Rochell’s worst seasons of his career only recording three pass breakups and zero interceptions he had been one of the most productive defensive backs in the FCS previously. In 2019, he was named an FCS All-American after breaking up 13 passes and also having five interceptions. He was also able to pick off four balls in 2018 despite only starting eight games. It would not be shocking to see some team fall in love with the raw tools Rochell possesses and snag him early on day three.

-A player who will likely be undrafted to keep an eye on is Florida Atlantic linebacker Leighton McCarthy. The main reason he is an intriguing prospect is the production he has had in college. This past season he recorded nine sacks in just eight games. He has also been productive at defensive end and outside linebacker which should give a team some versatility of where to use him. McCarthy is the type of prospect who could have a chance at making it as a situational pass rusher, and someone who contributes on special teams.

-Inside the War Room each week highlights one prospect who will fall to at least the third day of the draft, yet has the potential to make an impact in the NFL. This week’s sleeper prospect is North Carolina Central cornerback Bryan Mills. What makes Mills such an intriguing prospect is his size, raw athletic ability, and ball skills.

Coming in at 6-foot-2, Mills has the size teams love to see, although he would be wise to add a few pounds to his 170-pound frame. He possesses the athletic ability to play at the next level as well. He has the fluid hips to hang with even smaller receivers, which is rare to see in bigger corners.

Mills also had numerous plays last year where he is making an athletic interception or play on the ball. Scouts will also be impressed with his overall ball skills as he finished the 2019 season with 13 pass breakups and five interceptions. While he does have the skills to be a contributor at the next level, the fact that he is still very raw when it comes to technique and played against a low level of competition will likely force him to at least the fifth round of the 2021 NLF Draft.