The 3-4 defense revolves around the talent of its outside linebackers. They must have the speed and strength to effectively rush the quarterback while maintaining the awareness and athleticism to drop into coverage. An outside linebacker must possess these qualities to help his team set up exotic blitz packages that the 3-4 is built around.
3-4 Outside Linebackers:
1. Von Miller
And this one isn't even close. Miller is so much better than any of the other 3-4 outside linebacker prospects. The 2011 Butkus winner has the size at 6'3" and 246 lbs and he can flat out run. He is a sackmaster demonstrated by his relentless pursuit of the quarterback through his arsenal of rushing moves, violent uses of hands to disengage offensive lineman, and his explosive burst to quickly turn the corner. Miller is also physical in the running game using sound tackling and patient reads to diagnose where the ball carrier will go. His skills in man coverage slightly lacking but Miller has athleticism to quickly make up for these deficiencies.
2. Justin Houston
This guy reminds me of a freight train coming at you. He is huge for a linebacker at 6'3" and 270lbs and plays like it too. Houston played both rush linebacker and defensive end during his tenure at Georgia so he can effectively disrupt the passing game from both positions. His explosiveness in combination with the power of his bull rush is a nightmare for any offensive tackle but he possesses the athleticism for more finessed moves. Houston also uses sound tackling technique to overwhelm the ball carrier but he does tend to over pursue. In addition, he lacks experience in dropping back into a consistent basis but Houston will undoubtedly be one of the top prospects come draft day.
3. Sam Acho
You have to love this guy. He played for an underachieving Texas squad last season yet still managed to make the highlight reels on a consistent basis. He is stout at 6'2" and 262lbs and uses his bulk to smother the run. Acho uses the strength of his upper body to bull rush offensive lineman and uses leverage to his advantage. He has great tackling technique for a prospect who mostly played defensive end during his time at Texas and shows the drive to succeed that you want from a developing player. Acho's inexperience in dropping into coverage could hurt his draft stock and he lacks the explosive punch that makes scouts drool. Nevertheless, his work ethic and honorable character will guarantee that Acho will have someone calling his name come April.
No comments:
Post a Comment