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2015 Draft
Inside Linebackers
This page will be a work in progress and updated frequently. Come back often and watch it develop.

1 Bernardrick McKinney ILB x Mississippi State 4.66 6040 246 x

Raw, versatile, said to run in the 4.5's and have a 34-inch VJ (although his combine numbers didn't reflect this)...Physical and fluid. But lacks elite range and, while intelligent, is sometimes a bit slow to diagnose ...

Pro Day (Brandt) - "...stood on his numbers from the NFL Scouting Combine, where he was a top performer among the linebackers in the vertical jump. McKinney had an impressive positional workout, displaying that he's a real take-charge defender. McKinney has the look of a late first-round to early second-round draft choice (somewhere in the picks Nos. 25-40 range). McKinney is the No. 38-rated prospect in NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah's rankings."

Combine - Arm: 33; BP: 16; VJ: 40.5; BJ: 10-1; 3C: 7.21; 20S: 4.27; 60S: NA......

2 Eric Kendricks ILB x UCLA 4.61 6000 232 x

Rang calls him a "footbball magnet" who has "instinctive read & react quickness" and terms his colege career "spectacular"...Doubters refer to the outatanding cast he had around him...Skill set won't knock your socks off...more explosive hotter than his size would suggest...has quicks and agility to be good in coverage...Lack of length a concern...relies on agility more than technique to avoid blockers.

Pro Day (Brandt) - "...went through some drills despite a nagging hamstring that flared up at the combine. Kendricks did the 20-yard short shuttle in 4.17 seconds and the three-cone in 7.16 seconds. He also performed 22 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. He didn't run the 60-yard long shuttle, but UCLA coach Jim Mora indicated that if a team is worried about drafting Kendricks because he didn't run the long shuttle then they'll miss out on a really good player."

Combine - Arm: 31; BP: 19; VJ: 38; BJ: 10-5; 3C: DNP; 20S: DNP; 60S: DNP........

5 Denzel Perryman ILB x Miami (FL) 4.78 5110 236 x

.Moved to OLB in junior year but more suited to play ILB in the pros...Has the short-squatty frame, instincts and toughness you'd like in an inside LB, but lack of height is a concern. Combine time not especially elite.

Pro Day (Brandt) - NA

Combine - Arm: 31.8; BP: 27; VJ: 32; BJ: 9-5; 3C: DNP; 20S: DNP; 60S: DNP.........

4 Taiwan Jones ILB x Michigan State 4.95 6030 245 x

Added 53 lbs since 2011. Now has prototypical size acompanied by super-long arms....A true downhill ILB who should start immediately for a 3-4 pro defense. Good closing speed/converts the oft' referred-to speed to power. A bit tardy snuffing out plays...and needs to hone read & react skills..

Pro Day (Brandt) - "...ran the 40 in 4.88 and 4.82 seconds. He had a 33 1/2-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-7 broad jump. Jones is kind of a high-cut athlete, but moved around well during the positional workout."

Combine - Arm: 34; BP: 19; VJ: 32; BJ: 9-7; 3C: 7.25; 20S: 4.33; 60S: NA.....

3 Stephen Anthony ILB x Clemson 4.56 6030 243 x

Combine forty time is outstanding and should elevate him on some boards. Prototypical frame...Has an expolsive first-step heading downhill but has just average lateral agility and sometimes will overreact and desert his gaps. Considered by one scouting service to be the most underrated LB in this draft.

Pro Day (Brandt) - "..stood on his numbers from the combine, where he was a top performer among linebackers in the 40-yard dash and 20-yard shuttle. Anthony looked good in the positional drills and displayed his good athletic ability. Anthony is a prospect on the rise."

  Combine - Arm: 32.5; BP: 23; VJ: 37; BJ: 10-2; 3C: 7.07; 20S: 4.03; 60S: NA.....

6 Mike Hull ILB x Penn State 4.60 6000 237 x

Clipped two-tenths of a second off his pre-combine forty time. Product of "Linebacker U."...Considered PSU defensive MVP for past 2 seasons...Triangle numbers considered just "ordinary" (though his combine forty and 3-cone/bench press scores would tend to refute this)...Physical tackler and team leader described as a "football lifer." (Note - This makes six ILB prospects worthy of high-round consideration - a surprisingly deep group).

Pro Day (Brandt) - "...ran the 40 in 4.64, but pulled his left hamstring during the run. So, he was unable to work out in the positional drills. Before pulling his hamstring running the 40, Hull did post a vertical jump of 30 1/2 inches and a 9-foot-2 broad jump. Hull is a good player, but he lacks the ideal size NFL teams look for in a linebacker."

Combine - Arm: 30.5; BP: 31; VJ: DNP; BJ:DNP; 3C: 6.99; 20S: DNP; 60S: 11.52......

7 AJ Tarpley ILB x Stanford x 6010 237 4th-5th

Est Forty: 4.79...Replaced Shayne Skov in middle of Stanford defense..,Has all the intangibles (intelligence, character, discipline etc.) but lacks anything exceptional physically...

Pro Day (Brandt) - NA.

Combine - Not Listed

8 Bryce Hager ILB x Baylor 4.60 6010 234 x

Another bright, disciplined guardian of the middle who may not measure up physically or athletically (but did shave a tenth of a second off his pre-combine forty time)...

Pro Day (Brandt) - "...stood on his numbers from the NFL Scouting Combine and put out a good positional workout at the pro day. Baylor defensive coordinator Phil Bennett says that Hager is the smartest player that he's coached. Bennett relayed defensive calls into Hager during games. In Baylor's win over Oklahoma, Hager checked out of the defensive call that was sent in 85 percent of the time and just once was it the wrong call."

Combine - Arm: 31.4; BP: 26; VJ: 35; BJ: 9-9; 3C: 7.15; 20S: 4.36; 60S: NA....

9 Ramik Wilson ILB x Georgia 4.77 6020 237 x

Productive...can turn and run with wideouts and is intelligent in coverage...but isn't especially strong or physically aggressive (will run around blocks).

Pro Day (Brandt) - "... ran the 40 in 4.62 seconds with the wind and 4.68 seconds against the wind. He also did the three-cone drill in 7.47 seconds. Wilson moved well in the positional drills, and had good coverage in his drops."

Combine - Arm: 33; BP: 23; VJ: 35; BJ: 9-3; 3C: DNP; 20S: 4.51; 60S: NA...

10 Zach Vigil ILB x Utah State x x x x

Stepped in for Bobby Wagner but Utah State defense didn't suffer notably...Not listed on several draft guides but was mentioned as a "small school stud" who was "worth watching." Considered productive but lacking speed that would make him anything more than a career backup.

Pro Day (Brandt) - "... had a good workout and will likely be a priority free agent. He ran 4.68 and 4.67 in the 40. He recorded a 32-inch vertical, 9-5 broad jump, 4.41 short shuttle and 7.11 three-cone drill. Vigil had 26 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press."

had a good workout and will likely be a priority free agent. He ran 4.68 and 4.67 in the 40. He recorded a 32-inch vertical, 9-5 broad jump, 4.41 short shuttle and 7.11 three-cone drill. Vigil had 26 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press."

Combine - Not Listed

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