Friday, April 30, 2021

DT Alim McNeil Scouting Reports and Articles


Scouting Reports:




Alim McNeill -  Nose Guard North Carolina State Wolfpack Scouting Report:  https://www.si.com/nfl/draft/scouting-reports/alimmcneill




Rankings:

Thor Nystrom DT (5. Alim McNeil, NC State | 6’2/320 (Comp: Malcolm Brown):  McNeil was a consensus four-star recruit and 18th rated defensive tackle who could have gone to just about any school he wanted, receiving offers from Penn State, Michigan, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, Arkansas, Clemson and Virginia Tech. However the Raleigh, NC native eschewed the opportunity to play at a more high profile institution in favor of staying close to home and attending NC State.  A talented baseball player in high school, McNeil hit .355 as a senior and was a three-year all-conference honoree on the diamond. Despite his gigantic 280-pound stature at the time, McNeil possessed the requisite quickness to play both linebacker and running back in high school, cashing in 40 career touchdowns as a rusher.   His advanced agility for his size helped McNeil transition to the collegiate game seamlessly, earning freshman All-American accolades from 247Sports. He was freed up to create disruption from the three-tech, logging only 29 of his 410 snaps from the nose tackle position. As a result McNeil registered his highest single season total in pressures, with 20, while tying his single season best mark with 19 stops and posting 3.0 sacks.   Sophomore year he bulked up from 300 pounds to 320 to endure the rigors of lining up on ball as a 0-1 tech nose tackle, a role he would occupy for the remainder of his Wolfpack tenure. McNeil thrived as a stout, block-eating enforcer who holds his ground and clogs run lanes while also possessing the requisite quickness to push the pocket and cash in secondary sack opportunities. He recorded an impressive 5.5 sacks and 28 tackles on the year, capping off a standout year by humbling a quality UNC interior offensive line to the tune of 5 tackles and 2.0 sacks in the season finale.  In 2020, McNeil was just as productive as his breakout 5.5 sack performance from a year ago, but serving as a double-team stacking, run-stuffing nose tackle instead of a pocket crasher. He lined up far less frequently from the 1 or 3 tech spots where he can attack with angles more effectively. Ruthless on run plays, McNeil is rarely driven backwards and is violent with his hands, as his sky-high PFF run grade of 92.1 will attest.  Here is a two-play sequence from their 2020 game against Virginia Tech where McNeil first uses his quick feet and balance to dart through the gap and string out Khalil Herbert. On the next play he fires off the snap, immediately establishes dominant hand position and burrows Virginia Tech OL Brock Hoffman into the backfield before ripping his hands away and pursuing the ball carrier.  On this next play set McNeil gets double-teamed on a designed run, however he anchors down and maintains his leverage while closing off his gap and making the play on D’Eriq King. He then manhandles Miami C Corey Gaynor, forcing RB Cam’Ron Harris to bounce the play outside.  McNeil excels as a gap-plugging interior defender who can hold the point of attack and drive opposing linemen into the backfield on run plays. He is one of the few athletic IDLs in this class that is strong and thick enough to handle early down nose tackle work. His pass rush value stems from his combination of strength, balance and power rather than an array of moves. Utilizes a strong bull rush, superior hand position and a deceptive first-step to gain an advantage before using his strong lower body to generate push. He could use more nuance as a pass rusher and is a bit too stout to be an immediate heads-up starter. However with more polish and a couple of tools to draw upon McNeil could be a valuable gap filler and a menacing run defender at the NFL level. He has the advantage of being a solid, athletic nose tackle prospect in a three-tech heavy class.):   https://www.nbcsports.com/edge/article/nfl-draft-order/nfl-draft-idl-rankings

Articles:

NFL player comparisons for the top 50 prospects in the 2021 draft class (42. Alim McNeill, IDL, North Carolina State -- Grady Jarrett:  I had a second-round grade on Jarrett when he came out of Clemson in 2015, so I was shocked when he lasted until the 137th overall pick in the fifth round of that draft. Jarrett has proven to be at least a second-round talent if not more (had the Falcons held on to win Super Bowl LI, Jarrett had an outside shot at MVP with his three sacks), and though he wasn’t for everybody at 6-foot-0 and about 300 pounds, he fit quite naturally into Atlanta’s defense as a nose and nose shade tackle, with occasional three-tech work. McNeill has many of Jarrett’s attributes, and should benefit his NFL line sooner than later. — DF) (4-22-21):  https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/lists/nfl-player-comparisons-trevor-lawrence-justin-fields-kyle-pitts-mac-jones/

O'HARA'S DRAFT PREVIEW: 10 defensive linemen that could interest Lions (5. Alim McNeill, North Carolina St - Stats line: 30 career games, 17.5 tackles for loss with 10 sacks. Careers highs of 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks were in 2019.  How he could fit the Lions: A two-year starter, built to play nose tackle if the Lions are looking for an interior defender.) (4-17-21):  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/10-defensive-linemen-that-could-interest-lions-paye-rousseau-barmore

NFL Draft: Five superlatives for intriguing players in a mediocre defensive line class (Most Pro-Ready: Alim McNeill, NC State - Simply put, Alim McNeill is an absolute tank. N.C. State’s defense was a disaster in 2020, giving up 29.2 points and over 415 yards per game, but that wasn’t the fault of McNeill.  McNeill is a classic nose tackle prospect with powerful hands and surprising explosiveness and athleticism for a player his size, but what will get him on the field early is his ability to decipher blocking schemes and beat offensive linemen to their landmarks.  Take both of these plays against Virginia Tech from last season. As the offensive lineman is getting his second foot in the ground, McNeill has already deciphered where the ball is going. There are questions to be had about his range outside the tackle box, as there are about basically every nose tackle ever, but he puts himself in advantageous positions by getting in front of the play.  McNeill isn’t a great pass rusher, which might push him down into late Day 2 or Early Day 3, but he his understanding of the game will get him on the field in a hurry as a rookie.) (4-15-21):  https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/2021-nfl-draft-defensive-line-scouting-superlatives

PFF Critical Factors: The most important numbers for the 2021 NFL Draft class (Over the last two seasons, the best run-defense grades belong to a pair of stout nose tackles in LSU’s Tyler Shelvin and NC State’s Alim McNeil. McNeil has the edge as a pass-rusher with a 77th-percentile pass-rush grade in college football compared to Shelvin’s 39th-percentile mark.) (4-14-21):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-pff-critical-factors-most-important-numbers-for-2021-nfl-draft-class

2021 NFL Draft: Biggest pro and con for each of PFF’s top DL prospects (DI ALIM MCNEILL, NC STATE - Biggest pro: Explosiveness at his size -McNeill came to NC State as a four-star defensive tackle recruit who played linebacker and running back in high school. Yes, that’s right — running back. And he was pretty good in that role thanks to his explosiveness.  The 6-foot-2, 320-pound interior defensive lineman's get-off often stymies interior offensive linemen. McNeill moved to 0-technique in 2019, producing a 79.4 PFF grade, and then broke out to elite status in 2020 with a 90.7 grade in the same role.  Biggest con: Pass-rushing moves - McNeill's college production as a beefy interior lineman will get the seal of approval from the NFL, but that success was largely because of his explosiveness. He flashed few pass-rush moves at NC State. You can get away with a lack of refinement at the college level, but that won’t fly in the NFL. McNeill will need to develop his pass-rush toolbox to find similar success in the league. If he can do that, the sky’s the limit.) (4-7-21):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2021-nfl-draft-biggest-pro-con-top-defensive-line-prospects

2021 NFL Draft: Landing spots for PFF’s top 8 defensive line prospects (DI ALIM MCNEILL, NC STATE: DALLAS COWBOYS:  Dallas needs an interior defender who can hold his own at nose tackle and won’t be a liability against the run. And there just might be a great one on the board when they are picking at No. 44 in Round 2: the beefy and explosive Alim McNeill.  The 6-foot-2, 320-pound interior defensive lineman has a ridiculous get-off that few interior offensive linemen can handle. After playing primarily as a defensive tackle in his 2018 true freshman season, McNeill moved to 0-technique in 2019 and produced a 79.4 PFF grade.  He then broke out to elite status in 2020 with a 90.7 grade in the same role. He was a constant force against the run, earning a 92.1 grade in that facet. Despite playing almost solely at heads-up nose, McNeill was a fairly productive pass rusher in 2020 (77.5 pass-rush grade). However, he doesn’t have much in his pass-rush toolbox and is fairly raw. He still managed to dominate from his role, though.  I can almost envision Jerry Jones smirking and dialing this pick in from his yacht.) (3-4-21):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2021-nfl-draft-landing-spots-pff-top-defensive-line-prospects

Meet Alim McNeill, North Carolina State's explosive DL prospect (3-1-21):  https://draftwire.usatoday.com/2021/03/01/2021-nfl-draft-prospects-alim-mcneill-north-carolina-state-interview/

2021 NFL Draft: 10 prospects PFF likes more than other scouts and media (DI ALIM MCNEILL, NC STATE (PFF Big Board Rank: 47):  McNeill came to NC State as a four-star defensive tackle recruit who played linebacker and running back in high school. Yes, running back — and he was damn good carrying the rock with how explosive he is.  The 6-foot-2, 320-pound interior defensive lineman has a ridiculous get-off that few interior offensive linemen could handle. McNeill moved to 0-technique in 2019 and produced a 79.4 PFF grade. He then broke out to elite status in 2020 with a 90.7 grade in the same role. He was a constant force against the run, earning a 92.1 grade in that facet. And despite playing almost exclusively at heads-up nose, McNeill generated good pass-rush production (77.5 pass-rush grade). That output won’t hold in the NFL unless McNeill can improve from a technical standpoint, though.  Some view his pass-rush move repertoire, or lack thereof, and rawness as big weaknesses, but we don’t think this should be viewed as negatively. McNeill was one of college football's most dominant nose tackles over the past few years, and yet, there’s still so much more room for him to grow. The sky’s the limit. In due time, he’s going to be an impact player at the next level.) (2-24-21):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-pffs-favorite-2021-nfl-draft-prospects

2021 NFL Draft interior defensive line rankings (2. ALIM MCNEIL, N.C. STATE:  McNeil is the rare nose tackle who can also affect the passing game. He played true 0-technique in N.C. State’s defense this past season and was quite easily the most immovable nose in college football, leading all Power 5 defensive tackles in run-defense grade (92.1). At 340 pounds with a legit get-off, McNeil plops down against double-teams and doesn’t cede an inch. While still more disruptor than a playmaker, McNeil has shown flashes over his career.  I think the most encouraging thing about McNeil’s tape is that even though he has almost no pass-rushing moves to speak of, he’s still earned pass-rush grades of 80.8 and 77.5 over the past two seasons. You can forgive a true junior for being a little raw, but the fact that he’s still producing for as raw as he is? That is what we like to see.) (2-22-21):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2021-nfl-draft-interior-defensive-line-rankings

2021 NFL Draft: Building the best defensive line from the 2021 draft class (NOSE TACKLE: ALIM MCNEILL, NC STATE:  This is almost a no-brainer because we don’t usually see nose tackles with this much athleticism.  I didn’t think there was a point in separating nose tackles into pass-rushers and run defenders because you’re generally not asking your nose to win much in the passing game. That said, McNeill is a superb pass-rusher from the nose alignments, which is what makes him stand out. His pass-rush grade over the last two seasons is 84.0 — awesome for a nose.  McNeill is a very patient pass-rusher who sets up centers before hitting them with a push-pull or club-swim counter move against the grain to get to the quarterback. He could end up playing in the NFL for a lot of years — he is one of the most fun prospects to watch in this draft.) (2-17-21):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2021-nfl-draft-building-best-defensive-line

PFF 2021 NFL Draft Guide: PFF's top interior defensive line prospect, plus a wild card to watch (BIGGEST RISER: ALIM MCNEIL, NC STATE:  Alim McNeill was a coveted recruit coming out of North Carolina’s Sanderson High School in 2018. He made more than 200 tackles playing linebacker on the defensive side of the ball and scored more than 30 offensive touchdowns in his preps career — and he did it at 6-foot-2, 272 pounds. He received more than 25 scholarship offers and ultimately made the decision to stay close to home by signing with NC State over Virginia Tech and Alabama, among others. Every defense known to mankind can use a run-stuffing nose tackle who can also consistently collapse pockets. With McNeil's explosiveness at 320 pounds, he could very well be that guy sooner rather than later. Even with little more than a first step in his repertoire, McNeil earned a 92.1 run-defense grade and a 77.5 pass-rushing grade this season. He also showed marked improvement holding up to double teams compared to 2019. In a weak defensive tackle class, McNeil could pay big dividends.  NFL player comparison: Javon Hargrave.  Biggest strength: Explosiveness at his size.  Biggest weakness: Pass-rushing moves.  Projection: Second-round pick.  Bottom line: McNeil is a line-of-scrimmage resetter on the nose who could make his presence felt as a pass-rusher in time.) (2-2-21):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2021-nfl-draft-pff-top-interior-defensive-linemen

2021 NFL Draft: PFF's favorite draft prospect at each position (DI ALIM MCNEILL, N.C. STATE (90.7):  McNeil made Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List last summer and lived up to that billing on the field during the fall. The 320-pound nose tackle led all Power 5 interior defenders with a 92.1 run-defense grade this past season; he didn’t face a center who could take him off the line of scrimmage one-on-one. While he's still raw, it’s encouraging that he’s producing on a football field despite that.) (1-26-21):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-pff-favorite-2021-nfl-draft-prospects

Top 10 defensive line prospects in 2021 NFL Draft (2. Alim McNeill | NC State — It didn’t take McNeill long to make an impact for the Wolfpack. As a freshman in 2018, McNeill notched 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. In 2020, McNeill’s numbers weren’t quite as impressive with 4.5 tackles for loss and just 1.0 sack. Still, Pro Football Focus believes he will be a coveted prospect because of how well he moves for a player his size.) (1-21-21):  https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/2021-NFL-Draft-rankings-defensive-line-Christian-Barmore-Greg-Rousseau-159658946/#159658946_1

2021 NFL Draft: Ranking the top five players at each position (This isn’t the year to be in need of defensive tackle help. Outside of Barmore, there may not be another guy making too much of an impact in Year 1. One guy who could certainly develop into a difference-maker in time, though, is North Carolina State’s Alim McNeil. He’s a 320-pounder who possesses a first-step like a 280-pounder. He played a ton of pure 0-tech for the Wolfpack and continuously disrupted in the run game. McNeil’s 92.1 run-defense grade was the second-highest in the country at the position. While he’s got little in the way of pass-rushing moves, it doesn’t take much to be effective in that regard with his explosiveness.) (1-19-21):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2021-nfl-draft-ranking-top-five-players-each-position

101 best players in college football from the 2020 season (34.  DI ALIM MCNEIL, NC STATE:  McNeil played 87% of his total snaps at heads-up nose tackle this year, making his production nothing short of incredible. Only one player since 2014 has produced a higher PFF grade at 0-technique than McNeil’s 90.5 mark this season (former Mississippi State Bulldog and current Tennessee Titan Jeffery Simmons in 2017). McNeil won 10% of his pass-rush snaps at nose tackle, an impressive figure in its own right, but his success was largely in run defense. He was a constant disruptor en route to a 92.1 run-defense grade on the year.) (1-18-21):  https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-101-best-players-2020

College Football 2020: PFF’s All-ACC Team (First-Team: Alim McNeil, NC State:  McNeil played 87% of his total snaps at heads-up nose tackle this year, making his production nothing short of incredible. Only one player since 2014 has produced a higher PFF grade at 0-technique than McNeil’s 90.5 this season (former Mississippi State Bulldog and current Tennessee Titan Jeffery Simmons in 2017).  McNeil won 10% of his pass-rush snaps from the position, an impressive figure in its own right, but the reason for his overall success is due to his run defense. He was a constant disruptor against opposing run games and earned a 92.1 run-defense grade on the year.) (12-22-20):  https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-2020-pffs-all-acc-team

College Football 2020: PFF's All-American Team (First-Team: Alim McNeil, NC State - McNeil played 87% of his total snaps at heads-up nose tackle this year, making his production nothing short of incredible. Only one player since 2014 has produced a higher PFF grade at 0-technique than McNeil’s 90.5 this season (former Mississippi State Bulldog and current Tennessee Titan Jeffery Simmons in 2017).  McNeil won 10% of his pass-rush snaps at nose tackle, an impressive figure in its own right, but the reason for his success is all due to his run defense. He was a constant disruptor and fully deserved the 92.1 run-defense grade on the year.) (12-21-20):  https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-2020-pffs-all-american-team

2021 NFL Draft: PFF's Draft Riser Team (DI ALIM MCNEILL, N.C. STATE:  It certainly helps McNeil that there’s almost nothing in the way of “blue chip” at defensive tackle in this year’s class. With the rare quicks that he brings to the table as a 320-pound nose tackle, his dominance against the run this year could make him the first defensive tackle off the board. He earned a 91.8 run-defense grade this season after a 77.1 in that regard last year. His block and double-team recognition have taken massive steps forward. While he’s still a work in progress as a pass-rusher, he can penetrate at an elite level.) (12-11-20):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2021-nfl-draft-pffs-all-draft-riser-team

The best college football player on every Power 5 team (NC State: Alim McNeill, DI:  McNeill has proved to be worth the preseason hype and has turned into a dominant, run-stuffing force inside for the Wolfpack. His 88.3 run defense grade is the second best in all of the Power 5. He clogs up the middle every snap, allowing for his linebackers to make plays cleanly. He has made his presence felt against the pass, as well, with seven total pressures.) (11-6-20):  https://www.pff.com/news/the-best-college-football-player-on-every-power-5-team

College Football Recap, Week 6: The top storylines from the weekend (McNeill is a force in the middle of the line (1:10 PM):  North Carolina State has looked good this year, and presently, they are up 17 points over ACC foe Virginia as the first half is coming to a close. Through it all, nose tackle Alim McNeill has looked very impressive.  He’s a quick, explosive defensive lineman built low to the ground, and McNeill can be impossible to stop. Most impressive is the way he holds his ground against double team blocks, occupying opponents and allowing teammates to make plays on the ball. McNeill is also agile with a good change of direction, which helps him make plays on the ball. TP) (10-11-20):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/college-football-scores-schedule-live-blog-week-6-2020/

College Football Games Today, Week 3: TV Schedule and Live Blog with Tony Pauline (Alim McNeill has shined against Wake Forest (10:50 PM ET):  The defensive tackle for NC State has been disruptive all night for the Wolfpack, wreaking havoc on the Wake Forest offensive line. He just forced a fumble that gives the ball back to the Wolfpack with a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter. With Florida State’s Marvin Wilson, Pitt’s group of Jaylen Twyman and Keyshon Camp, and Clemson’s dominant defensive line, the NC State product has flown under-the-radar in his conference. He isn’t a dominant pass-rusher or athlete, but his ability to hold at the point-of-attack and disrupt the run game makes him an ideal nose at the next level. I’d expect a draft stock of day three with a chance to improve that with a good Combine showing. -AS) (9-19-20):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/college-football-games-today-week-3-live-blog-tony-pauline/

College Football Week 3 Preview: Picks, predictions and advanced stats to know (On the defensive side of the ball, they have a great nose tackle in Alim McNeil. He was one of two Power Five defensive linemen to produce 75.0-plus grades both against the run and as a pass-rusher when lined up at heads-up nose.) (9-18-20):  https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-week-3-preview-picks-predictions-stats

College Football: PFF's 2020 Preseason All-ACC Team (FIRST TEAM: ALIM McNEIL, NC STATE:  You're not going to find a more productive heads-up nose tackle both against the run and the pass than McNeil. Over 88% of his snaps in 2019 were at 0-tech, and he was one of two Power Five interior defensive linemen to produce 75.0-plus grades in both facets there.) (8-22-20):   https://www.pff.com/news/college-football-pffs-2020-preseason-all-acc-team

2021 NFL Draft: Preseason interior defensive line rankings (5. ALIM MCNEILL, N.C. STATE:  Nose tackles aren't supposed to move the way McNeill does. At 326 pounds, McNeil is rumored to run a sub-5.0-second 40-yard dash. That's reaching Dontari Poe levels of scooting for a big fella. If you watch even a handful of McNeill's tape, you'll believe the rumors. Centers simply could not match up with him athletically enough to reach-block McNeill, and he was damn near unblockable when they slanted him.  He didn't win a ton as a pass-rusher, with 18 pressures on 252 rushes last season, but when he did, it was in the blink of an eye. Seven of those pressures resulted in sacks, and his 80.8 pass-rushing grade is a reflection of just how quickly he was winning. Only a true junior this upcoming year, McNeill needs to play lower more consistently if he wants teams to look at him as a nose tackle.  2020 Outlook:  McNeil has to up his game against better competition this year, or else he'll be returning to N.C. State in 2021. The only games he had that earned grades of 75.0 or higher as a pass-rusher came against Eastern Carolina, Western Carolina and West Virginia. Doing that against some real interior lines is a must.) (8-13-20):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2021-nfl-draft-preseason-interior-defensive-line-rankings

2020 ACC Preseason Summer Scouting Preview (Alim McNeill is a stout, somewhat athletic nose tackle with the ability to make plays on the ball. He explodes off the snap, plays with great pad level and is impossible to move off the point. McNeill is not a good pass rusher and has limitations, although he could start in the right system on Sundays.)(7-9-20):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/2020-acc-preseason-summer-scouting-preview/3/

2021 NFL Draft: Alim McNeill is an underrated draft prospect (6-16-20):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/alim-mcneill-2021-nfl-draft-prospect/
Posted by LionsFan at 10:14 PM

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