Monday, May 3, 2021

DT Alim McNeil Rankings

Overall (Average Ranking - 76.29):

Touchdown Top 50 (42. Alim McNeill, IDL, North Carolina State (Height: 6’1″ (10th), Weight: 317 (84th), Arm Length: 32 5/8 inches (29th), 40-Yard Dash: 4.94 (71st), Bench Press: 27 reps (60th), Vertical Jump: 31 inches (59th), Broad Jump: 108 inches (56th), 3-Cone Drill: 7.71 seconds (36th), 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.59 seconds (54th)) - Bio: A linebacker and running back at Sanderson High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, McNeill recorded more than 200 tackles and scored more than 30 touchdowns as a 6-foot-2, 272-pound “rolling ball of butcher knives.” He was also a three-time All-Conference right fielder, but imagine trying to tackle this guy when he’s playing running back…  He chose NC State to stay close to home and do double duty athletically, though he gave up baseball after his his freshman football season. McNeill was named a Freshman All-American in 2018, and was named First Team All-ACC in 2020.  Over three seasons with the Wolfpack, McNeill totaled 36 solo tackles, 41 assists, 17.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, one 18-yard interception for a touchdown, five passes defensed, and two forced fumbles. He had 50 total pressures and 52 stops, as well.  The interception return for a touchdown deserves its own highlight, because, of course, BIG MAN WITH FOOTBALL.  Stat to Know: McNeill’s gap usage was exactly consistent from 2019 to 2020 — at nose tackle on 91% of his snaps, other tackle positions 7% of the time, and at end 1% of the time.  Strengths: Absolute power pig of a nose tackle with quick movement off the snap, and a natural stack-and-shed technique that can leave centers reeling. Won frequently as the head-over nose tackle in three-man fronts with no additional blitz. Very agile off the snap if he’s not attacking the center right away — McNeill can use foot movement to win to one wide or the other. Uses natural low center of gravity and an aggressive attitude to create gaps and knife through double-teams. Has the lateral quickness to get to the pocket by moving through gaps to open space.  Weaknesses: While he gives great effort with his hands, McNeill’s obviously short arms get him into trouble when his blocker extends his arms first — McNeill can get pushed back and lost in the wash when this happens. Stamina issues show up late in games. McNeill could use a more refined pass-rush palate, but one assumes NFL coaching will take care of that.  Conclusion: Not every team is going to want a 6-foot-1, 317-pound nose tackle. But the teams that find McNeill interesting might find him even more interesting in four-man fronts, as an occasional nose shade to take advantage of his quick aggression, and as a gap mover based on scheme. He’s likely to find himself undervalued due to size and arm length concerns, but in the right scheme, McNeill has the look of a Day 1 starter.  NFL Comparison: 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.):  https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/lists/2021-nfl-draft-big-board-kyle-shanahan-trey-lance-trevor-lawrence-justin-fields-kyle-pitts/

PFF Big Board (64. DT Alim McNeil:  McNeil earned the highest run-defense grade among the country's defensive tackles this past season. He’s an immovable force on the nose at 320 pounds and has enough burst off the line to develop as a pass-rusher.):  https://www.pff.com/draft/big-board?season=2021



ESPN BPA (70. DT Alim McNeil):  https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft/bestavailable

CBS (70. DT Alim McNeil - Draft Scouting Report:  Rating: 84.57.  Best Trait: Strength.  Strengths:  Hands, Ability to beat double teams.  Weaknesses:  Versatility, Pass rushing ability):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/prospect-rankings/


Tankathon (71. DT Alim McNeil):  http://www.tankathon.com/nfl/big_board






Draftwire Top 300 (87. Alim McNeill | DL | North Carolina State):  https://draftwire.usatoday.com/lists/2021-nfl-draft-rankings-big-board-top-300-prospects/


CBS Ryan Wilson (97. DT Alim McNeil (DL9):  The five defensive linemen listed in this range all have a chance to be immediate contributors (Milton Williams and Alim McNeill, for different reasons, are a lot of fun to watch)):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-draft-2021-big-board-top-150-kyle-pitts-jamarr-chase-crack-top-three-in-class-deep-at-wr-cb-and-ol/


Positional (Average Ranking - 4.38):

PFF DT (2. ALIM MCNEILL, N.C. STATE
PFF BIG BOARD RANK: 54.  McNeil earned the highest run-defense grade among the country's defensive tackles this past season. He’s an immovable force on the nose at 320 pounds and has enough burst off the line to develop as a pass-rusher.):  https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2021-nfl-draft-interior-defensive-line-rankings

USA Today DT (2. Alim McNeill, North Carolina State - Pros: A two-gapper with immense power and strength. Has sneaky speed and quickness; will chase action down from behind. Can get out of his stance in a hurry, putting a blocker on his heels and gaining the initial advantage. Cons: Struggles to adjust his weight laterally. Won’t always maximize leverage and leg drive after the initial engagement. Won’t offer much as a pass rusher.):  https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/draft/2021/04/27/2021-nfl-draft-dt-rankings-top-defensive-tackle-prospects/7379479002/


ESPN DT (3. DT Alim McNeil):  https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft/bestavailable

Tankathon DT (4. DT Alim McNeil):  http://www.tankathon.com/nfl/big_board


Bucky Brooks (5. DT Alim McNeil:  McNeill is a big, athletic dancing bear with ballerina-like quickness and agility. He is a stout presence at the point with some pass-rush ability.):  https://www.nfl.com/news/bucky-brooks-top-five-2021-nfl-draft-prospects-by-position-3-0

NBC Sports Edge Final Position Rankings (5. DT Alim McNeil):  https://www.nbcsports.com/edge/article/rankings/thors-2021-nfl-draft-position-rankings


Top 9 defensive tackles in the 2021 NFL Draft (5. Alim McNeill, NC State:  Breaking into the top five interior defensive linemen in 2021, Alim McNeill steals the show on film. NC State has enjoyed a recent run of talented defensive linemen in recent years, and McNeill is no exception. The athletic marvel at nose tackle, McNeill is highly regarded by the PFN crew. In fact, Dalton Miller has him as his second-highest rated 2021 interior defensive lineman.  A combination of explosiveness and power, McNeill is a handful for guards and centers to deal with. McNeill flies off the snap and immediately uses that explosiveness to shrug off blocks and clog lanes. However, McNeill must continue to improve his repertoire of moves as a pass rusher. He only posted a single sack in 2020, giving many who grade on production pause despite his obvious traits.):  https://www.profootballnetwork.com/top-9-interior-defensive-linemen-2021-nfl-draft/







Posted by LionsFan at 7:26 AM

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
.main-inner .sidebar .Poll { background-color: #AD966C; padding: 15px; }