The 2019 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. The Game Haus will be doing scouting reports on some of the top prospects in the 2019 NFL Draft. LSU linebacker Devin White has been making plays all over the field for the past two seasons and now could be selected very early in the 2019 NFL Draft.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQAT5kaKe5Y
Background
Position: Linebacker
Class: Junior
2018 stats: 123 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, three sacks, six passes defended, two fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles
Size: 6-foot, 237 pounds
Any teams that need a linebacker that is able to make plays at a high rate need to take a look at selecting Devin White. College offenses knew he was a player on defense that needed to be accounted for and White still was productive.
Fans that have watched LSU games with White on the field will know that he really sticks out during any game. White has been one of the leading tacklers in college football over the past few seasons with 286 total tackles in his career. He also has tallied 28.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, one interception, nine passes defended, three fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles in his time at LSU. Playing in the SEC, White was able to display his range, as he tracked down and tackled many talented athletes. LSU could have been a more successful team with White’s leadership, but the offense often times couldn’t produce.
White’s combination of speed and size will make him a great fit for the NFL. Roquan Smith was drafted number eight overall by the Bears in the 2018 NFL Draft and White should expect to be selected in the same range this season.
Strengths
White’s major strength is his speed. He can be seen flying around the field to track down the ball carrier or using his speed in coverage. His speed puts him in position to make a lot of plays. White also uses his speed effectively when blitzing. He can pursue players from across the field because of his long speed.
At LSU White gained great experience in zone and man coverage. When in zone, White reads the quarterbacks’ eyes, then anticipates and reacts to make the play. In man to man, he can stay attached to both running backs and tight ends. His ability to cover will allow teams to keep him on the field for all three downs.
His competitive toughness is one of his greatest traits. White takes pride in being a tough middle linebacker that can lay down big hits when necessary. He will punish ball carriers and pass catchers that are near him. White’s ability to do this makes him a leader on defense.
Weaknesses
White is a big hitter, but he needs to wrap up every time to make sure he makes the tackle. There were times where he tried to arm tackle runners and they ran right by him. Almost every time he wrapped up, he made the play.
His block shedding also needs to be improved. In some games, wide receivers and tight ends were able to stop him from making the play. He has the strength to get through these blocks, but needs to put more emphasis on shedding those blocks so he can make even more plays on the ball.
When White blitzes, it is hard for him to recover from being blocked. Once an offensive lineman gets his hands on White, often times White is not able to get to the quarterback. This isn’t a huge issue as he isn’t a full-time pass rusher, but he’ll need to be worked on delayed blitzes or in select gaps to make sure he is untouched to make the play. White could also add some more pass rushing moves to his game in order to be more effective when blitzing.
Projected Draft Range: Top 10 pick
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