Who is a fan of Drew Sanders?

The primary spherical of the 2023 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, and the Dallas Cowboys nonetheless have a variety of instructions they may go together with their twenty sixth total choose. The Cowboys have caught to their common offseason technique of filling roster wants by way of free company as a way to draft brazenly, however spiced it up with uncharacteristic trades for starters Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore. Whereas their respective positions of large receiver and cornerback are nonetheless potential wants within the draft, the general energy of the Cowboys roster has opened up prospects at defensive deal with, linebacker, and tight finish within the first spherical.

Persevering with to construct a dominant protection underneath Dan Quinn needs to be a precedence, and it makes Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders an intriguing title on the group’s pre-draft 30 go to record. The Cowboys took a real off-ball linebacker within the first spherical in 2018 with Leighton Vander Esch, successful story that earned one other contract with the group this offseason. They then added Micah Parsons two years in the past and he’s a star, though he spends numerous time on the defensive position. With Vander Esch, Damone Clark, Jabril Cox, and the do-it-all Micah Parsons, the thought of the Cowboys drafting a linebacker might not make an excessive amount of sense on paper.

That’s till you activate the tape of Drew Sanders, a switch from Alabama that broke out with 103 tackles and 9.5 sacks for Arkansas in 2022. Sanders is the kind of participant with the athleticism to play anyplace in Quinn’s protection, even becoming seamlessly into positions occupied by Jayron Kearse or Donovan Wilson within the capacity to trace down performs from sideline to sideline.

Arkansas Linebacker Drew Sanders: Strengths

At 6’4” and 235 kilos, Sanders is constructed extra like an edge rusher, however has the slender body and fast toes to play again at linebacker. Sanders modifications instructions with none wasted motion, catching blockers off guard when coming downhill by side-stepping or bending the nook. In opposition to his former group in Alabama and first-round QB Bryce Younger, Sanders got here from depth to chase down Younger on a rollout and make a clear open-field deal with.

Sanders’ cross rush upside is what his subsequent group could also be banking on to comprehend his full potential, however this can be a participant that’s able to make an instantaneous impression in protection or in opposition to the run as effectively. A blur on tape together with his velocity and size, Sanders fills the opening effectively in opposition to the run and takes the shortest path to the ball in opposition to the run, hardly ever permitting blockers to leverage him. Successful hand battles in opposition to greater offensive linemen is probably not a energy of Sanders’, however he makes up for it by attending to the extent of the QB with ease in cross rush. As soon as there, Sanders can disengage and shut on the QB rapidly.

Lining up primarily at MIKE linebacker for Arkansas, Sanders is probably not a prototypical center linebacker within the NFL because of the physicality wanted to tackle blockers right here, however splitting reps on the place in protection whereas lining up elsewhere and taking part in downhill might make him one of many steals within the early a part of this draft.

Arkansas Linebacker Drew Sanders: Weaknesses

Sanders’ finest performs in opposition to the run come outdoors the tackles in pursuit, however he may be caught coming in too excessive in opposition to operating backs within the gap. With barely beneath common arm size, Sanders struggles when blockers can work into his body and drive in opposition to him. Decreasing his blocking floor space with flexibility and foot velocity is how Sanders stays clear to make performs everywhere in the subject, however this velocity and consciousness aren’t all the time realized when not taking part in downhill.

Whereas there’s little doubt Sanders can play in nickel units on the subsequent degree, he generally struggles to drop to the correct depth in protection and permits the ball behind him. Sanders does effectively to swipe at blockers’ palms when making an attempt to have interaction, however has numerous room to develop with regards to utilizing any counter strikes or taking part in with the ability to knock again linemen throughout a rush.

Arkansas Linebacker Drew Sanders: Abstract

Sanders is constantly projected to go within the early to late 20s, the place in almost each draft 12 months groups are beginning to dip into second-round grades on the lookout for excessive upside. Particularly this 12 months, in a category and not using a ton of star energy, Sanders could possibly be the perfect participant remaining for lots of groups previous to the Cowboys approaching the clock at 26.

It could take Dallas being worn out at one or two different increased precedence positions, however with a defensive coordinator that carries numerous weight in roster constructing and a observe document of turning elite athletes into big-time contributors, Sanders is an fascinating title to remember for the Cowboys. The energy of the Cowboys protection is within the trenches with their entrance 4, or within the secondary with a cornerback group led by Trevon Diggs. This isn’t to remove from their second degree gamers that get misplaced within the shuffle of Quinn’s hybrid scheme although, and including Sanders right here would give them yet one more method to stand out.

Within the attrition of a protracted 17-game season, Sanders is the kind of participant that has all of the traits to regulate to the following degree rapidly and be a critical contributor later within the season, affecting the QB with almost each rush and greater than holding his personal in opposition to the run.