Steelers 2018 NFL Draft Prospect Watch: Edge Harold Landry III

With the upcoming NFL Draft this month, we examine a player that led the nation in sacks two seasons ago and is considered by many as one of the top five outside linebackers going into the 2018 NFL Draft class.

Player Description:

Name: Harold Landry III

College: Boston College

Height: 6 ?3

Weight: 250 lbs

Combine Numbers:

40 yard: 4.64 seconds

Bench Press: 24 reps

Vertical Jump: 36.0 inches

Broad Jump: 119.0 inches

3 Cone Drill: 6.88 inches

Overview:

Landry’s junior season with the Boston College Eagles was one for the ages. In addition to leading the nation in sacks with 16.5, he led the nation in forced fumbles with seven, and was fifth in the nation with 22 tackles for loss. To put Landry’s performance into perspective, he was ranked top 10 in the nation in eight defensive categories.

After a remarkable, record-breaking season, many wondered if Landry was willing to forego his final year and enter the 2017 NFL Draft, as many projected him to be a potential 1st round pick. Landry decided instead to return for senior with the objective of being “the best player in the country at his position“. Unfortunately for Landry, he senior year did not go as he envisioned, due to a season-ending ankle injury. Even with this, Landry accounted for 5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, and 38 total tackles in just nine games played.

In comparing Landry to the edge rushers in this class, it is clear that he stands above the rest. In terms of overall linebackers, Landry has been noted by many as top 5 linebacker and rightfully so. Few have the combination of speed, agility, and technique that he displayed throughout his collegiate career. Though his combine numbers were not as impressive as many would have projected, his game film suggests a player that not only could start in the NFL, but be an impact player in a short period of time.

Dip and Bending Ability:

It cannot be understated how valuable this type of ability is with edge rushers in today’s NFL. The most effective one are generally able to bend the edge and continue onwards, despite meeting resistence from an opposing team’s offensive tackle.

When watching film of Landry and comparing him to other edge rushers in this class, he is the best at executing this effectively. His ability to dip and bend under a tackle is elite-level in my opinion, as he possesses natural hip flexibility to do so. Aside from former Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison, the only other edge rusher that consistently showed this type of ability in college was former Nebraska Cornhusker standout Randy Gregory. This clip is perhaps the best example of how dangerous Landry is coming off the edge. From the snap, the Wake Forest tackle had absolutely no chance, as Landry is able to dip and bend underneath him for the sack. For teams such as the Pittsburgh Steelers whom lack edge rushers that can bend, Landry is the type of player they should be keeping a close eye.

Issues Setting The Edge:

One of the required duties of an outside linebacker/edge rusher is setting the edge. The purpose of setting the edge is to prevent the running back from bouncing outside, where they can potentially gain substansial yards; thus the importance of keeping containment.

To me, this aspect represented one of the biggest areas of concern. Landry has a long, lean, athletic body type which is ideal for rushing the quarterback; however when it comes to elements in the trenches such as setting the edge, Landry is not consistently able to so. In certain cases, I noted how he was physically manhandled by bigger offensive linemen; as a result, he would be incapable of setting the edge. In this example against Clemson, Landry is shown coming off the edge with very little burst. The Clemson lineman is easily able to neutralize and seal him inside, giving the Clemson running back more than enough room outside to score an easy touchdown. Had Landry been able to hold his ground at the point of attack, he would have forced the running back to go inside. Based on this and much of the film I viewed, it is apparent that his functional strength must improve, or this type of scene will happen often at the next level.

In all likelihood, Landry will not be available to pick when the Steelers are on the clock on draft day and rightfully so. He possesses the type of skillset desirable for teams looking for a defender that can consistently make big plays. Though many will argue that this year’s group of edge rushers is not as strong in comparison to last year’s class, I can say that few of them did not have Landry’s ability. With a commitment to improving weaknesses in functional strength and intensity at the point of attack, Landry has all the potential of becoming a premier defensive player in the NFL.