Ed Stinson NFL Draft 2014: Highlights, Scouting Report and More

Ed Stinson, DE, Alabama (HT: 6’3” WT: 287 lbs)

Arizona Cardinals

Fifth Round: 160th Pick

NFL Comparison: Cameron Heyward, DE, Pittsburgh Steelers

Height	Weight	Arm	Hand
6030	287	33 3/4"	9 3/8"

40-yd dash	10-yd split	Vert	Broad	3-Cone	Shuttle
DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP

Positives

• Possesses significant raw power and plays with functional strength. 
• Doesn’t let his pads get too high coming off the ball. 
• Fine ability to stay balanced taking on blocks, maintains base and pad level. 
• Was a more explosive athlete as a junior when playing at 100 percent. 
• Always fires hands into blockers and stays active with them. 
• Can reset the line of scrimmage and disrupt outside runs with penetration. 
• Effective anchoring doubles or combo blocks and keeping shoulders square. 
• Conditioned hands to shed blocks in a timely fashion to control two gaps. 
• Throws aside blockers with impressive upper-body strength, no match for a tight end. 
• Rarely gets hung up on blocks, creates space consistently. 
• Strikes with power as a tackler while wrapping up ball-carriers. 
• Has raw potential to be a technically sound pass-rusher with better utilization of power. 
• Experienced on inside and outside of even fronts and at end in odd fronts with Alabama. 
• Has lots of playing experience against a high level of competition.

Negatives

• Rather stiff and unexceptional athlete. 
• Lacks optimal length for a 3-4 end. 
• Not the quickest to locate the football and diagnose play. 
• Inconsistent initial quickness off the snap. 
• Negligible burst to close on the ball when he gets off blocks. 
• Infrequently makes disruptive plays in the backfield. 
• Less effective playing off blocks to the outside to contain than playing off to inside gaps. 
• Doesn’t project as an interior pass-rusher from nickel packages on passing downs. 
• Lacks foot quickness to threaten pass blockers laterally and win with finesse moves.
• Ineffective on stunts and twists up front with a lack of quickness changing directions. 
• Lacks any semblance of a repertoire of pass-rush moves. 
• Isn’t a particularly effective power rusher, doesn’t compromise the balance of blockers with a punch. 
• Struggles to anticipate and play off cut blocks. 
• Lacks versatility for multiple schemes in the NFL. 
• Has been plagued by nagging injuries.

Year	Team	Tackles	TFL	Sacks	FF	PD
2010	Alabama	14	0	0	0	0
2011	Alabama	19	5	1	1	1
2012	Alabama	30	8.5	3	0	0
2013	Alabama	41	2	1.5	0	1

Personal Notes

• A 4-star prospect as a recruit, ranked 15th among weak side defensive ends, according to Rivals. 
• Bowed out of Senior Bowl week with a groin issue that lingered throughout his senior season. 
• Graduated with a degree in Sports Management.

Ratings Chart

Graph made at nces.com.

Overall

Ed Stinson projects purely as a 3-4 defensive end who thrives as a run stopper but brings very little against the pass.  His junior season had a lot more to show for it than his senior season, when he was hindered by a groin issue. 

If he can get back to full health and stay there, he’s a sufficient athlete for an NFL defense and a prospect who can contribute right away.  Stinson’s limitations as a rusher do him no favors as the league continues to trend toward offenses that spread the field and throw the football.

Draft Projection: 5th round