Brent Urban NFL Draft 2014: Highlights, Scouting Report for Baltimore Ravens DE
Brent Urban, DE, Virginia (HT: 6’6¾”; WT: 295 lbs)
Fourth Round: 134th Pick
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| 6066 | 295 | 34 1/4" | 9 3/4" |
| DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Positives
- Obvious physical and athletic upside.
- Was an overwhelming physical player at the college level with athleticism and size that translates to the NFL game.
- Has the build of an NFL player already, looks the part in every way.
- Plays with sufficient leverage despite being a very tall defensive lineman.
- Flashes functional strength to compress the pocket as an interior rusher.
- Uses height and length to deflect passes very often, does it instinctively.
- Absolute destroyer of plays when he gets a step.
- Splits gaps with tremendous acceleration and upper-body strength.
- Difficult to handle with cutoff of scoop blocks, blows up plays following pulls.
- Immense power in his hands to reset the line of scrimmage by blowing back blockers on first contact.
- Can hold his ground to anchor a double-team and keep both blockers engaged.
- Creates lots of congestion at the line of scrimmage and redirects ball-carriers behind the line of scrimmage often.
Negatives
- Too much of an all-or-nothing player on a play-by-play basis and disappeared for stretches as a result.
- Does more guessing than diagnosing of plays.
- Needs to more consistently generate momentum forward off the snap, tends to raise pads up on first movement.
- Raw in terms of technique, especially in hand usage.
- Has no lateral movement ability, rarely makes plays moving down the line of scrimmage.
- Doesn’t generate power as an interior rusher to press the pocket often enough.
- Lacks any kind of pass-rush repertoire in terms of finesse moves.
- Little flexibility to bend around blocks as a rusher and maximize speed.
- Comes off the ball slow and tries to feel his way around blocks every once in a while.
- Doesn’t utilize length to control run blocks and shed quickly.
- Struggles to recover when blocker gets helmet into the hole and can wall him off.
- Often gets into the backfield and has a chance to make a big play but cannot finish.
- Has some durability concerns.
| 2010 | UVA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | UVA | 15 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | UVA | 20 | 2.5 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 2013 | UVA | 40 | 11.5 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
Personal Notes
- A 2-star prospect in recruiting class of 2009, unranked by Rivals.
- From Mississauga, Ontario.
- Drafted by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 2013 CFL draft.
- 2013 honorable mention All-ACC.
- Missed four games as a senior with a high ankle sprain.
- Dropped out of the Senior Bowl and didn’t participate during the combine due to lingering effects of the ankle injury.
Ratings Chart
Overall
In a handful of plays as a senior, Brent Urban truly looked like the second coming of J.J. Watt. The rest leaves a lot more to be desired. NFL teams will look to get those flashes out of him more often and minimize his weaknesses.
Urban is more of a project than an immediate starter, but his physical upside makes him a worthwhile undertaking. His ability to create congestion at the line of scrimmage despite technical deficiencies is a testament to his tremendous natural strength. When he gets himself moving in the right direction, offensive linemen are in trouble. It’s all about development at this point.
The 3-4 defenses should give Urban the longest look, whether they want him to control one or two gaps. Urban’s build, length and power are building blocks for a starting defensive end.
Draft Projection: Fourth round
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