Top Inside Linebacker Prospects for the Indianapolis Colts in the 2015 NFL Draft
Before the offseason even began, the Indianapolis Colts needed to draft an inside linebacker.
The team had a down year at the position in 2014, with Jerrell Freeman regressing and D'Qwell Jackson struggling in man coverage. With Freeman hitting restricted free agency and Jackson continuing to age, the Colts needed some starting options.
But now the Colts have cut Andrew Jackson, their 2014 sixth-round pick, per the Indianapolis Star's Zak Keefer. Their other main depth at the position, Josh McNary, is in the midst of rape allegations and could be gone next year.
Now, the Colts are desperate. So, today, we look at the top four inside linebacker prospects in the NFL draft, with one potential surprise thrown in.
Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi State
1 of 5
While McKinney is one of the top prospects in this draft for many scouts—and the default No. 1 inside linebacker—he possesses limitations that shouldn't be ignored in Indianapolis.
On the positive side, McKinney is a massive prospect at 6'5", 249 pounds. His size and strength make him an elite prospect in terms of ability taking on the run head-on. McKinney takes on offensive linemen and is able to stack and shed blocks with relative ease. Try to block him with a tight end or fullback? That's a recipe for disaster.
This is where the Colts could really use McKinney. The team struggled to contain power run games like New England's in 2014 in part because the inside linebackers got swallowed up. McKinney is a powerful body who excels when heading downfield. While McKinney's change of direction and pursuit outside is a little clunky, the Colts defensive line is pretty adept at containing outside runs, which would limit the risk with McKinney.
But that "clunky" nature is at work in coverage too, something that teams exposed against D'Qwell Jackson last season. McKinney's instincts are a half-step slow in zone coverage, and his athleticism might not be quite what it needs to be to consistently hold his own in man coverage in the NFL.
There is upside with McKinney, who is a versatile athlete that lined up on the edge as well as inside for Mississippi State, and he could be used as a fun weapon in the Colts defense. But the lack of three-down agility takes some of that promise away. Would he be a three-down threat in Indianapolis, or just a Joker-type weapon?
If he truly is going to go in the top 25 picks, as some have projected, I wouldn't trade up for him. If he's still available at No. 29, or if the Colts have an opportunity to trade down a few spots, he'll become an instant possibility, although not my favorite fit for today's NFL.
Scout's Take
"McKinney is a hard-hitting MIKE linebacker with the physical skills and intangibles to develop into a Pro Bowl-caliber player early in his career.
"
Eric Kendricks, UCLA
2 of 5
If the Colts are looking for a three-down coverage linebacker early in the draft, Eric Kendricks is the guy.
Kendricks is extremely athletic and has the instincts to complement that athleticism in coverage. He can run upfield with running backs and tight ends, and in zone coverage his quickness lends itself to on-the-fly adjustments that are impressive for a college linebacker.
Another things that I like about Kendricks is his aggression. A lot of college linebackers, especially ones that are known for their coverage, tend to wait for runners to come to them rather than attacking the line of scrimmage. Kendricks would never be accused of such a thing, attacking the ball-carrier with ferocity. With his size, he can sometimes be redirected too easily and give up big gains on cutback runs, but it's a nice trait for an every-down linebacker to possess.
Part of that aggression is due to his quick play recognition. Kendricks is one of the draft's best at reading plays and reacting at lightning speed, which allows him to use his quickness to get around blockers before they can get adequate positioning.
Kendricks has his flaws, however. His technique in man coverage can slip, and he is prone to grabbing when his aggression gets the best of him. His lack of strength compared to others in the draft is notable as well (he's only 6'0", 230 pounds), and he doesn't disengage from blockers all that well.
Still, with his all-around game, Kendricks is one of the safest inside linebacker picks in the draft, and he could be another prime target in the late first or early second round.
Scout's Take
"One of the best coverage linebackers I have seen. His Virginia game is my favorite of any prospect this year. Aggressive. Attacks ball carries rather than just waiting at the second level. Best at working around blocks with angles and quicks but not afraid to hold his own.
"
Denzel Perryman, Miami
3 of 5
At 6'0", 242 pounds, Perryman is smaller than McKinney but stouter than Kendricks, and it can be seen in his play.
Perryman is a joy to watch attack the line of scrimmage, as he knifes through blockers and takes on runners head-on. He can also be an effective blitzer in the same manner, although his pass-rushing moves are nonexistent if he gets stood up at all.
While his height will drop his grade down for some NFL teams, it does give him a more natural leverage against would-be blockers and power runners. Perryman's strong by himself, but with his leverage he can avoid getting moved off the point of attack too easily by most run-blockers.
Instincts are tricky with Perryman. Against the run, he keeps his eyes in the backfield and reacts quickly. But that also makes him prone to falling victim to play action, and his instincts in coverage are much spottier. He doesn't have the fluidity in coverage that somebody like Kendricks has, but he isn't quite as clunky as McKinney. However, Perryman isn't quite as fast as McKinney either, and could be a risk for big plays when isolated in coverage.
Perryman is a middling prospect for me, a high second-rounder at best. The Colts should keep an eye on him if he drops, but NFL teams tend to value his toughness in the middle. He'll likely be gone by No. 61.
Scout's Take
"He's physical and plays angry at the point of attack. He's the type of guy you like having on your team because he brings toughness to practice. He's going to lay the wood to ball carriers when he gets a chance but college teams were already finding ways to go after him in the passing game.
"
Anonymous AFC East scout, via Lance Zierlein, NFL.com
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Paul Dawson, TCU
4 of 5
If I had to describe Paul Dawson in one word, it would be "fun."
Sometimes, players just stick with you after watching tape. Dawson is one of those guys, just because he flashes so much.
When I say "flashes," I mean literal flashes. Dawson seems like he's shot out of a cannon on most plays, going from a standstill to sprinting faster than many defensive backs, much less linebackers. He penetrates the line of scrimmage and reroutes running backs more often than any other linebacker in this class, and that quickness translates to coverage as well.
Dawson drives on running backs coming out of the backfield, but has the change-of-direction skills to shift with them on flat routes. He can also attack out of zones in the middle of the field.
The downside with Dawson is his fit in a 3-4 defense. Dawson is 6'2", 230 pounds, a great fit as a weak-side outside linebacker in a 4-3, but perhaps a bit questionable at the point of attack in a 3-4. If asked to stay disciplined and stack and shed against linemen, instead of penetrating the line as quickly as possible, Dawson may struggle.
On the other hand, playmakers are playmakers, and they are not easy to find. Dawson has the frame to add weight, and if he bulked up in an NFL strength program, he could be the playmaker the Colts have been looking for.
There is a bit of a red flag with Dawson, according to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. His character will come under question according to some scouts, though Dawson has addressed this directly in a USA Today predraft diary.
Scout's Take
"A missile from the weakside or in nickel situations. He stands 6’0/230 lbs, so is Dawson really undersized? He plays big thanks to power and aggression. He can impact any run and chase situation and looks comfortable accomplishing his assignment in coverage.
"
Hayes Pullard, USC
5 of 5
My favorite linebacker prospect that's not in that late first/early second group is USC's Hayes Pullard. While he has his deficiencies, he has some very impressive coverage skills that keep me intrigued.
Pullard is really well-rounded, and that is both a positive and negative thing for me. He's a guy who can lay wood on players when he wants to be aggressive, but can also be too passive at times and get knocked out of a play. He certainly has the ability to succeed when driving aggressively downfield, but his patience is a key part of his game as well, so there's a balance that has to be struck.
What impresses me the most is his natural comfort in coverage, both from a movement standpoint and a ball-skills standpoint. Pullard doesn't have great straight-line speed, but he changes direction quickly and fluidly. His reaction when the ball is thrown is what stood out to me right away, as he made several highlight-reel plays with well-timed bursts toward the ball.
He doesn't beat people up in the middle of the field as consistently as some might want from an inside linebacker, but I think that's less important than his ability to flip from run to pass on a snap-to-snap basis.
Pullard's ceiling isn't as high as some linebackers in this class, but he should be a valuable depth player at the very least with his smart, versatile play.
Scout's Take
"Hayes Pullard vs. running backs is a mismatch too. Of the true linebackers, he's stood out as the best athlete on North squad. #SeniorBowl
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) January 21, 2015"
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