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Myjai Sanders NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for Cincinnati EDGE
HEIGHT: 6'5 1/4"
WEIGHT: 228
HAND: 9 1/4"
WINGSPAN: 6'7 7/8"
40-YARD DASH: 4.67
3-CONE: DNP
SHUTTLE: 4.37
VERTICAL: 33"
BROAD: 10'0"
POSITIVES
— Good length. Able to strike OL first.
— Above-average hand usage. Remains active and makes OL struggle to latch on. Flashes of good strength.
— Above-average eyes versus the run.
— Great explosiveness. Pops off the film at the snap.
— Good acceleration to the edge. Can win the corner with speed alone.
— Above-average flexibility in his angles. Can stay upright and run a tight corner at times.
— Nimble feet and good agility. Can stop/start with ease; occasionally gets OL to punch at air.
NEGATIVES
— Stiff hips. Struggles to get low and bend through contact to the QB.
— Was listed at 255 pounds at Cincinnati but dropped significant weight ahead of the NFL combine (228) and still did not test well.
— Below-average base and balance. Can get too narrow with his base and get knocked off his spot.
— Inconsistent power behind his punch as a pass-rusher.
— Approach versus the run can be reckless. Drops his eyes.
2021 STATISTICS
14 G, 41 TOT, 7.5 TFL, 2.5 SK, 1 FR
NOTES
— Three-year starter.
— 2020 and 2021 first-team All-AAC.
OVERALL
Myjai Sanders is a mercurial prospect thanks in part to the scheme he played in. At 6'5" and 228 pounds, his lean build is best suited to be a traditional edge defender, but Cincinnati often aligned him at 4-tech and 5-tech. Sanders comes off the ball exceptionally well, both with his hand in the ground and when standing up, and accelerates with his following steps to win the edge right away.
Though he can not dip low and bend very effectively, he has enough juice and ankle flexibility to run a tight corner from time to time. Sanders also plays with fast hands, made even more effective by his long arms and his ability to mix up his approach to attack either inside or outside. Sanders' twitchiness and light feet also allow him to make linemen miss in a phone booth, which comes in handy both versus the run and the pass.
Sanders' game right now is inhibited by his inconsistent strength and physicality. He rarely shows real strength in his hands when engaging as a pass-rusher, and he does not have the raw lower-body power to be a bull-rusher. Additionally, Sanders can be sloppy in the running game, often dropping his eyes and getting too narrow in his base, leading to him getting locked out of plays.
In all, Sanders has enticing length, explosiveness and hand usage that make him a worthwhile Day 2 bet. He can win as a speed and finesse pass-rusher out of the gate while working to add a bit of muscle and home in on his consistency in run defense.
GRADE: 7.1 (High-level Backup/Potential Starter - 3rd Round)
OVERALL RANK: 99
POSITION RANK: EDGE13
PRO COMPARISON: Kemoko Turay