Micheal Clemons NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for Texas A&M Edge

HEIGHT: 6'5 1/4"

WEIGHT: 263

HAND: 10"

ARM: 34 7/8"

WINGSPAN: 6'11 1/8"

40-YARD DASH: DNP

3-CONE: DNP

SHUTTLE: DNP

VERTICAL: DNP

BROAD: 9'8"

POSITIVES

— Very good length. Long-limbed player who can typically strike first.

— Has some real power in his hands, when he wants to.

— Very good bend and flexibility for his size. Can widen himself out and run the corner.

— Knows how to win in a variety of ways. Can rip-and-dip, swipe, inside counter, spin, etc.

— Flashes good strength and leg drive, especially when bull-rushing through the outside shoulder.

— Good speed and agility in space for his build.

— Impressive understanding of how to consistently fight for leverage as a pass-rusher.

NEGATIVES

— Can play too upright and fail to establish a sound base.

— Long legs make it difficult for him to play and redirect in tight areas.

— Hand placement and power comes and goes, particularly against the run.

— Slow eyes versus the run. Takes too long to trigger and can look like he is stuck in quicksand.

— Sets the edge too wide. Also has a tendency to get depth in the backfield as an edge-setter when he shouldn't.

2021 STATISTICS

10 G, 32 TOT, 11 TFL, 7 SK, 1 FF, 1 FR

NOTES

— 3-star JUCO recruit in 2017.

— Started his career at Cisco College for one year before transferring to Texas A&M.

— Arrested in September 2021 for "multiple charges including unlawful carrying of a weapon, failure to identify/giving false information, less than two ounces of marijuana possession and driving with an invalid license."

— Suffered a leg injury in 2020 that limited him to only five starts.

OVERALL

Micheal Clemons does not get the same shine as teammate DeMarvin Leal, but he is a long, well-built defensive end with a full arsenal of pass-rushing weapons.

Though he isn't the most explosive player off the ball, Clemons can win in just about every other way. He sports long arms and a hefty punch, giving him both the tools to engage first and capitalize on it. Clemons also shows a thoughtful pass-rushing approach, mixing in two-hand swipes, spin moves, bull rushes and inside counters on top of his bread-and-butter rip-and-dip around the edge. Most impressive of all, Clemons has functional flexibility around the edge to get wide for a guy his size. If anything, his long legs can make it tough for him to stay low and maintain leverage, but that alone shouldn't crush him.

Clemons' profile as a run defender is much more suspect. He has the size, length and moments of hand usage to be effective against the run, but he too often fails to play his assignment correctly. Clemons can be late seeing stuff develop in front of him, in addition to his tendency to set the edge too wide/deep and let plays hit inside of him. His long legs can also make it awkward for him to resettle and find his anchor at times, too.

There may not be anything special about Clemons' game, but he has a good, long build and clears the bar for just about every pass-rushing trait. The variety in his approach in addition to his above-average athletic tools should make him an effective pass-rusher right away.

Clemons will need to refine his run-defense skills, which may be a tall order for an older prospect with plenty of experience already, but he has the tools to get there. His pass-rushing prowess will give him the leeway to learn run defense while still earning playing time.

GRADE: 7.3 (3rd Round - High-Level Backup/Potential Starter)

OVERALL RANK: 75

POSITION RANK: EDGE10

PRO COMPARISON: Discount Preston Smith

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen