Drew Sanders NFL Draft 2023: Scouting Report for Arkansas LB

HEIGHT: 6'4"

WEIGHT: 235

HAND: 9 3/4"

ARM: 32 1/8"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.66

3-CONE: 7.18

SHUTTLE: 4.38

VERTICAL: 37"

BROAD: 9'10"

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POSITIVES

— Great frame with long limbs, plenty of room for growth and is a good athlete overall for the position.

— Has the speed to beat blockers to the spot versus outside zone, pullers or offensive linemen working to the second level. It also gives him impressive sideline-to-sideline range as a run defender.

— Plays with his hands in front of him and takes on blocks with his hands.

— Uses his agility well to get off or work around blocks, and he's solid at using the offensive lineman's weight and momentum against them to help shed.

— Fluid hips and good change of direction to help cover running backs and tight ends in man coverage.

— Eye disciplined in zone coverage, he locates threats coming to his area well and is solid at reading the quarterback's eyes to step into and take away passing lanes.

— Good acceleration to close on pass-catchers in coverage.

— Instincts are impressive overall, he locates the ball in the backfield well and is quick to sniff out screens.

— Nice balance as a pass-rusher to stay upright and fight through contact.

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NEGATIVES

— Can be out of control and takes sub-par angles when coming downhill, he will overrun ball carries occasionally.

— Needs to add strength to hold up at the point of attack against bigger and more physical offensive linemen.

— Has a habit of lunging and leaving his feet when tackling in space, leading to misses.

— Not very effective at getting reroutes in zone coverage with his lack of strength.

— He doesn't play the hands well as a pass-rusher, limiting his arsenal and effectiveness as a rusher.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 GM, 103 TOT, 13.5 TFL, 9.5 SK, 3 FF, 6 PBU, 1 INT

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NOTES

— DOB: December 31, 2001

— Alabama transfer

— A 5-Star recruit in the 2020 class, No. 22 overall, No. 1 ATH, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

— Injuries: 2021 (Hand, had surgery, missed three games and was limited the rest of the year)

— 15 career starts

— 2022 Honors: Butkus Award finalist, Unanimous All-American, First-Team All-SEC (AP and Coaches)

— Had 48 rushing and receiving touchdowns and 10 passing touchdowns in his high school career

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OVERALL

After lining up as an edge defender for two years at Alabama, Drew Sanders transferred to Arkansas this season and moved to an off-ball linebacker spot where his athleticism was able to shine through. He immediately became one of the best players at the position after making the switch, which is why he's one of the biggest risers in this draft class.

Sanders has a frame the NFL scouts and general managers will drool over, standing at 6'5" and 233 pounds with plenty of room to add the extra size and strength he needs. It was also pretty easy to see on film why he was the No. 1 ranked athlete coming out of high school, as he should light it up at the combine.

The Razorback is able to use his athleticism in both coverage and as a run defender, but his biggest flaw is with the latter. In college, he would often struggle to get extension against offensive linemen, making stacking and shedding much more difficult. That also played a role in him getting pushed around a bit and is his biggest weakness heading into the pros.

However, Sanders is excellent in coverage and has few flaws. He's athletic enough to cover running backs and tight ends in man coverage and has the instincts to be effective in zone, too. He'd be a great WILL linebacker for a team that uses even fronts and can play in the middle in odd fronts down the line if he gets better at the point of attack.

It also helps that Sanders has experience as a pass-rusher, so he can be used in a variety of ways against the pass. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up being the first linebacker off the board seeing as his best football is in front of him, and that's after being a Butkus Award finalist this past season.

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GRADE: 7.7 (Potential Impact Player/2nd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 33

POSITION RANK: LB2

PRO COMPARISON: Zach Cunningham

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Written by B/R NFL Draft Scout Matt Holder