Dante Fowler Jr. NFL Draft 2015: Scouting Report, Grade for Jaguars' Rookie

STRENGTHS

Dante Fowler Jr. is a powerful, aggressive, explosive edge player with a nonstop motor and top-tier athleticism. His burst for a 260-plus-pound player is uncommonly good, and he takes pride in being a finisher on the field.

Fowler plays clean football, but he's a fighter until the whistle and looks to attack the offense. He uses his quickness and length to attack blockers, rarely giving up his chest and showing a good shoulder dip with the hip flexibility to roll the corner and close on the quarterback. Against the run, he will get blocked down at times, but he gives max effort and is smart about working down the line on weak-side plays. Florida moved him around throughout his career, so he's scheme-versatile and comfortable playing with his hand up or down.

WEAKNESSES

Moving around so often at Florida has left Fowler without a true position, and he's a bit of a "jack of all trades, master of none" positionally. Fowler's ability to beat blockers with power is inconsistent, but he does flash it. Losing weight to play defensive end has left him with questionable lower-body strength that shows up in the run game or when a blocker is able to redirect on him. He needs to work on hand placement and usage, as he's getting away with burst and athleticism now.

2014 STATISTICS

Tackles: 60    
Sacks: 8.5  
Tackles for Loss: 15.5
 

PRO PLAYER COMPARISON: Chandler Jones, New England Patriots

Like Jones, Fowler is a terror to handle on the field because of his motor and athleticism. They also compare well, as Jones has played defensive end and outside linebacker in New England and has become a bit of a defensive chess piece. Fowler has the same upside as a positional weapon on defense.

FINAL GRADE: 7.5/9.0 (All-Pro Potential)