NFL Draft: Why Andrew Billings Can Find Right Fit with Any Team in 1st Round

As teams continue to move away from rigid defensive sets and adapt to the ever-changing offensive creativity in the NFL, they’ll need defenders, especially defensive linemen, who can offer value at multiple positions yet remain effective and impactful.

What’s especially difficult for defenses trying to stay flexible and adaptable is finding adequate run-defense support. Staying active in pass sets and in coverage is important, but it’s the draw plays, edge-setting runs and quarterback runs that can really break defenses' backs.

Insert Baylor Bears defensive tackle Andrew Billings. While he has his weaknesses as an interior run defender, the 6'1'', 311-pounder offers dominating upper-half power, flashes of disruption and the ability to stay on the field all three downs. Billings may never be among the top defensive tackles in the NFL, but he’ll be coveted by almost every NFL defense thanks to his versatility and adaptability in an ever-changing NFL defensive focus.

Dominating with Upper-Half Strength

It’s an understatement to say that Billings is a strong human being. Billings owns his high-school powerlifting record, posting a 500-pound bench press, 705-pound deadlift and 805-pound squat in that record-setting performance. That raw power clearly translated to the football field during his college career, as he was able to bully offensive lineman as soon as he gained leverage. 

Billings utilizes his strength to generate push back after initial contact, making up for a lack of great initial burst or pad level off the line. His hand placement has improved over his career, and he’s become a feared re-adjuster, as once he’s locked in he routinely finishes to the ground in the run game.

Baylor vs. Oklahoma

It’s that nastiness that will most readily translate to the NFL game. His plus stamina for a primary nose tackle and persistence throughout the course of a game in run support is difficult to find at the position, which is why some of his other concerns can be pushed aside. Billings' ability to bully off the line when he can lock in after the snap can single-handedly and immediately end a running play and stifle an offense quickly on early downs.

Baylor vs. West Virginia

Similar to the play above, Billings has the potential to extinguish an offense’s inside zone, dive or pull-blocking plays simply by driving the center into backfield and arriving at the running back's read step before he does. While activeness by defensive tackles or interior-penetrating defensive ends can have a similar effect, Billings’ flashes of dominance in his upper-half push that can truly eliminate a collection of running plays give him value for both 3-4 or 4-3 defenses.

Flashes of Pass-Rush Upside

As a power-based nose tackle and overall athlete, he doesn’t offer a host of pass-rush potential. Billings doesn’t win initially with quickness consistently enough and can’t consistently adjust laterally after engaging.

But for a powerful presence like Billings who’s rarely pushed off balance on the interior, he primarily needs to generate pressure on just a handful of plays each game and stay at home to embrace single or, ideally, double-team blocks when possible.

Billings struggles to get penetration and continue to push upfield with secondary moves, but his hands do stay active through his pursuit. For Billings, he needs to better understand that, until he can develop further, he needs to be more decisive and focused on getting upfield on passing downs, rather than trying to utilize a repertoire of moves.

The play below indicates how, despite being a power-based rusher with high and upper half-focused positioning, Billings can still gain penetration when he’s decisive. He starts off too high with his upper half too far in front, extending prematurely before he engages.

Baylor vs. Oklahoma

However, Billings is able to grab his blocker, thrust with his upper half and drive his legs until he’s in the pocket before erasing his blocker's hands en route to a sack. It’s not textbook technique nor something that will work with consistency in the NFL, but it can prove effective in multiple defenses and be refined with added coaching and focus.

Baylor vs. West Virginia

It is unfair to completely dismiss Billings’ pass-rush upside. It’s unrefined and difficult to develop because of his good-not-great flexibility, but that doesn’t mean he can’t take advantage of poor hand or body positioning by his blocker. Billings doesn’t thrive enough as a one-on-one pass-rusher for a player with his type of strength, but he still flashes the type of unexpected pass-rush moves that he’ll need to break out when NFL interior offensive linemen get complacent. In the play below, Billings works across his blocker’s face, bullies him off the snap and finishes with a bend inside out and back to the quarterback.

Which Teams are the Best Fit?

As stated in the title, Billings can be a fit for nearly every NFL team. His powerful push and force as an interior run defender make him a 4-3 nose tackle prospect and potentially a 3-4 nose as well, if a team feels it can bulk him up without losing the bend he current has. Billings can offer three- and five-technique value as an interior-focused penetrator and pocket-collapsing power-rusher. 

He won’t be drafted with his pass-rush skills in mind, but NFL teams may be more focused on a nose tackle who doesn’t tire too quickly during a game, doesn’t give up on plays and can offer quality and offense-altering run support.

Billings has plenty of potential landing spots in the middle of the first round. The New York Giants covet powerful interior lineman, the Chicago Bears need a run defender to supplement their interior pass-rushers and the New Orleans Saints need to replace lineman Akiem Hicks. The Oakland Raiders want to give pass-rusher Khalil Mack interior support and the Washington Redskins are looking for front-three depth and a safe pick.

Billings can answer all of those team’s needs. While he may not be the prospect teams jostle for on draft day, he likely will be the fallback option for more than few first-round teams. It’s a loaded defensive tackle class with many versatile options and impressive athletes, but few can offer the run defending efficiency and potential dominance that Billings can.