Sheldon Rankins NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for Saints Rookie

POSITIVES

Sheldon Rankins offered scouts a flashback to a dominant Senior Bowl week from Aaron Donald in January 2014 and has teams hoping they get another shot at an undersized pass-rusher at 3-technique after missing out on one of the NFL’s best when Donald fell to the middle of Round 1.

Rankins may not be Donald, but there are similarities. Both are undersized tackles with great quickness and body control. Rankins showed off impressive strength lining up at defensive end in Louisville’s 3-4 scheme and is a more versatile option along the line given his experience as a 5-technique but with the ability to play in a 1-, 3- or 4-technique.

With elite short-area quickness and a stunning first step, Rankins can win the snap before linemen are in their pass set. He’s agile and loose-hipped and will use head shakes, shoulder dips and a juke move to create separation from linemen. This was all on display as he made linemen look like fools at the Senior Bowl.

Rankins can win with sheer explosiveness, but he’s also smart with hand use and leverage. He’s not purely beating blockers with athleticism; he understands his assignment and his position. He sacrificed many splash-play opportunities to control his gaps in the Cardinals defense.

NEGATIVES

When evaluating players, you want those marquee matchups of an elite talent against an elite talent. In the 2015 bowl game, Rankins was often matched up against Texas A&M tackle Germain Ifedi, and he was handled the majority of the game.

That poor showing echoes a larger trend that saw Rankins' play and impact slow down as the season wore on in 2015. He was back to his explosive self against Senior Bowl competition, but watching Rankins against Auburn in Week 1 and then again in Week 11 against Virginia, he looked completely wore down. Playing almost 80 percent of the team’s defensive snaps may have zapped his legs.

A lack of ideal size could undo some of the goodwill Rankins has done on film. The NFL is still a height/weight business, and Rankins is below the line for standards at the position.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 303 lbs.

40 Time: 4.85s

3-Cone: 7.44s

Short Shuttle: 4.59s

PRO COMPARISON: Mike Daniels, Green Bay Packers
FINAL GRADE: 7.00/9.00 (Round 1—Rookie Starter)