Ronald Blair NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for 49ers Rookie

POSITIVES

Ronald Blair is a productive pass-rusher who owned the scene at Appalachian State. As a ‘tweener prospect up front, he brings instant value for a hybrid defense looking for an inside/outside rusher.

Blair loves to rock a swim move when offensive tackles get their hands on him, and he’s had success with it both inside and outside the tackle. He sets up his pass-rush moves well and knows how to use timing and leverage to beat blockers.

By keeping his pads low on a 6’2” frame, Blair can get underneath the hands of a blocker and then explode up through their pads to jam back their shoulders. From there, his length (34-inch arms) wins.

Blair also dominated on rushing downs. He uses his leverage well to stack up blockers before shedding them to attack the ball. His instincts and awareness keep him in the game on runs inside the tackle box, and he works down to the ball with a high success rate.

Given his size and length, Blair will be a fun project for NFL teams as he comes to the league with refined pass-rushing and run-defending moves.

NEGATIVES

Blair disappointed with his testing times at the combine in terms of speed, flexibility and explosion. He’s strong but doesn’t show the snap in his hips to turn the corner against offensive tackles in the NFL. Being able to beat up Sun Belt competition is one thing, but can Blair overwhelm linemen in the pros?

Blair’s experience as a 3-4 defensive end is helpful, but he lacks the height to play there for most teams in the NFL. A position change is always questionable, and Blair will be asked to either bump down to a 3-technique in a 4-3 or play as a smaller, quicker 5-technique.

A lack of agility and flexibility will be the biggest debate in draft rooms when Blair comes up. His conditioning was questioned by one team we spoke to and could lead to moving up or down the line depending on his play weight. Blair doesn’t have the flash or twitch of an edge player, though, and would be best served trying to play with his hand in the dirt over and outside the tackle.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 284 lbs.

40 Time: 5.15s

3-Cone: 7.95s

Short Shuttle: 4.53s

PRO COMPARISON: Nikita Whitlock, New York Giants
FINAL GRADE: 5.99/9.00 (Round 3-4—Backup Caliber)