Nick Kwiatkoski NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for Bears Rookie

POSITIVES

One of the top inside linebacker prospects in the class, Nick Kwiatkoski led West Virginia in tackling in each of the last three seasons while playing both weak-side and middle linebacker.

A stud in the weight and film room, coaches raved to us about Kwiatkoski’s love of the game. It shows on the field too, as he attacks the ball with the range of a former safety and the instincts of a longtime "Mike" backer. A mean, nasty player in the middle, Kwiatkoski isn’t intimidated by blockers and loves to stick his nose in the pile against the run.

There is no wasted motion when Kwiatkoski is flowing to the ball. He’s instinctive and has the quick read awareness to get after it from the snap. He moves well laterally and can make tackles both in and outside the hashes.

An above-the-line athlete, Kwiatkoski has the range, game speed and change-of-direction skills to be a hitter and a factor in coverage. His old skills at safety still show in his stop-and-start movements and backpedal.

NEGATIVES

Learning to shed blockers and keep his frame free will be a big hurdle for Kwiatkoski. He takes on unnecessary blockers at times and must instead focus on keeping his body from punishment it doesn’t need.

A lack of power stands out when Kwiatkoski steps up to take on blockers. He doesn’t have an explosive first step, and when coming downhill to meet a ball-carrier or pulling lineman, he gets rocked back on his heels if he doesn’t win the leverage game.

A high-floor, low-ceiling player, Kwiatkoski has the tools to be a three-down inside linebacker in either a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme. A no-nonsense prospect, he’s a natural starter if his play strength and stack-and-shed awareness improve.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 243 lbs.

40 Time: 4.73s

3-Cone: 7.16s

Short Shuttle: 4.22s

PRO COMPARISON: Danny Trevathan, Chicago Bears
FINAL GRADE: 6.25/9.00 (Round 3—Future Starter)