Antonio Morrison NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for Colts Rookie

POSITIVES

An All-SEC player in back-to-back seasons, Antonio Morrison is a hard-nosed, impact tackler in the middle of the defense.

In short areas, Morrison wows with quickness and burst in pursuit. He has the nonstop motor to bounce all over the field making plays, and he uses balance and strength to fight off blockers and chips. Morrison is a hard hitter, and going back to his 2014 film, you see a reliable, consistent wrap-up tackler. A leader and captain on defense, Morrison has come a long way since his off-field issues in 2013.

Morrison plays with the style you want from an inside linebacker. He’s rugged, tough and hits like a ton of bricks. While he doesn’t offer much upside in pass coverage, he does show the instincts and burst to chase quarterbacks through the A-gap on delayed pressures.

NEGATIVES

Injury concerns will be huge when teams evaluate Morrison. He injured his left knee in the 2014 Birmingham Bowl and had multiple surgeries to correct it. Morrison also has off-field concerns, as he was arrested in the summer of 2013 for punching a bouncer and then again for resisting arrest.

Morrison will have to shed the label as a “two-down” player to see his draft stock hit Day 2. He’s limited in pursuit and doesn’t have the speed to give chase outside the pocket. With seven missed tackles in 2015 (per coaches), Morrison also saw his ability to bring down ball-carriers suffer.

An undersized linebacker with short arms (30 ⅜”), Morrison lacks the speed to make up for poor measurables. With poor speed, he has to win with reads and timing, and Morrison struggles to get in the right place at the right time. An overaggressive bulldog of a player, Morrison can take himself out of the play with over-pursuit and poor discipline.

If teams are willing to bet that he can return to 2014 form with more time away from injury, Morrison has value as a thumper in a 3-4 defense.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 235 lbs.

40 Time: 4.75s

3-Cone: 7.14s

Short Shuttle: 4.89s

PRO COMPARISON: Paul Dawson, Cincinnati Bengals
FINAL GRADE: 5.70/9.00 (Round 4—Backup Caliber)