Clayton Fejedelem NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for Bengals Rookie

POSITIVES

An All-Big Ten second-teamer in 2015, Clayton Fejedelem was the leading tackler in the conference with 140 credited to his name. He’s a playmaker with 4.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, seven pass breakups and a forced fumble in his final year.

A downhill hitter, Fejedelem has a striker’s mentality and shows a big tackle radius when playing in space. A tough player with enough range to make plays outside the hashes on quick hitters and screens, he’s equally as physical at the catch point and looks to put a shoulder on his man.

Fejedelem was asked to play mostly in the box at Illinois, but he flashed enough straight-line speed to have value in coverage if he can get coached up in his hip turns and timing to better anticipate routes.

NEGATIVES

A rigid mover in space, Fejedelem has to work to unlock his hips and let his straight-line speed translate into better agility and quickness in space. He’s a buildup runner who lacks the burst and twitch to make plays in man-to-man coverage and will be limited in what he can do matched up against NFL tight ends or slot receivers.

Fejedelem missed too many tackles on tape due to poor explosion and flexibility. He’s not fluid when breaking down to take on runners and will lose when asked to get low to take on leveraged running backs.

Late in the draft you’re hoping for special teams contributors and players with developmental potential. Fejedelem has both, but he may be overlooked as teams go toward more athletic, less productive players over a marginal athlete with good numbers.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 204 lbs.

40 Time: 4.54s

3-Cone: 7.17s

Short Shuttle: 4.30s

PRO COMPARISON: Alden Darby, New Orleans Saints
FINAL GRADE: 5.40/9.00 (Round 7—Backup Caliber)