Chazz Surratt NFL Draft 2021: Scouting Report for North Carolina LB

Written by B/R NFL Draft Scout Justis Mosqueda

POSITIVES

—Plays like a former quarterback at linebacker, taking aggressive or disciplined angles based on down and distance situations.
—Physically stops ball-carriers in their tracks with little to no forward push in short yardage situations.
—Rare speed and overall athleticism for the position, which is only highlighted by his high motor and sideline-to-sideline playing style.
—Foot speed leads to high-impact plays both as a blitzer off of the edge and in coverage.
—Consistently wins against running backs and tight ends in pass protection.
—Great run-pass instincts when keying offensive linemen on reads.

NEGATIVES

—Lacks the same level of physicality he has as a tackler when he is engaged with offensive linemen and is asked to stack and shed.
—Angles can be overaggressive at times, like he does not notice other players around him that his path works through.
—Limited reps at the position hurt him as a pass-rusher, where he is fairly unrefined when lining up against offensive line assignments.
—30” arms may be an issue for a run-and-chase linebacker who is asked to disengage with NFL bookends consistently.

2020 STATISTICS

91 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 1 interception, 3 pass deflections, 1 fumble recovery, 1 forced fumble

NOTES

—As a prep, Surratt was North Carolina’s Gatorade player of the year as a quarterback, a position where he set multiple state records, and he also made all-state lists as a basketball player.
—He was named North Carolina’s starting quarterback as a freshman, but inconsistency and injury dropped him down the depth chart before Surratt switched positions as a redshirt junior.
—His younger brother, Sage Surratt, set state records as a wide receiver and basketball player. The former first-team All-ACC receiver at Wake Forest is also a member of the 2021 NFL draft class.

OVERALL

New to the position, former quarterback Chazz Surratt has a high ceiling set by his rare physical traits. Unfortunately, his floor is set by some limiting factors, like his intensity when engaged by offensive linemen and his 30” arms. Surratt has an opportunity to be a major factor as an outside linebacker, but he needs to continue his progression path as a professional to resolve some of the holes in his game. Overall, Surratt is one of the most well-defined boom-or-bust prospects in this class, as his positives and negatives are so clearly defined.

GRADE: 7.8 (Round 2)

PRO COMPARISON: Deone Bucannon