STRENGTHS
Devin is an athletic defensive player with the size, speed, long arms, and legs to play more than one position for a team’s front seven. He has the athletic talent to be used in coverage and is a pure three-down linebacker. He can be used to rush the passer, standing up or with his hand down, and has the explosion off the line that is unique to the top edge rushers at the next level. Devin has those long arms and legs that make it easy for him to cover those big Tight Ends and big slot receivers down the field and the hands to make the interception. Devin reminds me a lot of the Bills Tremaine Edwards or for you older guys former Dolphins Jason Taylor.
CONCERNS
When Devin plays LB off the ball he does not take on blocks and shed and make tackles, he tries to go around the blocks losing gap control and being a liability against the run. When he plays on the line of scrimmage it is mostly in pass-rushing situations so he does not yet have the techniques to set the edge and once again loses gap control. Devin is what I call a run and chase type of player and when it comes to stopping a running back in a third-down situation those types of linebackers struggle unless they are coming off the edge and get into the backfield and make the tackle behind the line of scrimmage.
BOTTOM LINE: 1.64
I believe that Devin’s impact position at the next level will be as an ER/LB in a 3/4 defense or as a WOLB in a 4/3 defense. He needs to play in open space where he can use his speed and athleticism, attacking the line of scrimmage and impact, dropping off the line in coverage and in space. If you use him on the inside, off the line, he will be less impacting and that’s not smart if you plan on selecting him in the first round. It’s really simple, use him the way Tremaine Edwards is used and Devin will struggle like Tremaine does to be consistent and impact. Use him the way Jason Taylor was used and he will be an impact player for your defense. Class is over.
