STRENGTHS
Is Drake a linebacker playing Defensive End or… or a Defensive End who should be playing linebacker? He has the athletic talent to play either position. He has a good burst off the line into the backfield to sack quarterbacks. He shows the needed change of direction talent to play Zone coverage, dropping off the line. He has those long arms that give him the ability to play bigger than his size and he has the quick feet and long stride needed to turn the corner and get to the play behind the line of scrimmage or down the field. Drake has all of the talent and size to play more than one position in the front seven for the team that selects him and that makes him valuable to just about all 32 teams in this draft.
CONCERNS
As a Defensive End, Drake gets pushed off his line too easily when pass rushing and this makes it hard for him to finish. Against the run, he plays too high, doesn’t get off his blocks, and struggles to hold his gaps or turn the play inside for others to make a play. Drake’s biggest problem is he cranes his neck like a giraffe looking into the backfield on the snap of the ball on most downs making the big mistake of giving up his chest to his defender. Drake has a lot to learn about the intricacies of the Defensive End position and even more to learn if he is to be considered for a linebacker position. Right now, his success is based on just athletic talent and for the next level and it takes more than athletic talent to play in the NFL.
BOTTOM LINE: 3.44
Defensive linemen have to understand the blocking schemes of the offensive line or it is hard for them to react correctly and do their job. Don’t get me wrong Drake is smart but he lacks the trust. It’s like a QB who waits for his receiver to break instead of anticipating the break and throwing the ball to a spot on the field. Drake wants to make a play so badly on every down that he just loses his trust. He doesn’t read and react, he looks past his defender, into the backfield and this makes him lose balance and power, and the ability to finish. A defensive lineman has to read the player in front of him at the snap first. Sometimes it’s very hard for coaches to break this habit of “looking past the defender” as if they weren’t there, for a defensive lineman. When this happens and if you can’t turn them into linebackers, they become depth players. That’s why I asked the question, is Drake a potential Defensive lineman or is he a linebacker? Drake has talent and could impact very much like The Dolphins Jason Taylor did when he played. Jason played both in his career, maybe Drake will do the same.
