Alex Wright

Context

Plays mostly as stand up 7 technique, also 5/3 on passing downs in 2 point.

Pass Rush

He has very good to elite take-off and upfield burst. He has impressive vertical explosion to combine with good processing making for excellent play speed when rushing the passer. He regularly gets moving on the snap but it’s not just from obvious passing situations and he’s quick to diagnose run/pass. His second and third steps are also very good. He’s still extremely raw as a pass-rusher and has not yet developed an array of moves or a particularly sophisticated plan. When he is lined up outside, he deploys a cross-chop or swipe-club-rip to win. His swipe or chop will be poorly timed against OL with quicker hands or more savvy, the club can be ineffective against OL with better latch strength but his rip move is dangerous for all Offensive Linemen.

When rushing inside, he deploys his fast and powerful hands on a club-swim – he attacks upfield before coming back inside by reaching across and levering the defender using his length. He is developing a bull-rush and speed to power move to take advantage of his remarkable power but it isn’t yet deployed with leverage. He uses his footwork well as a pass-rusher too attacking upfield before deploying his hands or using pressure steps to get the OL moving one way. He is only just learning how to overcome the barriers that his height and length give him in terms of play strength but there are signs that he is able to, and indeed turn it into an advantage. He corners well with body mechanics, throwing his arm back to turn his hips but he has little ankle flexion and plays quite straight up and down, which can mean he struggles to finish on the QB.

Vs Run

His upfield burst against the run is equally good, he’s out of his stance quickly and into the blocker with excellent hand placement and timing. He doesn’t consistently lock out, and when he does, he remains quite upright. He wins consistently because of his core strength and power in his hands but the technique to do so will need to improve at the next level. He processes well and moves quickly to match angles on reach blocks when he’s front-side. He can fit his hands and pads on the run in this situation but can get impatient, throw the blocker outside and lose gap discipline.

Against Gap and Zone runs, he can over-commit inside when setting the edge to try and make a play, when the runner presses his keys effectively, he throws everything at the OL to work back inside leaving an outside edge. When setting the edge or when facing double teams, he deciphers the blocks quickly and uses his burst and hand power to reset the line of scrimmage and the OL levels. He can disengage and tackle the runner in his gap. As a backside defender he’s disciplined/rangy but is susceptible to a cut block.

SUMMARY
Long, powerful and versatile DL who plays with remarkable power. Still raw as a pass rusher, needs a plan/more moves but explosion makes him intriguing. Good run defender

PRODUCTION
JR: 5 Sacks, 3 QB Hits, 37 Total Tackles, 1 FF, 3 Batted Balls
SO: 1 Sacks, 0 QB Hits, 21 Total Tackles, 2 Batted Balls
INJURY: None

RAVENS FIT
Athleticism 4
Intelligence 4
Versatility 5
Grit 5
Scheme 5