Saints pick OU LB Danny Stutsman

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Draft Projection
Round 3

Overview
Inside linebacker with size and instincts to post a board full of high totals as a tackler. Stutsman is football smart with studious play recognition to stay one step ahead of blockers. His downhill flows narrow the runner’s angles and he’s accomplished at slipping around blockers or sliding off of them to tackle. His block take-on needs work, though. He’s efficient and productive near the line, but his effectiveness and tackling dip once the play moves into space. Stutsman is an adequate athlete with good size and special-teams talent, showing the potential to become a starting inside ‘backer.

Strengths
Instincts and play recognition fuel his impressive production.
Reads and adjusts instantly to what his keys tell him.
Slips and slides around blocks to stay in the action.
Sifts through moving parts with calm eyes and efficient movement.
Plays with inside-out leverage and can slide off blocks to tackle.
Eludes duo-block climbers and triggers into their A-gaps.
Adequate bend-and-turn to knife into gaps as a blitzer.
Possesses demeanor and experience for special teams.

Weaknesses
Lacks explosive stack-and-shed pop in his take-ons.
Absorbs more contact than he delivers to blockers.
Can be a step slow sprinting wide to cut off outside runs.
Linear in perimeter pursuit and overruns tackle angles.
Average depth gain and change of direction in zone coverage.
Needs to squeeze catch space when he’s in position.

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