Mario Edwards NFL Draft 2015: Scouting Report, Grade for Raiders’ 2nd-Round Pick

STRENGTHS

The athleticism of a defensive end in the body of a defensive tackle, Mario Edwards will wow people with his movement skills. He is very intriguing because of his ability to move around the defense and play multiple positions. At Florida State, he put his hand in the dirt, stood up off the edge and occasionally kicked inside to a tackle position, too. His power off the snap is impressive, and he’ll put linemen on skates with a bull rush. He's at his best in the run game, where he shows passion and toughness at the point of attack.

 

WEAKNESSES


The lack of pop from Edwards in his first-step quickness is a concern. He wasn’t a productive, effective player when asked to rush the passer yet still has potential as a prospect. He’s very raw and needs a sound technical base before he can unleash on the quarterback. Some teams will view him as a tweener without a true position due to his lack of burst.

 

2014 STATISTICS


Tackles: 28
Sacks: 3.5
Tackles for Loss: 9.5





PRO PLAYER COMPARISON: Ray McDonald, Chicago Bears


Edwards doesn’t have the burst that McDonald showed at Florida, but they are very similar if you look at what McDonald became in San Francisco. Edwards is a similar talent and scheme fit.

 

FINAL GRADE: 6.00/9.00 (Future Starter)

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