Name: Dominique Easley
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 288
College: Florida
Stats: 5 tackles, no sacks, played in 3 games and suffered an ACL injury.
Projected Round: 2-3
The first game I'm going to look at is Florida against Tennessee. This game took place September 21, 2013 and this is the game he gets injured.
The first thing that jumps out is that he is quick, has great burst, and generates pressure. He is very strong and can overpower his opponent. He is also capable of lining up at DT or DE and generating pressure. He is able to take on double teams and win. He seems to play with a high motor and displays good speed.
However, he's not incredibly fast or quick. He has good quickness and speed, but it's not elite. Also, much like Donald, his pressure comes from his aggressive nature. It can leave him susceptible in the run game. It's not a huge concern, as he's capable of getting into the backfield and shutting a play down early, but it's something to take note of.
The next game I'm going to look at is Florida against Louisville in the 2013 Sugar Bowl.
You'll notice that he has a good burst. Good, not great. He is a good pass rusher, but not elite. He lines up at both DE and DT but is clearly much better suited for DT. He has a swim move, he can bull rush, he has a spin move. However, he is capable of getting stone walled by a single blocker because he does not possess elite level pass rush ability.
He also doesn't seem to display great instincts or be a heady player. He consistently has rushers run right next to him and doesn't make the play. I attribute this to his aggressive nature. He seems to be thinking only one thing: rush the passer. However, he does display the ability to win in the run game. He displays a better ability in this regard then Donald. He maintains his possession well, gets good leverage, and consistently pushes into the back field. As I've said, he can attack and pressure the QB but is subpar in the run game. I would say his intelligence has to improve if he hopes to be a pro-bowl level player in the NFL.
The final game I'm going to look at is Florida against Missouri from 2012. I apologize for using last years games but the reality is that he tore his ACL pretty early and there wasn't anything on Youtube from this year other then the first game.
Again, he's a good pass rusher. Not elite, but very good. He may be elite for a defensive tackle in college, but in the NFL I would likely say his pass rush ability would be similar to a Henry Melton. He uses his hands well, but he doesn't display good balance. You will see him beat his players only to fall down quite a bit. He is also so focused on rushing the passer, that he will give up his zone in the passing game allowing scrambling QB's to slip by, or allowing draw plays to go right by him. He really needs to improve his awareness, it's just not there. Although, he doesn't ever seem to give up on plays, even when they get behind him. As I stated before, he displays an excellent motor.
Overall, I think he can provide good pressure from the DT position in the NFL. If he puts time into studying the game, I think he will be a very good defensive tackle. He will be able to pressure the QB and hold up in the running game. However, this will require a lot of work. Additionally, he needs to work on his balance if he wants to be a successful NFL player. I think he is a first round prospect. He has the ability to be a play maker. However, he is not as explosive as Aaron Donald, but I think he can be a probowl level player if he puts the time in to master his craft and become a more headsy player.
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3rd rounder IMO.
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