Scouting Report 9 - Will Sutton - DT #7

Today was not a great day for Will Sutton at the scouting combine, so I don't know if he'd still be considered a top 10 player. However, before I started out on this venture I said these were my top 10 players that I was going to scout, period. So he's staying. Here are his vitals:

Name: Will Sutton
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 288
College: Arizona State
Stats: 48 tackles 4 sacks
Projected Round: 3-4

The first game I'm going to look at is Arizona State versus Texas Tech. This took place on December 30, 2013. Will Sutton had 4 tackles 0 sacks in this game.

The first thing I noticed was that he looks small and compact. Somewhat undersized and that he doesn't appear to have much of any sort of room to add size. I also noticed just how slow he looks. He has almost no burst, is one of the last to react to the ball being snapped, and is consistently beaten by a single blocker. He gets little to no pressure, and is hardly ever double teamed. When he is double teamed forget about it. He also sees to lack awareness.

This lack of awareness allows the opposing offenses to run misdirection and draw plays right at where he was. I think it's also his aggressive tendencies that allow offenses to do that. However, he doesn't win his one on one matchups so that aggressiveness is wasted. Once the play gets beyond him he gives up. In my opinion, this is because he doesn't have a high motor. He also seems utterly incapable of playing the 3-tech because he cannot get pressure at all, let alone on a consistent basis in college football. Maybe it was just this game, but color me unimpressed.

The next game I'm going to look at is Arizona State against Stanford. This game took place on September 21st. Will Sutton had 6 tackles 0 sacks in this game.

The first thing that sort of stuck out to me between the first two games is that he seems to be a bit streaky. He will put together two or three good plays in a row. Then he disappears. He gets beat in his one on one match ups. He gives up on plays after they get past him and even after a few seconds when they aren't past him. I also don't see teams being afraid to run right at him. And he seems to get pancaked way too often.

In that regard, he spends way too much time playing from the dirt. I don't think he has good balance. What makes him look better than his actual abilities is the fact that Arizona State blitzes far more often from the side he's lined up on then from the other side of the field. But even then you can still see his lack of speed, quickness, and agility. He just seems to try to overpower the guard or the center without relying on any moves. However, he doesn't have that kind of strength. Once the ball is snapped, it's like he hits a stone wall. He just doesn't appear to be good.

The final game I'm going to look at is ASU vs. Washington State. This game took place on October 31, 2013. Will Sutton had 2 tackles in this game.

In this game he actually displays a little more burst and quickness. However, he still looks slow and displays a lack of agility. While he generates a little more pressure in this game, he still doesn't do much. He doesn't win his one on one matchups, he gets pushed around, and doesn't get consistent pressure. Teams still aren't scared to run it at him.

When he breaks his stance he is basically engaging the lineman as if he's standing straight up. This allows the lineman to get under him and win the battle for leverage right at the snap. He also stops during some plays, primarily because I think he isn't in the best shape. He displays absolutely no moves to escape a blocker and doesn't use his hands well. He relies solely on shoving the lineman or beating them to the inside. However, he is not quick enough to do that. He doesn't get good leverage and he lacks balance.

Overall, I'd say he is an undersized defensive tackle, who could only hope to play the three technique. However, he doesn't display the quickness, burst, agility, strength, or moves to play the three technique. Instead, he consistently gets manhandled by college level interior lineman. He seems to play very slow. If I were the Bears, I wouldn't draft him at all. He doesn't have the athleticism or size to warrant being drafted. He is also far too raw. He doesn't display awareness or anything else that would really allow him to contribute to a team on a daily basis. Rather, he would be a liability and the stronger guards and centers in the NFL would pancake him all the time. I wouldn't be upset if the Bears took a flier out on him in the 7th round. However, I would rather they save that flier on someone with more upside in other areas, i.e. more athleticism or better size. I don't think he will ever be able to develop into an NFL level talent because he has almost no upside, as I have previously stated. As a result, I would not touch this player.