The past two springs Niners Nation has rolled out scouting reports on players the 49ers might very well target. When possible we get reports from other SB Nation sites. Other times we'll compose it using various scouting services on the Internet.
Over the last two years we've scouted Patrick Willis, Dwayne Jarrett, James Hardy, and Quentin Groves, among others. My personal favorite was the Jay Moore scouting report I worked up two and a half months before the 49ers snagged him in the 4th round of the draft.
Our first scouting report of the draft season will be one you might have seen before. The folks at Tomahawk Nation posted a FanPost with a link to their "Exit Interview" of Everette Brown, a hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker. In this first scouting report, I thought I'd post some of the important points from Tomahawk Nation's report. For further details you can head on over to read the rest and view a little YouTube.
By far the most intriguing comment was this:
We've debated this for a while now and there isn't a concrete answer, but I believe Brown is the best defensive end FSU has ever had. Better than Peter Boulware, Wilson, and Wadsworth. I believe this because Brown had to face much better competition, both in talent level and in scheme. Early 90's college passing attacks simply did not know how to handle the speed rush. Elite college rushers now must have a variety of skills. Brown has those skills.
Strengths
Explosion: Brown has incredible burst off the edge
Balance: nobody in the college game stays lower throughout their stance on the way to the QB. He has an uncanny knack for ducking under long-armed tackles. (Think Dwight Freeney)
Versatility: Brown can play standing up but is also comfortable putting his hand on the ground
Work Ethic: The FSU coaches constantly praise this guy for his constant motor and work ethic.
Durability: Brown has never missed a game due to injury.
Dedication: Playing on the health idea, Brown takes excellent care of his body.
Skills: Although not a pure speed guy, Brown has a great variety of moves and is surprisingly advanced for an early-entry pass rusher.
Weaknesses
Size: Brown has a limited frame. He can probably play at 260-265lbs, but he is not a 275lb Shawn Merriman sized player. I think his best weight is 250-255.
Experience: Brown is still fairly raw. He has only started 26 games for the Seminoles. Despite being extremely productive, he occasionally makes mistakes.
Poorly coached/ simple scheme: Many fans think defensive ends coach Jodey Allen is a poor coach. We generally agree. FSU also runs a very simple defensive scheme.
In-Line blocker shedding: Brown sometimes struggles taking on huge offensive tackles in the run game.
Given his size, Brown would almost assuredly be an outside linebacker in the 49ers 3-4. With that in mind, Tomahawk Nation had an intriguing comparison:
Brown is the 2nd coming of Demarcus Ware
Coming out of school, Ware was 6'5 251, running a 4.59. Brown is 6'4, 255, running a 4.55 or 4.60 (depending on who is timing). Brown is a better player now than Ware was coming out of school. Here is ESPN's take on Ware as a draft prospect back in 2004:
Ware has bulked up to 253 pounds... In our opinion, Ware's best fit would be as a rush linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. Ware is somewhat unpolished and he needs to continue to get bigger and stronger. However, his athletic ability, top-end speed and flair for making the big play as a pass rusher and run-defender makes him an attractive prospect.
If that doesn't sound familiar, I don't know what does. I really like how both players played primarily with their hand down in college, and both faced (and beat) numerous double and triple teams.
Considering Ware finished with 20 sacks this season, I think the 49ers would be satisfied with those kind of numbers in a few years. Tomahawk Nation is convinced he's going to blow people away at the Combine. Given his current status, it's entirely possible he's gone by the time #10 rolls around. If he were to fall to the 49ers, I have to say I'd be quite pleased if they grabbed him. I wasn't completely sold on him before, but the more I read, the more I like.
Thanks again to Tomahawk Nation for putting together an excellent scouting report. We'll have more of these as we roll into the spring.