Thaddeus Gibson NFL Draft scouting report

Thaddeus Gibson
6'2, 243 pounds | Outside linebacker | Ohio State

Strengths: Has very good quickness off the snap. Builds on his quickness around the edge and is a dangerous closer. Gets really low on his pass rush to move under the tackle. Works really well to the inside on stunts because of his athleticism. Can start and stop on a dime. Makes a lot of plays in the backfield. Good tackler. He's not the biggest player, but he's stronger than his size suggests. He has enough power to hold his spot on the line.

Weaknesses: Will need to shift from college defensive end to pro outside linebacker. Even though he started his college career at linebacker, there may be some period of adjustment, particularly in his technique. Has already put 35 pounds onto his frame since starting college and may be maxed out. Shows some poor run recognition skills and at times looks uninterested. Bites a lot on misdirection. may struggle to learn a playbook – needed a teammate to move him to the correct gap too often.

Final word: Gibson was a surprise early entrant in the draft. At this point in his development, he may purely be a pass rusher. He struggles reading run keys and is an unknown in pass coverage. He's almost exclusively a 3-4 linebacker and will need to be coached up.