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NFL Draft Scouting report: Sheldon Rankins, DL, Louisville

Louisville's disruptive defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins is profiled and evaluated for the 2016 NFL Draft.  

 

Sheldon Rankins – Louisville Cardinals

Position: Defensive Line

Height: 6’1’’

Weight: 299

Year: Senior

Hometown: Covington, GA

Experience: Sr. – 2 year starter

 

Measurables:

40 yard: 5.03

Broad jump: 118 inch.

Vertical: 34.5 inch.

3-cone: 7.44 sec.

20yd. Shuttle: 4.59 sec.

Bench Press: 28 reps

 

Career Notes:

As a two-year starter in the Cardinals defense, Rankins was consistently one of the top defensive players in the ACC in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He led Louisville in sacks (8) and tackles for loss (13.5) as a junior, and followed that up with another impressive campaign his senior year, finishing second on the team in both sacks and tackles for loss, which he recorded 6 and 13, respectively.

Over his collegiate career, Rankins registered a total of 18 sacks and 31.5 tackles for loss and was a dominant interior pass rusher for Louisville, proving to be their top player on defense for two straight seasons, despite primarily playing as a 3-4 defensive end.

As one of the more explosive defensive lineman in the draft, Rankins was also perhaps the top performer down in Mobile at the Senior Bowl until he left prematurely because of a sprained knee. Even then, many regard the Louisville product as one of the top defensive lineman in the 2016 class.

 

Injury Report:

Rankins left Senior Bowl week early because he re-aggravated a calf and knee sprain he suffered earlier in the year. However, Rankins didn’t miss any starts at Louisville due to injury.

 

Career Stats:

 

Analysis:

Against the Run: 4.0/5.0

Perhaps a better run defender in 2014 than his 2015 tape, Rankins still shows an ability to hold the point of attack, track the ball, and then disengage to get a hand on the ball carrier. He’s scrappy and consistently plays through the trash. He possesses tremendous functional strength and can hold the point against double teams.

He’s also quick off the snap and can penetrate into the backfield and disrupt plays. His 26.5 tackles for loss as a starter is a reflection of his ability to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. Overall, Rankins shows good hustle and quickness and can track backs down in pursuit.

The downside to Rankins’ approach to the run is he can be too aggressive in his run pursuits, overpursue, and then lose his gap assignment. This creates cutback lanes for the offense and can be detrimental to the linebackers’ ability to make plays on the ball. He needs to be more disciplined against the run and show better patience to hold the point before disengaging. This would then allow the linebackers a clearer path to the ball. As a five-technique defensive end taking on blocks and holding the point and two-gapping would be his primary responsibility in a 3-4 front.

Pass Rush: 4.5/5.0

The best part of Rankins’ game is his ability to generate interior pressure. He’s very explosive off the snap, possessing a quick first step and a powerful bull rush that will knock offensive linemen back on their heels. Rankins is a violent player at the line of scrimmage. His relentless motor allows him to keep pushing the pocket, even if he doesn’t make it to the quarterback after his initial move.

He also plays with very good pad level, giving him the leverage to get a good push off the line and consistently win his one-on-one matchups. He does a nice job getting under the shoulder pads of offensive linemen, and then using his strength and powerful punch to push them off their spot and collapse the pocket. He battles through double teams, and will definitely raise eyebrows with how explosive and quick he can be coming off the line.

Rankins also demonstrates an array of pass rush moves, ranging from a impressive spin move to swatting offensive linemen away with his hands to a devastating bull rush. However, while looking dominant as an interior rusher at times, Rankins can also disappear for stretches in games, which can be concerning.

Agility: 4.5/5.0

Rankins possesses excellent agility and athleticism for a 300-pound defensive lineman. His ability to move upfield, as well as quickly change direction, make him an effective player as a 3-4 defensive end on the edge. He can also chase down ball carriers from the backside, not only showing good hustle, but impressive short-area burst. His athleticism and solid lateral movement make him an excellent fit as a five-technique defensive end at the next level.

Impact Play Ability: 4.0/5.0

Rankins possess the football instincts and raw athletic skills to put him in position to make a lot of plays on the field. However, he doesn’t always finish. Although very solid, according to the film, his production at Louisville should have been much better. His aggressive playing style can get the best of him at times and lead to missed tackles out in space or on the edge. Considering his disruptive capabilities, he should also make a more consistent impact against the run. He definitely demonstrated this ability in 2014, his junior season, but he took a step back as a run defender in 2015. Overall though, Rankins is an explosive and powerful enough athlete, he should create constant havoc at the line of scrimmage in the NFL.

Summary:

Rankins would be miscast as a nose tackle at the next level, despite his shorter stature. His best fit is as a three-technique defensive tackle in a 4-3 front or five-technique defensive end in a 3-4 front. However, Rankins does offer some versatility as a defensive lineman. He could line up over center on third downs in pass rush situations or as a two-down lineman in nickel or dime sub-packages. Built in the mold of Mike Daniels and Kawan Short, his game closely resembles the veteran defensive linemen and should be used in a similar fashion in the NFL.

Overall Grade: 4.25/5.0

 

If drafted by the Packers:

It would be easy to disregard Rankins as a potential prospect for the Packers in the draft because they already have a very similar player in Mike Daniels, but the former Louisville defensive lineman would give Green Bay another disruptive interior pass rusher to create pressure on third downs.

If the Packers don’t re-sign B.J. Raji this offseason, Rankins could also start as a defensive end in their 3-4 front opposite Daniels as Green Bay moves Letroy Guion to nose tackle. A starting lineup of Daniels, Guion, and Rankins would be stout against the run. Rankins and Daniels would also form a formidable duo as the two down-lineman in the Packers frequently used nickel defense.

Adding another player that can push the pocket and take on double-teams would create more opportunities for Green Bay’s edge rushers, like Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers. Rankins would also give the Packers an insurance policy if Daniels happens to get injured next season.

Rankins would be a viable option for the Packers in the first round, if he lasts that long. However, he definitely won’t last to the end of the second, so if Green Bay is high on him, they may only get one shot at him.

 

Video:

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Comments (2)

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slit's picture

March 15, 2016 at 08:51 pm

All aboard!

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4EVER's picture

March 16, 2016 at 10:53 am

Watch the Auburn game...? Shon Coleman's length abused him.

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