2015 NFL Draft profile: San Jose State DT Travis Raciti

Raciti brings with him a strong work ethic and an awful lot of question marks

By Ethan Novak Apr 27, 2015, 6:00am PDT

Travis Raciti, Defensive Tackle, San Jose State Spartans

6'5", 285 pounds

Mocking the Draft position ranking: 22 (listed as DE)

College Career:

AT SAN JOSÉ STATE: Finished five seasons with the Spartans... 49 games played as a defensive tackle with 45 starts... One of just seven players in University history to serve as a team captain in multiple seasons (2013, 2014)... Two-time all-conference defensive lineman (2012, 2014)... Tied for tenth on the San José State career list with 27.0 tackles for loss... Signed with San José State in February 2010 as a tight end/defensive end prospect... Three-time academic all-conference honoree (2011, 2012, 2013)... Concluding his college playing career in the 2015 East-West Shrine Game... Last name is pronounced - RAH-see-tee.

-from the Spartans' official site.

Pro Day Numbers:

40-yard dash: 5.06 seconds

Vertical jump: 31 1/2 inches

Short Shuttle: 4.66 seconds

3-cone: 7.52 seconds

Broad Jump: 8 feet, 10 inches

Bench: 27 reps of 225 pounds

Strengths:

As it goes with most late round prospects, Raciti comes with a hefty set of question marks and a few intriguing strengths. As far as strengths go, Raciti has a tireless work ethic and will be willing to do whatever it takes to succeed at the NFL level. Plays with contagious enthusiasm on every snap and rarely gives up on a play. Moves well along the line of scrimmage and does a decent job of tracking the ball. Possesses plus athleticism for a defensive tackle, if that's the position he ends up sticking at.

Weaknesses:

There's not a ton of certainty on what position he'll fit in best at. Maybe he can play tackle. Maybe he can slim down and bounce out to defensive end. Maybe he can jump all the way out to a 3-4 OLB position and succeed. There's a lot of maybes, and it's probably going to take some time to identify where exactly Raciti fits best. He showed potential as a pass rusher early in his career, but his sack totals took a complete nose dive after a successful sophomore campaign. Despite his plus athleticism, he lacks the necessary speed or strength to get by NFL linemen on a regular basis, and doesn't seem to get as much out of his frame as possible. Frequently knocked out of the play by single blockers and is swallowed by any and all double teams. Ability to stop run needs improvement, as well.

Summary:

He's a player who could be molded into a successful NFL player, but it will take a whole lot of patience and even more work, especially considering he doesn't have a set position at the moment. Still, he seems to be the type of player who is up for the challenge that comes with adjusting to his new team's needs, and I wouldn't bet against him landing on a roster.

"I want to land with a team that wants me to be there," he said. "I just need a shot. I just need a camp invite."

-Raciti, following a successful pro day

Draft projection:

7th round

Potential destinations:

Philadelphia Eagles (visit), Washington Redskins (visit)