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Ian Seau, Edge Defender, Nevada
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 250 pounds
Pro Day Results:
40-yard dash: 4.68
Bench press: 22 reps of 225 pounds
Broad jump: 9 feet, 9 inches
Ian Seau has garnered a decent amount of buzz around the league in the weeks leading up to the draft, but almost all of it has to do with the fact that he is the nephew of the late HOF linebacker Junior Seau. While it's not exactly fair to compare him to his uncle, Seau has drawn some light draft interest. Mocking the Draft has him listed as the 299th player on their Top 300, and the 29th best OLB prospect in the draft. He is viewed as a fringe prospect, likely either going in the seventh round or becoming a priority free agent. While Seau is by no means anything better than a Day 3 prospect, his positioning has been adversely affected by being in a draft class that's deep on the defensive line.
Strengths: Seau has a strong set of pass rush moves, including a wicked spin move, that helps him get past offensive tackles. He can rush standing up as well as with his hand in the dirt, giving him some versatility on the line. He's quick off the ball, and has a high motor which gives him a boost in getting to the quarterback. Once he reaches the passer, Seau has shown an ability to strip-sack the QB, with eight career forced fumbles.
Weaknesses: While he played both OLB and DE in college, Seau would likely have to play OLB to make it in the NFL. He lacks the size to set the edge or make a push on the line. He was almost never used as anything other than an edge defender at Nevada, so he has very little experience dropping into coverage. While he has decent athleticism to get to the passer, he struggles to move latterly or in space, which could limit his ability to play linebacker.
NFL Comparison: Patriots ED Rob Ninkovich
This comparison has been used for a while now, and it does make some sense. Ninkovich is a bit of a tweener, meaning he's not a true defensive and or outside linebacker. Seau needs a team that's going to use him as an edge defender, and not label him as just a DE or OLB.