Dion Jordan
STRENGTHS - Jordan is a rare athlete with the speed and burst to consistently press the edge on pass rushes as well as cover ground quickly in space against both the pass and run. He shows good lower body flexibility and is capable of playing with appropriate base and leverage, and uses his long arms well to keep blockers off his frame. He competes hard with blockers and has the explosion to beat blockers off the ball as well as close effectively on the ball carrier. He looks smooth and fluid in his drops, and in Oregon's defense he played a variety of roles effectively from a wide array of alignments.
WEAKNESSES - Jordan will need to add bulk to his frame if he plays DE for a 43 defense. At times he gets too far out front of himself and can lose his balance and struggle to change directions effectively. When rushing the passer he tends to rely too much on his speed off the edge, and must improve his hand usage and incorporate a more diverse set of moves at the POA. He battled through a torn labrum the last several weeks of his senior season and will require surgery on the shoulder some time this spring.
SUMMARY - Dion Jordan was an exciting player to evaluate because he is such a versatile, explosive athlete. His speed and burst allow him to not only be a constant threat rushing the passer but also drop into coverage and make plays against the run in pursuit. He shows good anticipation off the snap which allows him to get off the ball in a flash and consistently threaten the pocket against both run and pass plays. While he flashes the ability to set up moves with his hands he does not have a proficient counter-move at this stage in his career, and will need to continue to develop his skill set. Jordan is a fit in any system and has experience playing a variety of roles on the defensive front seven. If he were healthy during the draft process he would almost certainly be a top ten pick, as his potential is as high as any defender in this draft. Assuming teams feel comfortable with the long-term prognosis of his shoulder, expect to still hear his name called on day one.
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