Alim McNeill DT NC State Draft Profile

Strengths

• Delivers a strong punch and uses his hands to shed blocks to make plays in the hole or outside the box. Uses lower-body strength to anchor inside.
• Rarely goes to the ground, showing good balance from his high school wrestling days.
• Provides some secondary interior pass rush, getting most penetration when playing three technique.
• Can make the impressive chest-to-chest bear hug tackle in the hole due to his ability to wreak havoc in the backfield.
• Played with good leverage, even on the nose, despite average bulk. Hustle defender with a good bull rush inside that can close and get home when quarterbacks leave the pocket.

Weaknesses

• Must improve hand use and read-and-react skills. Lacks the violent hands to shed and can be eliminated by double-team blocks.
• Good strength, though his marginal arm length limits his ability to grab hold of ballcarriers as they run by.
• Might be limited to one-gap systems. Agility isn't a question but misses tackles when he doesn't square and break down.
• He struggles with leverage off the snap and plays too tall, limiting his effectiveness as a pass rusher.
• Isn't able to consistently shed blocks and makes plays in the hole.

How other scouting services rate Alim McNeill (Overall Rank)