Curtis Jacobs LB Penn State | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Curtis Jacobs LB Penn State
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| PLAY STYLE: COVERAGE LB | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 04/24/2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.58 seconds (83%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 23.2 DOB: 02/18/2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Shrine Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| PLAY STYLE: COVERAGE LB | |
| Last Updated: 04/24/2024 | |
| Draft Year: 2024 | |
| 40 time: 4.58 seconds (83%*) | |
| Age: 23.2 DOB: 02/18/2002 | |
| Bowl Invite: Shrine Bowl | |
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| Overall Rating: | 79.9 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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80% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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70% |
| Pass Rush: |
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76% |
| Run Defense: |
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60% |
| Coverage: |
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72% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#182
Position rank:
#14
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| College Games: 43 College Snaps: 1614 | ||
ESPN RATING: 84/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 98/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.0 (98%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nick Hampton - Appalachian State |
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92% |
| D'Marco Jackson - Appalachian State |
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87% |
| Mike Jones Jr. - LSU |
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84% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Curtis Jacobs, from Maryland, excelled at McDonogh School not only as a linebacker but also played wide receiver and safety, demonstrating his versatility early on. Rated a 4-star recruit by ESPN and a 5-star by 247Sports, Jacobs brought a strong athletic pedigree to Penn State. Throughout his college career, he logged 171 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks.
Starting as a freshman in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Jacobs played in 7 games, recording 7 tackles and adding 3 stops with one pass breakup. His performance peaked in subsequent years, earning All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2021 and 2022. In 2021, he participated in 605 snaps, recording 48 tackles, 17 assists, and 29 stops, along with one interception. His sophomore year also saw him chalk up 10 total pressures, including 2 sacks. His consistent performance continued into 2022 and 2023.
Jacobs' athletic roots run deep, with all family members having played collegiate sports—his parents at Morgan State, where his father played football and his mother basketball.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Exhibits good lateral movement and play speed, effectively covering both sidelines.
- Demonstrates proficient coverage abilities, able to keep pace with tight ends and slot receivers in man coverage
- Effective in zone coverage with solid eye discipline and awareness of threats.
- Shows potential in using his hands to shed blocks and navigate through traffic.
- Possesses a serious motor and the athleticism required for sideline-to-sideline pursuits.
- Ability to read the quarterback's eyes and react quickly in coverage.
- Has shown flashes of adeptness in using change-of-direction skills to evade blockers.
- Brings a strong special teams background.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Struggles with consistently diagnosing run plays, often misreading plays or reacting slowly.
- Can be overly aggressive, leading to missed tackles or being caught out of position against play-action.
- Lacks the upper body strength to consistently fend off blocks from linemen and tight ends.
- Has difficulties maintaining proper pad level when engaging with blockers, affecting his leverage.
- Overall instincts as a run defender need refinement.
Scouting Report: Summary
Curtis Jacobs is a prospect with a mixed bag of attributes. On the upside, Jacobs displays a promising coverage ability, with the ability to blanket tight ends in coverage, underlined by his swift lateral movements and solid zone discipline. His agility and speed allow him to cover ground quickly, making him an asset in sub-packages. However, Jacobs faces challenges in run defense, where his reactions often lag, and his physical engagements at the point of attack leave room for improvement.
For NFL teams looking for a linebacker who can contribute on special teams and offer depth in passing situations, Jacobs fits the bill. He will need to bolster his run defense mechanics and enhance his play recognition to become a more complete player. Teams will have to weigh his athletic upside against his current limitations in run schemes.
Curtis Jacobs percentiles vs other Linebackers (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Curtis Jacobs (Overall Rank)
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.