Howard Cross III DL Notre Dame | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Howard Cross III DL Notre Dame
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| SUB-POSITION: DT 3-TECH | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 04/29/2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.96 seconds (49%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| SUB-POSITION: DT 3-TECH | |
| Last Updated: 04/29/2024 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.96 seconds (49%*) | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 86.8 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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79% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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72% |
| Pass Rush: |
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94% |
| Run Defense: |
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88% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Mid
Overall Rank:
#42
Position rank:
#13
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| College Games: 52 College Snaps: 1599 | ||
ESPN RATING: 80/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 90/100
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Byron Murphy II - Texas |
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81% |
| Jer'Zhan Newton - Illinois |
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73% |
| Calijah Kancey - Pittsburgh |
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71% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Howard Cross III from St. Joseph Regional High School was rated a 4-star recruit by ESPN and handed a 4-star grade by 247 Sports. After high school, Cross III joined Notre Dame after being heavily recruited.In 2019 as a freshman Cross III saw action in 4 games and played a total of 63 snaps for the Fighting Irish. He recorded just 4 tackles, 2 assists, while adding 4 stops.
As a sophomore for the Fighting Irish in 2020 Cross III played in 12 games and took part in 166 snaps for the Fighting Irish. He recorded just 8 tackles, 4 assists, while adding 6 stops. As a pass rusher, he chalked up 6 total pressures, and 3 QB hurries, 2 QB hits, and one sack during the year.
In 2021 as a junior Cross III played in 12 games and contributed on 330 snaps. He recorded 12 tackles, 6 assists while making 12 stops. As a pass rusher, he produced 13 total pressures, which included 10 QB hurries, no QB hits, and 3 sacks on the year.
In 2022 as a senior Cross III logged playing time in 11 games and logged a total of 430 snaps for the Fighting Irish. He also added 15 tackles, 13 assists, and 13 stops. As a pass rusher, he tallied 19 total pressures, which included 13 QB hurries, 3 QB hits, and 3 sacks on the season.
In 2023 as a fifth year senior Cross III logged playing time in 12 games and logged a total of 582 snaps for the Fighting Irish. He also added 42 tackles, 14 assists, and 32 stops. As a pass rusher, he tallied 36 total pressures, which included 28 QB hurries, 5 QB hits, and 3 sacks on the season.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Cross has a wide base and a low center of gravity to hold his ground, as well as the upper-body strength to shed blockers.
- Quick off the snap in the pass rush, Cross has violent hands and a good feel for working inside counter moves.
- Cross shows impressive burst and enough quickness to occasionally threaten the edge as a pass rusher.
- His hand use is excellent; he’s strong in the upper body and consistently swats away blockers.
- Combines excellent power with initial quickness, but one of his best attributes are his violent hands, which he uses with impressive precision.
- With a powerful lower body and the ability to hold up at the point of attack as a run defender, he is remarkably instinctive.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- His pass rush moves need refinement, and Cross doesn’t have a lot of range in coverage.
- With neither elite strength nor elite speed, he lacks one standout trait.
- His spin move is a bit slow and mechanical. He’s susceptible to cut blocks, a tactic that was used on him often
How other scouting services rate Howard Cross III (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
39.8
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
14.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*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.
*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.