Adrian Clayborn Scouting Report
Pass Rush Skills: Not a quick twitch rusher, but possesses a tremendous amount of power. Uses his hands violently and gets offensive linemen on their heels consistently. Has the ability to collapse the pocket from the 5 and 3 technique. Is not a natural bender and cannot flatten out around the corner. Has above average speed and burst for his size. Plays with a nastiness and mean streak and it shows when he reaches the quarterback. Is one of the most violent tacklers in the draft.
Versus the run: Very strong against the run. Can sit in his stance and anchor, even against double teams. Uses his hands to stack and shed blockers effectively. Lacks the athleticism to make plays from sideline to sideline. Gets off the ball quickly and makes a ton of tackles for loss in the backfield. Needs to be more consistent with maintaining leverage by keeping his pad level down more out of his stance.
Versatility: Scheme diverse. Is powerful enough to play the 3-technique in the 4-3 or the 5-technique in the 3-4/5-3. Not athletic enough to hold up in coverage as a 3-2 Outside Linebacker.
Instincts/Motor: Sniffs out misdirections, delays, and screens very well. Does a good job at setting the edge and funneling ball carriers back to the inside. Motor runs hot and cold. Needs to improve stamina. Technique tends to breaks down when fatigue sets in, and he isn’t nearly as passionate and nasty when he’s fatigued.
Intangibles: Pled guilty to disorderly conduct in March of 2010. Originally charged with assault causing bodily injury after allegedly punching a cab driver for honking at him in early 2009. Multi-year Team Captain.
Overall Stock: Adrian Clayborn’s stock was extremely high after the 2009 season. If he had come out, he was sure to be a top 10 pick. In 2010, Clayborn’s production decreased drastically. After racking up 11.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles for loss in 2009, he only managed a meager 3.5 sacks and 7 tackles for loss in 2010. That lack of production is attributed to a few different things. Clayborn was often doubled teamed. Teams know the type of chaos he can cause, and they game planned around him. Also, Clayborn’s motor was not up to snuff this year. He looked lackadaisical at times and did a lot of jogging around the field. His stock is still relatively high, but only due to his performance in 2009. Defensive Ends who can get after the passer and play the run are in demand, so regardless of a less than stellar 2010 campaign, Clabyborn should come off the board towards the tail end of day one.round grade.
NFL Comparison: Cullen Jenkins