NFL Draft Scouting Report: Stephone Anthony

Sep 19, 2013; Raleigh, NC, USA; Clemson Tigers linebacker Stephone Anthony (42) tackles North Carolina State Wolfpack runningback Tony Creecy (26) at Carter Finley Stadium. The Clemson Tigers won 26-14. Mandatory Credit: Liz Condo-USA TODAY Sports

Scout’s Take

Strengths: CBSSports.com’s Rob Rang Said of Anthony’s strengths, “Carries an ideal frame for an inside ‘backer, with thickness through the middle and broad shoulders, and he exhibits the explosive downhill first step and feisty demeanor to be a strong contributor in the box.

“He diagnoses early and does a good job of putting himself in position to make plays between the tackles against the run, and will hold his own when asked to drop back in short zone and cover the middle against the pass. As a tackler, he does a good job of extending and wrapping up below the waist to finish plays, and he prides himself on laying the occasional wallop without sacrificing technique.”

Weaknesses: Rang said of his weaknesses, “Highly aggressive and will attack gaps, leaving cutback lanes for savvy runners to exploit. Just average lateral agility and sideline-to-sideline range, and he seems to take shallow angles against the run when the play goes to the outside. Too often relies on his burst to the ball and must show better pop on contact to disengage from blockers.

“He’s stiff in the hips when asked to flip and redirect, so he’ll waste some motion and take some time to get up to speed after making an adjustment, and thus far he hasn’t shown “plus” coverage when asked to man up, flip and run with a tight end. Suspended for the first half of the 2014 Russell Athletic Bowl due to a disputable targeting penalty against South Carolina.”

Next: Another Scout's Take