2016 NFL Draft: 10 Most Explosive Prospects in the Draft
By Jon Dove
Jarran Reed, DL, Alabama
Most tie explosiveness to speed which isn’t necessarily true. Someone can possess explosive power where they move people off the line of scrimmage. This is the case with Alabama’s Jarran Reed who has explosive upper-body strength.
He features such power in his upper body and hips that he’s able to deliver devastating jolt off the snap. Reed is a force who quickly knocks the blocker off balance and then controls his movement. So much of his success comes from that punch.
Reed dominates the run and controls the line of scrimmage. He initiates the contact which allows him to anchor and work his way towards the football.
The fact he lacks the flashiness of an explosive edge-rusher will not hurt his draft stock. Reed is a top-15 prospect who will have a big impact as a rookie. He might not stuff the stat sheet but will do the little things that help his team win.
A team like the Chicago Bears would be a great landing spot for Reed. With the Bears, he’d be asked to occupy blockers and stuff the run. Reed would give Chicago some versatility as they’d be able to shift him from 5-technique to nose tackle.
Next: Hunter Henry