2017 NFL Draft: Alabama Dalvin Tomlinson Scouting Report
By Jon Dove
Alabama’s Dalvin Tomlinson is an experienced defender who has gone against top level competition throughout his career.
Dalvin Tomlinson is a stoutly build defensive line prospect who excels at playing the run. He uses a combination of arm length, balance and raw power to hold at the point of attack. Tomlinson isn’t a flashy player but he finds a way to contribute.
Alabama counted on Tomlinson to occupy blockers and keep the linebacker clean. This limited his opportunities to penetrate and register tackles for loss. Tomlinson isn’t an overly explosive athlete, but has enough quickness to create problems.
He uses his long arms and strength to anchor at the line of scrimmage. His upper body strength helps him press the blocker and create space. This space allows Tomlinson to locate the football and work toward the ball carrier.
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Tomlinson would be more effective if he focused on exploding out of his stance and delivering a strong initial jolt. This would create even more space and potentially disrupt the timing of the offense.
Based on his style of play and size, Tomlinson strikes me as a perfect fit as at two-gap 5-technique. He could also play the nose tackle position in a 4-3 alignment. However, he doesn’t have the bulk to play the traditional nose tackle spot in a 3-4 defense.
There’s a chance that Tomlinson develops into more than just a run stuffer. He has flashed the ability to generate some pressure on the quarterback. Tomlinson shows a solid swim and rip move which goes well with his non-stop motor.
He’ll be drafted for his ability to hold at the line of scrimmage and any pass rush help he provides would be considered a bonus.
Draft Range: 4th Round