Rasheem Green, USC: 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report
By Jon Dove
USC’s Rasheem Green is a rising prospect who has the potential to be a dominating defensive lineman at the next level.
At this stage in his development, Rasheem Green is more of projectable prospect rather than a finished product. He has elite size, raw power and the quickness needed to be a disruptive force. His skill set makes him a fit as either a 3-technique, 5-technique or even a traditional defensive tackle.
The problem is that Green needs to play with more consistency and refine his technique. He has a tendency to raise his pad level off the snap exposing too much of his frame. This allows the blocker to get into his body push him off the line of scrimmage.
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He has too much raw strength and size that he should easily be able to anchor at the point of attack. It’s the poor pad level that is an issue. Green must focus on firing off the ball low, rolling his hips and delivering punch to the offensive lineman.
His awareness is also a concern from time to time. Green needs to do a better job reading his keys and identifying the location of the ball. Too often, he will find himself working in the opposite direction of the ball carrier.
The good thing is that Green is still developing as a player and his problem areas are things that can be corrected. NFL coaches will no doubt focus on Green’s pad level problems in order to get the most of his talent.
Green routinely flashes the ability to both rush the passer and disrupt the run game. He has a quick first step and the strength to blow past the blocker. His rip and swim moves are very effective and allow him to get pressure on the quarterback.
The fact he fights for inside hands helps him generate a solid bull rush. However, he is still developing a feel for rushing the passer. Green is learning how and when to use his different pass rush moves.
There is plenty to like when watching Green play, but his lack of polish makes him a question mark. He’s a high upside prospect who also comes with the risk that he will never reach his full potential. This makes him a tough prospect to peg.