Prospect Profile: Darron Lee

Position LB | School Ohio State | Sophomore Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 218 pounds College Stats 2015: Collected 66 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 2 pass break ups, 2 forced fumbles, 1 INT and 1 TD in 13 games to cap a prolific career in which he helped the Buckeyes win the Fiesta Bowl, Sugar Bowl and a National Championship. Career: Finished his career with 147 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, 12.0 sacks, 5 pass break ups, 3 INTs, 3 forced fumbles and 3 TDs in 30 games over two years as a full-time defender for Ohio State. He earned multiple Freshman All-American accolades with 81 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks, hitting the national stage when he disrupted the Alabama offense in the Sugar Bowl with 7 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks along the way to earning Defensive MVP honors. Lee’s sophomore season was as impressive and led him to being named Second-Team All-Big 10. Combine Results 40-yard dash: 4.47 seconds (No. 1 among LBs) Bench press: 17 reps Vertical: 35.5 inches (No. 5 among LBs) Broad jump: 11 feet, 1 inch (No. 1 among LBs) 3-cone drills: 7.12 seconds 20-yard shuttle: 4.20 seconds (No. 3 among LBs) Profile Summary: An athletic, rangy and instinctive playmaker, it’s never hard to find Lee on the field because you just have to look for the ball. In just two seasons as a defender for Ohio State, he was able to collect 27.5 tackles for loss, 12.0 sacks and 3 TDs. He was an integral part of two extremely successful Ohio State teams, including the squad that won the national title after the 2014 season. Scouts laud Lee for his agility, change of direction, flexibility, man coverage skills, routes to the ball carrier and blitzing ability, but they see room for improvement in his play strength, balance at point of attack and zone coverage ability. Many are mocking him: Six of eight mock drafters at NFL Media have Lee going in the 1st round, including Bucky Brooks’ projection of the Vikings selecting Lee at No. 23. Several have the Falcons pouncing on Lee at No. 17, too. * * Size Athleticism = Position Switch?: Lee is listed as a LB on his NFL.com Scouting Profile and all of NFL Media’s mock drafts have him pegged as a LB, as well. But his combination of athleticism and size could lead some to project him as a bigger safety. Either way, scheme fit will be important for Lee as he transitions to the NFL. One sentence in his scouting profile reads: “Lee’s level of NFL success might very well be tied to scheme fit and his ability to add more muscle to his frame. His athletic traits and ability to make plays should make him a starter but he won’t unlock his full potential unless he gets strong enough to handle the rigors of an NFL linebacker.”

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Prospect Profile: Darron Lee

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