| |
 
Will Overstreet
SELECTED BY CINCINNATI , ROUND 3, PICK 17, OVERALL PICK 80
DE | (6-2, 255, 4.82) | Tennessee
By Pro Football WeeklyNotes: Former high school All-American who also lettered in basketball and track. Lived up to expectations by playing enough to letter as a freshman and then starting and becoming a quality all-type player the past three years. Had 14 stops, two sacks and one other tackle for loss in 1998. Had 54 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 7 1/2 sacks in '99 and 43-6-4 1/2 and one interception in 2000, despite being hampered by injuries. Missed spring practice in '00 because of a back problem and then hurt his knee four games into the season and was never full speed after that. Had his knee scoped after the season. Came back to register 35-9-5 in '01, when he missed two games and three starts as a result of a sprained left medial collateral ligament and partial tear suffered Sept. 29. Overstreet was an Academic All-Conference player the past three years and also won first-team All-Southeastern Conference honors from the league coaches and second-team honors from The Associated Press last season.Positives: High-motor, intense player who plays hard, plays hurt and has all the intangibles. Overstreet is a technically sound player who generally plays with leverage, uses his hands well and keeps his pads low. He can get upfield to rush the passer, chase running plays to the sideline, slide through small areas in the line and generally hold his own vs. the run as long as he is playing with good pad level and not being engulfed by a huge tackle who has latched on to him. He also will drop into coverage or latch on to the tight end in certain defensive schemes. He is a good athlete for a down end and has exceptional timed speed. Has good size and rushing skills for a linebacker and can play over and control a tight end. Overstreet also looked as though he could be an excellent special-teams player at the Senior Bowl.Negatives: Tweener who has marginal size for an end and needs to be on the edge or in a gap and not head-up on a 300-plus-pound tackle. He is a little stiff as a linebacker, and it is still hard to say if his movement in reverse and going laterally will be what scouts want. Durability is a major concern because he has a history of back problems and has missed a lot of time because of his back and two knee injuries.Summary: A tweener with medical concerns but also a very good football player with lots of heart. Really helped himself with his work on special teams at the Senior Bowl.* Player biographies are provided by Pro Football Weekly.
| |
