Kyle Emanuel has a chance to earn playing time as a rookie

[KNSD]

http://espn.go.com/blog/san-diego-chargers/post/_/id/11205/kyle-emanuel-has-a-chance-to-earn-playing-time-as-a-rookie

[Big Dog]

Kyle Emanuel has a chance to earn playing time as a rookie

• Eric D. Williams, ESPN Staff Writer
  • Covered Seahawks for Tacoma News Tribune for six seasons.
  • Played college football at University of Puget Sound
  
  
  

SAN DIEGO -- As San Diego Chargers coach Mike McCoy likes to say, they selected pass-rusher Kyle Emanuel in the fifth round of this year's draft for a reason, believing his production in college translates to impact plays at the next level.

At North Dakota State Emanuel dominated, totaling 19.5 sacks his senior season as the Bison took home their fourth straight Football Championship Subdivision title.


Can defensive end Kyle Emanuel make the transition from North Dakota State to the Chargers? Gregory Bull/AP PhotoNow, Emanuel has to prove he can produce similar results against the much more athletic offensive tackles he'll face in the NFL.

Emanuel also will have to make a tough transition from defensive end at North Dakota State to outside linebacker for the Chargers, something he's been training for since his college season ended.

"Almost every team I talked to said they were looking at me as some kind of linebacker," Emanuel said. "Even a 4-3 team I talked to said I'd be a Mike or a Sam. Basically, since I went to the Shrine game in Florida, I've been preparing to change into a linebacker."

More important, he'll have to carve out a role as a special teams contributor to earn a spot on the final roster.

Emanuel said he played mostly defensive end for North Dakota State, so the transition will not be an easy one. However, easing that transition is the presence of new Chargers linebackers coach Mike Nolan.

"He's a great teacher," Emanuel said about Nolan. "He explains it well. He doesn't assume we know anything. For a guy that played defensive end in college, that's something that really helps me. He's patient with us, and he helps us learn. And I'm looking forward to working with him."

The Chargers are thin at outside linebacker, and need Emanuel to prove he can play at this level in order to fill out the back end of their roster at an important position. Currently, the Chargers have eight outside linebackers on the 90-man roster, but only four with NFL experience in Melvin Ingram, Jeremiah Attaochu, Cordarro Law and Tourek Williams.

Emanuel looked the part at rookie minicamp last week, appearing to move well and get off the ball quickly during individual work and team drills.

At 6-3 and 255 pounds, Emanuel put up decent numbers at the scouting combine in Indianapolis. He ran a 4.77-second, 40-yard time, along with posting a 34-inch vertical jump and bench pressing 225 pounds 27 times.

So now it's a matter of Emanuel transferring that athleticism to consistent production on the field, something Chargers general manager Tom Telesco believes the North Dakota State product can accomplish.

"He has good size," Telesco said about Emanuel after the draft. "He's tough, instinctive and obviously was highly productive. He has really good first-step quickness -- which pass rushers need at this level -- and a good feel for it. We see him as an outside linebacker right now.

"The big thing for him is he dominated the competition at his level, which is what you have to do to be able to make it in this league. And then when they played Division I schools, which they went 4-0 against Division I schools, he played very well in those games."

[Big Dog]

ProspectsPresented By OLB

Kyle Emanuel

North Dakota St. Missouri Valley





Drafted By: Chargers

• Round 5
• Pick 17
• Overall 153

View ProspectsBy NameBy PositionBy CollegeBy Grade
Combine Results

Grade

5.48?

• 4.77 SEC
  
  Top Performer
• 27 REPS
  
  Top Performer
• 34.0 INCH
  
  Top Performer
• 120.0 INCH
  
  Top Performer
• 7.10 SEC
  
  Top Performer
• 4.25 SEC
  
  Top Performer
• 11.78 SEC
  
  Top Performer

Blue Star = Combine Top Performer

• 
• More Draft Video

Draft Analysis:

In their continued search for an impact edge linebacker, San Diego adds Emanuel who was highly productive at the FCS level. Despite dominating against small school competition, Emanuel has flashed the type of burst and explosiveness that translates to the NFL level. --Mark Dulgerian

• 6'3" Height
• 31" Arm Length
• 255LBS. Weight
• 9 3/8" Hands

Overview

Had dominant senior season with 19.5 sacks. Selected first-team FCS All-American and Missouri Valley Defensive Player of the Year. Won Buck Buchanon Award (FCS' top defensive player) and selected first-team All-Missouri Valley. In 2013, selected second-team All-Missouri Valley. In 2012, selected honorable mention All-Missouri Valley. Played in 15 games with eight starts as a freshman in 2011. Two-time All-State selection in high school. Rushed for 1,318 yards and had 84 tackles as a senior.

Analysis

Strengths

Logged 16.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in eight games against top 25 opponents. Fires out with forward lean and low pad level. Good hips with low center of gravity. Has ability to bend edge and turn corner abruptly. Plays with strength and isn't easily redirected when he gets to shoulder of tackle. Has quick feet. Frenetic, moving target who is hard to sustain against. Has a linebacker's agility and ability to avoid traffic at his feet. Pursues runners with outstanding angles and never believes he is out of a play. Can set the edge against run and accelerates into ball carriers with a thud.

Weaknesses

Played against inferior offensive linemen and often rocked tackles off-balance too easily. Has an average burst to the edge. Struggles to find his way back into rush when he is quick-set. Plays with shorter limbs than scouts like and might be a 3-4 OLB only. Too reliant on "run-and-bend" pass rushing -- needs to increase repertoire. Could become engulfed by NFL linemen if he plays too far inside. Rarely breaks off pass rush at high point to come underneath the tackle.

Draft Projection

Round 3

Bottom Line

Small-school prospects often come with inflated statistics, but Emanuel's tape shows a combination of motor and skill that should be respected inside NFL buildings once he's studied closely. Emanuel has the leverage and hips to get under tackles and turn the corner, but his explosion off the snap will be tested. With his foot quickness and surprising lateral agility, there might be defensive coordinators willing to give him a shot as a 4-3 SAM linebacker. Related Links

• Brandt: Official North Dakota State pro day results

[Big Dog]

Kyle Emanuel of North Dakota State drawing interest from teams

• By Gil Brandt
• NFL Media senior analyst
• Published: March 30, 2015 at 02:25 p.m.
• 117 Likes | 3 Comments

Representatives from three NFL teams -- including a linebackers coach from the Philadelphia Eagles -- were present for North Dakota State's pro day on March 26, when seven Bison players and additional prospects from area small colleges worked out.

---

---

The four-time defending FCS national champions featured three prospects of note.
Outside linebacker Kyle Emanuel (6-foot-4 1/2, 254 pounds) played defensive end at North Dakota State, but is better suited to play strong-side linebacker at the next level. He stood on his numbers from the NFL Scouting Combine, where he was a top performer in his position group on the bench press. Emanuel -- who has 30 3/8-inch arms -- had a good pro day workout, and has people from the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers coming in to work him out at linebacker this week.

[Steve]

The big thing he has to do is make sure he plays ST well enough to be active any Sunday. If he is active, he is going to get some token snaps at OLB, and that will speed his development.

Just remember, he has the dreaded short arm thing, if you believe in that nonsense.

[KNSD]

Another T-Rex? Dammit!

[kets]

Another T-Rex? Dammit!

That's why they are so bad at tackling - those helmets get in the way!