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Louis Nix NFL Draft Scouting Report
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Position: Defensive Tackle
School: Notre Dame
Class: Junior
Height: 6-3
Weight: 340
Draft Stock: 1st Round; No. 1 DT
Pros
Nose tackle prototypes like Nix are becoming increasingly rare. 'Planet Theory'
Mammoth lineman, but is an exceptional athlete; plays with explosion and quickness
True 3-4 nose tackle anchor
Powerful bull-rush; can collapse the pocket and reset the line of scrimmage
Immovable anchor; overpowering leg drive
Size and strength allow him two easily control two gaps
Does a great job occupying space and double teams; allows teammates space to work
Fluid athlete with flexibility; can split gaps and get up-field when he needs to
Quick off the ball; attacks offensive lineman before they get to him
Strong hand punch jolts blockers back
Doesn't quit on plays and closes quickly on the ball; will chase ball carrier down the line
Fits in 4-3 or 3-4 scheme
Cons
Weight; would be better served to be around 315-320. Was up to 368 at one point
On the sideline too often; has some stamina issues and gets taken off the field in many pass rushing situations
Knee issue caused him to miss the final three games of '13 season
Plays a little high at times; causes him to miss tackles and occasionally lose leverage
No finishing pass rushing moves; relies solely on strength and athleticism
Overall
When you see a player with the size of Louis Nix your first thought is that he's just a space eater clogging up the middle of the line. However, Nix is so much much more than that. For a player that is a legit 340 pounds he has the speed and quickness of some three technique defensive tackles.
Nix uses that explosiveness to disrupt plays up the middle and blow up the pocket. He is nearly impossible to block man to man as his combination of strength and athleticism are simply overwhelming.
Nix will never be a Warren Sapp type interior rusher who racks up the stats but Nix is a true 3-4 nose tackle prototype who occupies double teams, eats up space and allows his teammates to make plays.
The issue with Nix is his weight and endurance. He's too big at 340 in my opinion. If he can get into the 320 range his endurance should go up and should be able to stay on the field for more plays. Also the knee injury last year is a bit concerning.
Nix's rare size and skill set make him a lock to be a top twenty pick. Teams like Chicago and Pittsburgh could target this explosive nose tackle in the first half of round one.
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Position: Defensive Tackle
School: Notre Dame
Class: Junior
Height: 6-3
Weight: 340
Draft Stock: 1st Round; No. 1 DT
Pros
Nose tackle prototypes like Nix are becoming increasingly rare. 'Planet Theory'
Mammoth lineman, but is an exceptional athlete; plays with explosion and quickness
True 3-4 nose tackle anchor
Powerful bull-rush; can collapse the pocket and reset the line of scrimmage
Immovable anchor; overpowering leg drive
Size and strength allow him two easily control two gaps
Does a great job occupying space and double teams; allows teammates space to work
Fluid athlete with flexibility; can split gaps and get up-field when he needs to
Quick off the ball; attacks offensive lineman before they get to him
Strong hand punch jolts blockers back
Doesn't quit on plays and closes quickly on the ball; will chase ball carrier down the line
Fits in 4-3 or 3-4 scheme
Cons
Weight; would be better served to be around 315-320. Was up to 368 at one point
On the sideline too often; has some stamina issues and gets taken off the field in many pass rushing situations
Knee issue caused him to miss the final three games of '13 season
Plays a little high at times; causes him to miss tackles and occasionally lose leverage
No finishing pass rushing moves; relies solely on strength and athleticism
Overall
When you see a player with the size of Louis Nix your first thought is that he's just a space eater clogging up the middle of the line. However, Nix is so much much more than that. For a player that is a legit 340 pounds he has the speed and quickness of some three technique defensive tackles.
Nix uses that explosiveness to disrupt plays up the middle and blow up the pocket. He is nearly impossible to block man to man as his combination of strength and athleticism are simply overwhelming.
Nix will never be a Warren Sapp type interior rusher who racks up the stats but Nix is a true 3-4 nose tackle prototype who occupies double teams, eats up space and allows his teammates to make plays.
The issue with Nix is his weight and endurance. He's too big at 340 in my opinion. If he can get into the 320 range his endurance should go up and should be able to stay on the field for more plays. Also the knee injury last year is a bit concerning.
Nix's rare size and skill set make him a lock to be a top twenty pick. Teams like Chicago and Pittsburgh could target this explosive nose tackle in the first half of round one.
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