Lavonte David faces an uphill battle to prove his worth in the NFL due to his lack of ideal size for the position, however it's nothing he hasn't faced before as he has continually had to prove himself. His instincts, intangibles, and ability as a blitzer and in coverage is undeniable. Lavonte David will probably go a round later than he should and produce like a 1st round draft pick if put into the right scheme/system. Whichever lucky team decides to draft him and can look past his lack of ideal measurables and see that he is simply a football player could be getting one of the better steal/values of the draft.
Introduction:
Lavonte David is one of those rare players that found his way to a big time program like Nebraska after spending his first two seasons at Fort Scott Community College in 2008 and 2009. David is originally from Miami, Florida where he played for nationally renowned high school football powerhouse Northwestern High School. David won two state titles in 2006 and 2007 before enrolling at Fort Scott Community College where he would become one of the top JUCO prospects in the nation. His team lost to Binn Junior College in the 2009 National Championship Game when 2011 #1 NFL Draft pick Cam Newton (Panthers) was leading the team at quarterback before his Heisman and National Championship season with the Auburn Tigers in 2010. David enjoyed a successful tenure at Fort Scott where he was named the Defensive MVP in the game his team narrowly lost to Binn. David enrolled at Nebraska in 2010 and was thrust into the starting line-up after injuries to its linebackers corps. David excelled and never looked back while earning numerous honors as Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year and All Big 12 First-Team All American. His 10.9 tackles per game ranked 11th nationally and his 152 total tackles were good enough for the Cornhuskers single-season record, passing former Nebraska standout linebacker Barret Rudd who had 149 in 2003. This season Lavonte David continued his assault, but this time on a new conference in the Big 10. David finished with 123 total tackles while also collecting 5.5 sacks and 2 interceptions on the season. For his play in 2011 David was unanimously chosen to the First-Team All Big 10 team. Lavonte David ranks 5th in school history for tackles (274), even though he only played two seasons for Nebraska.
Grading Scale:
- Poor
- Average
- Above Average
- Very Good
- Elite
Size/Measurables:
This is undoubtedly Lavonte David’s biggest area of concern and the one reason why he isn’t a sure-fire first round pick in my estimation. Lavonte David stands 6-1 225 lbs and appears to be pretty small by NFL standards, which could take him completely off some teams’ NFL draft boards entirely. David did add 10 extra pounds to his frame in preparation for Nebraska’s switch to the more run oriented Big 10 conference. Some have estimated that David could be a good candidate to make the switch to safety where his speed, instincts, and coverage skills could still be utilized. There is no doubting there will be major concerns with David and whether his slight frame for the positon of linebacker can handle the constant beating between the tackles in the NFL. However, I personally am not too concerned about David’s long-term durability. David remained relatively injury-free and healthy for the Cornhuskers during his two seasons and his physical aggressive style of play is a testament to his durability and ability to handle a beating on a weekly basis. This will always be an issue and a concern for David but I think if anyone can see beyond this and look at his potential and overall skill as a defender, somebody will be getting one heck of a steal and great overall football player.
Grade: 1.5
Instincts/Recognition:
Lavonte David has incredible instincts and his feel for the game is as good as any in this draft. David reads his keys very quickly and he shows the ability to sniff out the play, especially on screens and toss sweep type plays where he consistently diagnoses and blows up the play before they can develop. David also does a tremendous job trusting his eyes and reacting to the play happening in front of him. His discipline is very good and it’s obvious he gets the concept of team defense as he continually sets the edge and allows others to make plays by attacking blockers with the proper shoulder and keeping outside contain. In coverage Lavonte David is just as instinctual as he is quick to pick up players entering his zone, as well as turn and run/trail opponents streaking across the field or coming out of the backfield. Very rarely does David bite or get fooled by mis-direction or play action type plays as his discipline is unquestioned, whether it be in coverage or against the run.
Grade: 4.5
Pursuit/Range:
Lavonte David is an extremely fast and quick defender. His speed is very good and he can accelerate and close to the football very efficiently with great overall grace, balance, and fluidity. His athleticism allows him to make plays sideline to sideline and he show’s an innate ability to stay clean when sifting through traffic to get to the ball-carrier. David takes solid overall angles to the football and consistently takes the most desired path to get after the ball-carrier. David will at times over-pursue the play, however his change of direction skills are top-notch and allow him to recover if caught out of position momentarily. David shows little to no hesitation to his game and his ability to keep his head up and flow to the football is a testament to his lateral agility and overall feel for the game and blocks coming his way. You would think a player his size would have a hard time sifting through traffic and getting caught up in the wash but this simply is not the case with Lavonte David. He has incredible spacial awareness and knows how to knife into the backfield through the smallest of creases/gaps to make a play.
Grade: 4
Tackling:
Lavonte David is not a physically imposing tackler who will scare you with his sheer power and strength, however he is a fundamentally sound and efficient tackler capable of taking the ball-carrier down consistently. David also shows the added ability to punch the ball out from time to time and is aware/smart enough to go for the ball and cause fumbles when he knows the ball-carrier is wrapped up. He breaks down in space nicely and keeps his pad level low before striking his opponent at the thighs and shooting his arms up to wrap up the ball-carrier. His tackling technique is lower than normal and there is some concern with his ability to consistently take down bigger defenders capable of running through arm tackles. He must also do a better job tackling in the open field as he fails to break down at times and instead goes for a quick leg sweep or diving attempt at his opponent’s legs. However, David is very consistent and reliable in this area overall and I have little concern with it going forward.
Grade: 3.5
Coverage:
We have already touched somewhat on this area as David possesses more than enough speed and coverage ability to keep up and defend opponents all over the field, whether it be in man to man or zone. His awareness in coverage is very good and he does a nice job knowing his assignments and responsibilities, consistently picking up receivers entering his zone or area. His overall athleticism is very special, affording him the ability to play and line up on players all over the field and even in the slot in a cornerback type role. He has loose hips and his ability to change directions and overall agility makes him very difficult to create much separation on. There is a concern on whether or not David can defend bigger tight ends because of his lack of size and possible tendency to be out-boxed for positioning by players with a bigger frame than his. While this could be the case I really like and trust Lavonte David in coverage. He is smart and instinctual, showing great overall awareness, and his ability to read the quarterbacks eyes is also above average and promising. This is one reason why some project Lavonte David to the Safety position in the NFL, which could be the case if it doesn’t work out for him at linebacker in the NFL. However, his size and coverage ability make him a very good fit in a 4-3 scheme at weakside linebacker and I believe his best fit is to stay at his current position.
Grade: 4
Point of Attack:
This is one of the other bigger concerns with David as he will struggle once engaged with a defender. His tendency to get caught up in the wash and taken out by bigger defenders due to his small frame is a concern and one of the reasons some are calling for a position switch by David. However, David does a superb job of using his athleticism and awareness to stay clean and away from trouble. He is incredibly hard to lock on to, due to his agility and will consistently flash the ability to slip blocks and find his way to the football. Lavonte David is also extremely physical and is not afraid to fill the hole and stick his head in a pile. He is a menacing force at the point of attack in this regard, despite his size and flashes the ability to come down hill and attack the ball-carrier with reckless abandon and little hesitation. I absolutely love how he fills and flies to the football and his ability to set the edge and take on blockers head on shows his willingness to sacrifice his own body for another to make a play. This area will never be Lavonte David’s strongest suit, however he does a lot of little things to make you a believer and gain your trust in his ability to not become a liability against the run.
Grade: 3.5
Pass Rush/Blitzing:
This is another area of David’s game where he can make a positive impact for your defense. Although he wasn’t used as a blitzer too often at Nebraska, David is able to register sacks by chasing down quarterbacks who are trying to escape the pocket. His closing speed, burst, and acceleration to the football are all very evident when he chooses to pursue to the quarterback and make a big play for his defense. He does a great job slipping through creases and getting after the quarterback and can be a weapon capable of making plays behind the line of scrimmage when/if given the opportunity. His 6 sacks in 2010 and 5.5 this season are a testament to this skill. As I have said, David will struggle once engaged and he could stand to use his hands and better combination of pass rush moves to become even more efficient and scary in this area. However, this is something that could come with time and more coaching, which could set David over the top as an NFL prospect and make him that much better.
Grade: 4
Intangibles:
Everything I can gather and see points to Lavonte David having very solid character and work ethic. The fact that he made it to Nebraska out of the Junior ranks is a testament to his drive and determination as well as his passion to develop for his love of the game. He came out of Northwestern High School as a two-star recruit and was largely over-shadowed and over-looked by some of his team-mates like Marcus Forston and Sean Spence who went on to star at the University of Miami. Many times you can see/find David clapping after the play as he seems to always display a positive attitude. I even saw him instantly go to his team-mate and offer words of encouragement after dropping an easy interception that could have easily turned into a pick six. David is also a team leader on defense that is asked to make the calls and line up his defenders and get them into place. You can tell that David is an extremely cerebral and intelligent football player by the way he lines up his defense and always seems to know what the offense is trying to do, based on their alignment. This understanding comes from natural instincts, but I would be hard-pressed to find that David didn’t spend a lot of time in the film room figuring out what his opponents like to do on offense so he is prepared. Lavonte David also shows good overall hustle and effort as he never gives up on a play and will keep pursuing until the play has been blown dead. Bo Pelini has even been quoted as saying David is a “coach’s dream” and that “he wouldn’t trade him for any other linebacker in the country”. That is pretty strong praise from your head coach and if I had to guess it I would say his future is bright.
Grade: 4.5
Overall Grade: 29.5/8 = 3.6875 (Above Average-Very Good)
Projection:
Even though David may grade out higher than the top-notch linebackers like Luke Kuechly and Courtney Upshaw on my scale I highly doubt he will go as high as them, let alone the 1st round. The fact is if David was even an inch or two taller he would be a sure-fire first round pick and guy we would be talking about a hell of a lot more often. He has top-notch intangibles, great production, supreme athleticism, unique instincts…but he lacks proto-typical NFL size which will undoubtedly hurt his bottom dollar and overall draft position. However, this does not mean he cannot or is not a good football player, he is in fact a great football player who will get drafted later than he otherwise should because of the league’s infatuation with bigger, faster, stronger. While I can understand this, it completely wipes players like Lavonte David under the rug who possess the ability to work past their limitations and make an impact. This kid is simply a football player who WILL stick on and NFL roster and WILL start and contribute. All I know is whoever picks him up in the 2nd round will be getting a steal with a player who can play like a 1st round draft pick if put into the right situation to succeed, which I deem to be at the weakside linebacker position in a 4-3 system.
-Thanks for reading my report as always, I hope you enjoyed the insight and analysis
– Brandon
Brandon Holstein's NFL Draft Round-Up 