USC Football: Su’A Cravens declares for 2016 NFL Draft but no lock for first round
Su’A Cravens is leaving the USC Trojans early and declaring for the 2016 NFL Draft, but will he be a first round pick?
USC linebacker Su’A Cravens declared for the NFL Draft on Wednesday morning as one of the more versatile players in college football will look to continue his success and development at the next level.
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The 6-1, 225-pound Cravens played a hybrid linebacker position where he often lined up near the line of scrimmage but his safety skills allowed him to make plays deep in the defensive backfield and stuff the stat sheet.
Cravens tied for the team lead with 78 tackles, had 14. 5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 2 interceptions and two forced fumbles. His versatility made him the best defensive player for USC the last two years, but it could come back to hurt him during the pre-draft evaluation process because he doesn’t have a fixed position.
Cravens could bulk up and add 25-30 pounds and be the ideal weak-side linebacker in a 4-3 defense or he could cut a little weight and be the ideal strong safety candidate for the right defense. Having the ability to do a lot isn’t bad, but to be a first round pick, his uncertain position could see him side out of the first round.
Last year saw former Washington Huskies do-it-all player Shaq Thompson go with the No. 25 pick in the first round despite not having an ideal position fit, so there’s hope Cravens can land in the first round.
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He reminds me of former Georgia safety Thomas Davis who has quietly developed into one of the best weak-side linebackers in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers, the same team to draft Thompson, and a team with a smart defensive coordinator can really make the most of his unique skill-set.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Cravens as his No. 2 outside linebacker and Todd McShay ranks Cravens at No. 26 in his latest top 32. So he’s a tweener on the field and a tweener when it comes to being a projected first round pick.
We’ll find out where he goes when the draft begins on April 28.