2018 NFL Draft: Leighton Vander Esch a top linebacking prospect
By Zach Bigalke
Leighton Vander Esch will be one of the first inside linebackers off the board at the 2018 NFL Draft. Here’s why the Boise State star is rated so highly.
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In his three seasons at Boise State, Leighton Vander Esch developed into one of the most disruptive presences at inside linebacker in college football. Despite playing at a mid-major school, Vander Esch rates as one of the top three to five linebackers available in the 2018 NFL Draft.
The Broncos prospect generated plenty of buzz as Boise State won the Mountain West in 2017. Was it good buzz, though? As a junior in 2017, he got the chance to start full-time for the first time in his career. Last year Vander Esch notched 91 total tackles, including four sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss.
He has been compared to both Brian Urlacher and Luke Kuechly since he finished his final season in Idaho’s capitol city. Those might be tough comparisons to match, but if anyone can do it in this year’s draft it might just be the junior from Riggins who is ready to go pro before exhausting his eligibility.
Strengths
Vander Esch is an explosive, rangy player. He really made a name for himself at the 2018 NFL Combine, finishing a respectable top-six in the 40-yard dash among linebackers. Most of the others on the list ahead of Vander Esch are edge rushers, so he fares even better among inside linebackers.
Weakness
The biggest flaw Vander Esch exhibits is that he does not have hops. In both the broad jump and the vertical jump, the Broncos prospect fell flat. His vertical ranked penultimate among linebackers who tried the test at the NFL Combine. Vander Esch at least acquitted himself with a solid top-five finish in the broad jump. In an NFL defense, Vander Esch is still unproven in terms of how he will defend against the pass.
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Draft expectations
After a solid performance at the NFL Combine, Vander Esch rates as one of the top two or three linebackers coming out of the college ranks this year. He has first-round talent, and it would be a shock to see him slide out of the first day of the 2018 NFL Draft. If he does slide to the second round, Vander Esch won’t last long.