Clemson’s defense has plenty of high-level NFL talent. While Dorian O’Daniel might not fit that mold, he’s still worthy of 2018 NFL Draft consideration.
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O’Daniel started from the bottom of the depth chart despite arriving in Death Valley as a top prospect out of Washington, D.C. He opened his career by becoming a force on special teams before gaining a starting spot this past season.
Once O’Daniel was able to lock up his job, he continued to showcase skills as a tackler, turnover-machine and difference maker. He made 11.5 tackles for loss this past year, picking off two passes that he returned for touchdowns to go along with a pair of fumble recoveries and five more passes defended.
Through his four-year career with the Tigers, O’Daniel played in 50 games and recorded over 200 stops, including 8.5 sacks and 28 tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
Strengths
O’Daniel can cover the entire field from sideline-to-sideline, and from the secondary to the line of scrimmage. That fact alone will make him a defensive coaches favorite wherever he lands in the NFL. Much like he did at Clemson, the 6-1, 223-pounder will have to wait his turn to excel. The athleticism is definitely there as evident by his 1,300-yard senior season rushing in the Washington, D.C. metro area before signing with the Tigers.
O’Daniel was a special teams demon early on for Clemson before breaking his way into the starting lineup and becoming a key member of the unit. His versatility will catch the eye of an NFL scout.
Weaknesses
Despite coming in as a highly rated high school prospect, O’Daniel didn’t find the starting lineup at Clemson until his last season. He’s big enough to play safety, but not fast enough; quick enough to play linebacker, but not big enough. So what do teams do with him? O’Daniel also needs to improve his cover skills in coverage.
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Draft expectations
Nothing about O’Daniel jumps off the page, but he was a key playmaker for Clemson and should hear his name called late on the third day of the draft. O’Daniel will have to showcase his skills early on through special teams, while working his way up the defensive depth chart.
Projection: Sixth round