Scout Report – Troy Dye

• Position: Inside Linebacker – Mike
• College: Oregon Ducks
• Gridiron Guy Position Rank:

Age: 23 | Height: 6’4 | Weight: 226 lbs
NFL Size Comparison: Cory Littleton

LB at a Glance: Intelligent run stopper who severely lacks in coverage and pass rushing

RESUME:

• 6th most forced fumbles in the Pac-12 (2)
• Best Game: v. Arizona (W 34-6)
  • 8 tackles (6 solo, 2 assists) | 1 sack | 1 FF
• Worst Game: v. Oregon State (W 24-10)
  • 4 tackles (1 solo, 3 assists)
• 3× Second-team All-Pac-12 (2017, 2018, 2019)

Strengths:

• Quick mind to diagnose plays within the first few seconds post-snap
• Explosive initial burst the snap makes him a nightmare for oblivious linemen
• 4 year starter at the LB position for Oregon
• Plays with hustle and tenacity to always get up and keep going until the whistle
• Quick to crash downhill when he reads the run, making runners react to him
• Has good vision to see the backfield and flats for potential threats
• Aggressive tackler, no afraid to dive for runners
• Reliable defender to find the hole
• Excellent radar to track the runner when he’s dancing in the backfield
• Taking angles not a problem, can be reliable to chase down runners
• Pursuit speed adequate, though not exceptional
• Smart LB who positions himself well during the play
• Plays with the physical toughness to dive head first into contested points
• Plays with a good sense of patience you would like from an experienced player
• Able to position himself when blocked to cut off a running lane even if he cannot make a play
• Productive when on the field and able to impact plays in some way, shape, or form
• Does not see a drop in productivity as the game goes on, no stamina issues to mention
• Overall a proactive defender with a nose for the ball
• Strong tackling fundamentals with great footwork and technique
• Identifies flow and maintains his positioning in relation to blocking assignments
• Promising ability to identify offenses pre-snap, shows a level of preparation
• Crashes through the gap with a good level of speed that forces OL to respect his positioning
• Little worry when it comes to durability
• Solid footwork when moving around the field, will not trip over himself
• Intelligent player with sound logic and understanding of what the offense wants to do

Weaknesses:

• Poor field awareness on outside coverage has allowed splits or wheel routes to move upfield unopposed
• Lackluster power when shooting the gap stalls him at the line of scrimmage more times than you would like
• Slow top speed and cover speed make him a liability or nonfactor in the open field or deep
• Lacks the physicality to be productive in congestion
• Weak wrap up and grip make arm tackles a gamble for him
• Liability on outside contain, either not paying attention, or giving threat too long before properly reacting
• Poor lateral movement, takes precious seconds to change direction or react to a cut
• Underweight for average ILBs, at 224 lbs
• Not exceptionally strong in game situations
• Poor man coverage ability with little pressure on the route
• Has trouble locating the threat on inside coverage, often times overlooking the dragging TE or the hitch
• Little to no hand movement when shedding blockers makes for an easy target for climbing OL
• Lacks that initial pop on the tackle that can sometimes jimmy balls loose
• Lacks that initial impact when meeting a blocker head on
• Underwhelming reliability when tackling a runner
• Pretty slow play speed sees him outpaced by runners and lead blockers numerous times
• Does not run with any significant power to force his way into the backfield, or run through blockers
• Poor block shedding ability with a recorded shed rate of 31%

Bold Predictions:

• Draft Placement: Late 1st – 2nd Round
• Ceiling: NFL All-Pro
• Floor: NFL Backup