Scout Report – Michael Pinckney

• Position: Inside Linebacker – Off-ball, Mike
• College: Miami U Hurricanes
• Gridiron Guy Position Rank: 13 of 15

Age: 21 | Height: 5’11 | Weight: 235 lbs
NFL Size Comparison: Denzel Perryman

LB at a Glance: Long term project player who is lacking in every aspect of his game

RESUME:

• 9th most tackles for loss in the ACC (13)
• Best Game: @ Duke (L 17-27)
  • 10 tackles (9 solo, 1 assist) | 1 sack
• Worst Game: v. #8 Florida (L 20-24)
  • 3 tackles (3 assists)
• Freshman All-American (2016)

DID NOT PARTICIPATE AT NFL COMBINE

Strengths:

__________ Physical _________________________________________________

Good top speed with a projected forty time of around 4.6

Ok lateral movement, though will not beat any runner to the outside

__________ Mental ___________________________________________________

Excellent experience as a 4-year starter

Fundamentally a proactive player who relishes the opportunity to make a play

Can be tenacious between the whistles, though tries harder on run plays than pass plays

Shows he is knowledgeable in the game of football by understanding what teams are trying to do

__________ Tackling __________________________________________________

Aggressive tackler who will attack the runner

Can hit ball carrier with a mean pop from the shoulder pads if he squares up

Can be a tenacious angle tackler if he catches a runner on the sideline

__________ Run Defense ______________________________________________

Good at tracking the runner in the backfield

Has promising instincts to feel what the offense is trying to accomplish

Has the head on his shoulders to know where the hole is opening an attempt to plug it

A physically tough player who does not shy away from contact, and charges headfirst into congestion 

__________ Pass Rush ________________________________________________

Strong initial burst off the snap

Shows good speed when shooting the gap on a pass rush

__________ Coverage _________________________________________________

Surprisingly adept at man coverage, specifically when defending the wheel route

Good closing speed to cover ground when the ball is in the air

Can be an effective spy against non-scrambling QBs

Weaknesses:

__________ Physical _________________________________________________

Undersized at 5’11 235 lbs (avg is 6’2 238 lbs)

Coming off a torn labrum and a sports hernia that kept him from participating in the combine

Lackluster production with only 5 average tackles per game for an ILB

Shows a slow play speed between the whistles that can drive you crazy

Lacks useful agility to turn on a dime, or even a quarter. Juking him out could be a problem

Has balance issues, especially when backpedalling, looks like he might fall over from stumbling

Lacks the strength to be able to hold his ground when meeting a blocker, consistently pushed back on contact

Poor lower body power, can get stalled at the line by just a blocking back

__________ Mental ___________________________________________________

Wildly inconsistent in production week in and week out

Somewhat reckless, as he bites down hard on his first read or chases players out of position

Does not show any instance of extensive preparation on the field

Slow to diagnose plays as he usually bites on the first read

__________ Tackling __________________________________________________

Does not drive feet when making the tackle, prefering to deadweight his body after wrapping up

Somewhat unreliable tackler because of weak grip and arms to wrap up

Range of tackling is unreliable, does not perform well when diving or going horizontal

Poor angle pursuit often sees him following behind the runner as they bounce, rather than taking levels

__________ Run Defense ______________________________________________

Extremely poor at reading fakes, constantly bites or stalls because of PA or QB sneaks

Poor at playing to flow, often lagging behind the offense as they move to the outside

Disappointing vision sees him getting caught off guard by climbing OL

Slow to crash downhill if he is not committed to the run read, often finding himself idle at the second level

Less than stellar pursuit speed sees him lagging behind runners who manage to see daylight

Weak maneuverability in congestion means he can lose the runner if he gets swept up in the chaos

__________ Pass Rush ________________________________________________

Overall poor block shedder

Weak against the initial impact of meeting a block, often bounces off or redirects easily

Does not show good power when shooting the gap, getting stalled easily on the line

Lacks the physical strength to keep himself from getting redirected

Little to no hand usage

__________ Coverage _________________________________________________

Poor positioning when dropping back into coverage

Lacks the awareness to keep tabs on multiple receivers or those who are around him

Does not pressure the routes that are around him, giving them more than enough space to work with

Slow and unbalanced backpedal sees him lose his balance often when asked to cover behind him

Liability on zone coverage schemes both inside and outside 

Bold Predictions:

• Draft Placement: 4th – 6th Round
• Status: Long-Term Project Player
• Ceiling: 4 & Out
• Floor: Practice Squad