Scout Report – Clay Johnston

• Position: Inside Linebacker – Mike
• College: Baylor Bears
• Gridiron Guy Position Rank: 7 of 17

Age: 23 | Height: 6’1 | Weight: 227 lbs
NFL Size Comparison: Reuben Foster

LB at a Glance: Intelligent Jack-of-all-trades type LB who can make a play anywhere on the field, though lacks the physical prowess some of his higher ranking peers possess

RESUME:

• 5th most tackles in the Big XII in 2018 (99)
• 10-tackle games in 4 of the 6 games he played in for 2019
• Best Game: v. Iowa State (W 23-21)
  • 13 tackles (7 solo, 6 assists) | 1.5 TFL | 1 sack | 2 PD
• Worst Game: v. Stephen F. Austin (W 56-17)
  • 5 tackles (3 solo, 2 assists) | 1 PD
• DCTF All-Texas College first team (2019)
• All-Big 12 coaches second team selection (2018)

Strengths:

__________ Physical _____________________________________________

• High production on the field, averaging almost 10 tackles a game
• Average Strength with 18 reps for the combine bench press, the average and median of ILBs
• Excellent play speed
• Good lateral movement
• Shows good instances of having enough power to play through blockers
• Ok agility, sometimes able to change direction, other times getting shook easily

__________ Mental _______________________________________________

• Excellent experience as a 5-year player and 3-year starter
• Extremely great consistency improving each year, and having a 10-tackle game in 4 of his 6 games in 2019
• Proactive player who looks for the ball and playmaking opportunities
• Tenacious player who does not stop until the whistle is blown
• Patient player who waits to see where to attack
• Shows excellent preparation in his handling of different offenses
• Quick to diagnose plays post-snap
• Good football IQ to be expected from his experience

__________ Tackling ________________________________________________

• Excellent pop in his shoulder pads
• Great fundamentals when initiating a tackle, including a suffocating wrap up
• One of the more reliable tacklers in the game
• Strong grip allows him to successfully bring down smaller threats with arm tackles
• Aggressive when attacking the ball carrier
• Better than most tackle range, can extend his body past his base to make tackles
• Excellent pursuit angles can squeeze runners to the sideline

__________ Run Defense ___________________________________________

• Good pursuit speed to catch runners from behind or pressure them
• Excellent at tracking the runner, rarely loses them in congestion
• Seems to not bite on fakes too often
• Plays with the instincts you would like for a Mike LB
• Excellent play to flow to maintain his positioning when runners take it to the sideline
• Physically tough LB would will get fight in the trenches to make his tackles
• Can maneuver well in congestion
• Adequate Vision

__________ Pass Rush _____________________________________________

• Strong initial pop when meeting blockers
• Quick off the snap if lined up to show blitz
• Fast when shooting the gap, catching some OL out of position
• Can run with power under him to pierce the pocket’s integrity

__________ Coverage ______________________________________________

• Can be effective on inside zone 
• Knows how to position himself relative to what the formation the offense is running
• Good awareness to keep track of receivers around him, and make a play
• Can be an effective spy if needed
• Keep his eyes on the QB, reacting to his eyes or his body language

Weaknesses:

__________ Physical _____________________________________________

• Undersized for his position at only 227 lbs
• Below average top speed with a projected forty time of only 4.7
• Coming off a season ending injury in 2019, has been injured in ‘17. ‘18, & ‘19
• Low usage rate on the season because of injury

__________ Mental _______________________________________________

__________ Tackling ________________________________________________

• Less than stellar angle tackling, can see him get juked with a sly backstep
• Footwork during tackles wonky sometimes

__________ Run Defense ___________________________________________

• Does not find and plug the hole as much as you would like, often meeting RBs when they emerge from the clutter
• Slow to crash downhill in an attempt to mirror RB’s moves

__________ Pass Rush _____________________________________________

• Poor at actually shedding blocks, able to move blockers, but little after that
• Does not maintain his position through a block, throwing everything he has into trying to break it
• Little to no hand usage

__________ Coverage ______________________________________________

• Little to no pressure on the route
• Often slow to connect with crossing routes, usually lagging behind them
• Poor closing speed to make a play when the ball is in the air
• Slow backpedal to get to deeper zones in a timely manner

Bold Predictions:

• Draft Placement: 3rd – 4th Round
• Status: Short-Term Project Player
• Ceiling: NFL Starter
• Floor: Special Teams