2013 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Kawann Short, DT, Purdue

Kawann Short, DT, Purdue

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 310

Class: Senior

2011 Stats: 54 tackles, 6.5 sacks

Draft Projection: First Round

Draft Grade (out of 100) – 91.5

Player Comparison: Cullen Jenkins – Short is similar to Jenkins in size and ability as a pass rusher. I see Short being very similar to Jenkins in that he will give you 5 to 8 sacks a year and will deflect a lot of passes.

Strengths:

• Good size and strength – Short has great strength and size. He has a great bull rush and uses his strength to cause trouble for weaker offensive linemen
• Gets hands up in the passing lanes – Short has a knack for judging the throw by the QB and getting his hands on the ball.
• Makes splash plays – Short can do it all. He deflects passes, gets sacks, and makes tackles in the backfield. While he is not an elite pass rusher, he makes big plays on occasion
• Good athletic ability – While not a great athlete, Short is most definitely a good athlete. He shows good speed when chasing from behind and has good jumping abilities.
• Stacks and sheds blockers well - Short does a good job taking on the blockers and then throwing them away. He does a good job taking on double teams and controls his gap.
• Active hands - Short uses his hands when pass rushing well and can keep a blocker away from him and throw them to the side.
• Good tackler and pass rusher - Short wraps up well and rarely misses a tackle. He is also an above average pass rusher with potential to be a force when he focuses.

Weaknesses:

• Does not get great leverage all the time – At times, Short plays too high and will get moved out of the way with ease.
• Does not have great explosiveness – Short is a good pass rusher but not because of his first step.
• Consistency and hustle – Short dominates games when he feels like it but at times takes plays and even games off. He was taken out of too many games last year.
• Not a lot of pass rushing moves – While he is a good pass rusher, it is more because of his strength then actually making pass rushing moves.

Final Word: Short is a good prospect but his has his limitations. He is good against the run and can get a sack here and there but he will never be an elite pass rusher. However, he should be a solid player with the ability to get 5 or 6 sacks a season.

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