Overview
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 285 pounds
Arm Length: 33 5/8″
School: Florida Gators
Combine Performance Data
40 Yard Dash: 4.93 seconds
Bench Press: 23 Reps
Vertical: 32″
3 Cone Drill: 7.31 seconds
Jonathan Bullard 2016 NFL Draft Profile
Bullard has had high expectations associated with him since high school. Coming out of high school he was a 5-star recruit from Shelby, North Carolina. Bullard was rated as the top defensive lineman in the country, and was the second highest rated player in the state of North Carolina, only behind former teammate and 2015 first round draft pick, D.J. Humphries. Bullard was also a top 20 recruit in the country by almost any standard, and cracked the top 10 on a lot of sites due to a freakish size and speed combination.
It did not take long for Bullard to make an impact at Florida. In his freshman year he only started in two games, but with that played in all 13 games and added 27 tackles and 1.5 sacks, and was named to the All-SEC Freshman team. That year he saw his teammate Shariff Floyd get drafted in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, which really opened a chance for him to play more as a sophomore.
Bullard took advantage and was able to play in 11 games, and started the last eight games of the season. That year, he posted 33 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Like Floyd the year prior, in 2014 he saw yet another Gator defensive lineman go in the first round in Dom Easley. Heading into his junior year, Bullard understood that it was going to be his line moving forward.
In 2014, Bullard had a strong year by all acounts. He improved across the board and added 52 tackles, 8.5 for loss as well as 2.5 sacks. It brought up draft buzz and the question of whether or not Bullard could be the third Gator lineman to go in the first round in consecutive years. However, NFL evaluators questioned if he was a true DT, or if he had more of an end quality, after playing a decent amount on the end due to the older talent above him in Gainesville. It brought him back to improve his stock in 2015, and he did that.
In 2015, Bullard came out on fire. He was a force, and saw his best year in tackles, 63, tackles for loss, 18, and sacks, 6.5 He earned an All-SEC first team honor, and his draft stock was better than it had ever been.
Strengths
- Combination of size and speed
- Physically capable to play in the NFL right away
- Great arm length and reach
- Extremely explosive off of the ball, seems to have a head start on the snap
- Good ability to move horizontally
- Strong play recognition
- Forceful against the run
Weaknesses
- Doesn’t have a variety of pass rushing moves
- Doesn’t have a true position
- Gets burnt by overpursuing
- Relies on his jump and bull rush almost exclusively
NFL Comparison: Michael Bennett
Teams with need at position: Bears, Saints, Raiders, Lions, Falcons
Projection: Mid First to early second
Bottom Line
Bullard could be looked at as one of the more underrated players in this draft. His biggest flaw is that teams will have a problem finding a specific position for him, and he can play all over the line. If having versatility is the big weakness, count me in. His burst off of the line is eye opening, and if he can find the right scheme he can be a terror for years to come. He already has the play recognition and abilty to stop the run well, and if he can learn to become a more dominant pass rusher, specifically on the interior line, he is going to be successful in the NFL for a long time. Some view him as a second to third round prospect, but personally anywhere in the middle of the first becomes a time in which he should at least be considered due to his upside.
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