Via Last Word On Pro Football, by John Bava
Overview
Position: Guard
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 305 pounds
School: Indiana Hoosiers
Dan Feeney 2017 NFL Draft Profile
Former Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson played on the offensive line in college. During his six seasons in Bloomington, that unit showed incremental improvement which played a huge part in the Hoosiers boasting one of the Big Ten’s most potent offenses. NFL teams took notice, with Jason Spriggs getting drafted by the Green Bay Packers last year. Dan Feeney hopes to follow in his footsteps.
The Orland Park, IL native was a four-year starter for the Hoosiers who made an immediate impact on the O-line. He earned numerous freshman all-American honors during his first year with the team in 2012. A year later, a foot injury prematurely ended his season but he was granted a medical redshirt. As a sophomore, his exceptional play in the trenches helped running back Tevin Coleman become the 18th player in FBS history to eclipse 2,000 rushing yards in a season.
Feeney was a team captain for his junior and senior years. And he continued to establish himself as one of the nation’s top guards. In both seasons, Feeney was named a first team all-American (ESPN 2015, AP 2016) along with earning first team honors in the Big Ten. And he capped off his senior year by winning IU’s MVP award.
Over 46 starts during his collegiate career, Feeney allowed a grand total of two sacks. Though he dealt with a concussion in 2016, his overall injury history isn’t too much of a red flag. And his impressive performance at Senior Bowl practice as well as the game itself helped augment his draft stock immensely.
I like this interior linemen class quite a bit, led by Dan Feeney. Some of these guys have nastiness mixed with athleticism needed to star pic.twitter.com/OAIg7N6k85
— Ian Valentino (@NFLDraftStudy) February 8, 2017
Strengths
- compact frame without being undersized.
- ideal arm length.
- possesses requisite physicality to overwhelm opposing defenders.
- good, active hands that help him in both run blocking and pass protection.
- stays square to his target and rarely gets twisted.
- fast feet enable him to flare laterally in zone blocking situations.
- quickly finds blocking assignment when pulling to the edge.
- raw speed and athleticism on full display in the open field on screens.
- versatile player who can move over to tackle if needed.
Weaknesses
- plays too upright at times.
- needs a wider base to avoid losing leverage at the point of attack.
- lower body tends to be too static, particularly with respect to knee flex.
- tends to play too aggressively at times, impacting his technique.
- an additional ten to 15 pounds of bulk couldn’t hurt.
- concerns over durability after missing his sophomore season due to a foot injury.
- also dealt with a concussion that kept him out of a few games last year.
NFL Comparison: David DeCastro
Teams With Need at Position: Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins
Projection: possible late first round
Bottom Line
Dan Feeney was as reliable at his role on the offensive line as any player in college football. He reinforced that notion during Senior Bowl week, further adding to the consensus that he’s the best guard in this draft class. Though he’ll have to prove he’s more than just a prolific zone blocker, Feeney possesses a potent blend of athleticism and intensity. All of this points toward him potentially moving into the first round, with the ability to contribute immediately a distinct possibility.
