Editor’s Note: This article was previously published on our sister site, as part of the NFL Draft coverage.
Tommy Eichenberg NFL Draft Overview
Height: Six-foot-two
Weight: 233 pounds
Position: Linebacker
School: Ohio State
2024 NFL Draft: Tommy Eichenberg Scouting Report
A former four-star recruit and dubbed “Tommy Two Thumbs” by Gus Johnson due to playing through broken thumbs, Tommy Eichenberg was a quintessential Buckeye linebacker. After redshirting as a freshman in 2019 and only appearing in one game in 2020, Eichenberg took over as a starting linebacker and was incredibly productive. He broke out in 2021 with 64 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups, a recovered fumble, and an interception.
His best year came in 2022 where he led the way with 120 tackles to go with 12 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three pass breakups, and a pick-six in the win over Iowa. Last year, Eichenberg battled injuries but still finished with 82 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble. He was a two-time captain, a two-time Second-Team All-American, two-time First-Team All-Big Ten, and was awarded the Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year award from the Big Ten last year.
Eichenberg was a leader of a vastly improved defense and was a big reason for the turnaround. He was a natural leader for the Buckeyes and will likely end up a tad higher on draft boards due to his football IQ and leadership qualities.
Strengths
- Two-time captain
- Willing and able to throw his body in the way to disrupt running lanes and blocking
- A sure tackler
- Has solid instincts
- Good enough athleticism to play in space
- Gets downhill quickly to stonewall runners
- Fluid and fast enough to cover tight ends
Weaknesses
- Not fast enough to make a chase-down tackle
- Struggles with changes in direction
- Can get overwhelmed by blockers and is unable to shed
- Susceptible of failing in zone coverage
- Not the best pass rusher; needs to be schemed free
NFL Player Comparison: Zach Baun
Projected Round: Fourth Round
Best Fits: Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks
Bottom Line on Tommy Eichenberg
Two things can be true: 1. Tommy Eichenberg was a great leader and was uber-productive for the Buckeyes and, 2. he has a lot of work to do in his game.
Eichenberg has talent and is very much an old-school kind of linebacker. He can come downhill to help stop the run. He can also deliver a blow to a receiver coming across the middle. Eichenberg has natural leadership qualities that will have NFL coaches in love with him by the end of his first Training Camp.
The issue with Eichenberg is that he is not nearly as athletic as the position requires. He is slower when changing direction and can get swallowed up by blockers. He had his flashes at Ohio State, of course. Not just anyone can be a two-time Second-Team All-American and Eichenberg certainly deserved the honors.
Eichenberg can be developed into a solid rotational linebacker at the NFL level and could even be an emergency starter if necessary. He will work his way onto the field via special teams to start his career so look for a year-two jump if there is going to be one.
