Overview
Position: Defensive tackle
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 299 pounds
School: Florida State Seminoles
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 5.38 seconds
Bench press: 25 reps
Broad jump: 8 feet
Three-cone drill: 8.15 seconds
Derrick Nnadi 2018 NFL Draft Profile
Florida State defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi enters the 2018 NFL Draft as a mid-tier defensive line prospect. While he’s not expected to be a day one selection, he should still be off the board relatively early into the draft.
Nnadi’s best collegiate season came in 2017. The Seminole senior started all 13 games for Florida State, accounting for 53 tackles, 10 of which went for a loss. Additionally, the interior lineman managed to record one forced fumble and three and a half sacks from the defensive tackle position. His accomplishments earned him Third-Team All-ACC honors.
Nnadi first joined the Seminoles in the 2014 season and made an immediate impact as a true freshman. While he wasn’t a starter, the defensive tackle appeared in nine of a possible 13 games, recording 18 tackles. The best game of his rookie season came against Wake Forest when he recorded four tackles, one and a half of which were for a loss.
The Florida State product built on his successful rookie season to start all 13 games in his sophomore year. Nnadi was one of just five Seminoles to start every game on defense, and he finished his second season with 45 tackles and two sacks. All in all, Nnadi’s 45 tackles were second on the team among defensive linemen, only to DeMarcus Walker.
Nnadi’s 2016 season was arguably the best of his collegiate career, as he once more took a step forward in his development. Once again playing all 13 games, Nnadi stepped up to become the leader of the Seminoles interior defensive line. Nnadi did a little bit of everything that year, finishing with 49 tackles, six sacks, one pass breakup, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. The 2016 Seminoles led the nation in sacks per game, and Nnadi’s presence in the middle was a big reason for that. Coaches in the ACC named him first-team All-Conference while he also earned FSU’s Defensive Most Improved Player award in the previous spring.
Strengths
- Low center of gravity allows for increased interior leverage;
- Quick to react after the snap;
- Consistently wins one-on-one matchups in pass rushing situations;
- Strong lower body allows him to push the pocket;
- Stayed healthy throughout collegiate tenure.
Weaknesses
- Undersized relative to the prototypical NFL interior lineman;
- Needs to win with his hands – can get pushed around if he doesn’t get initial leverage;
- Can get pushed around in the run game when facing larger linemen;
- Loses ground when double teamed;
- Takes longer than one would like to diagnose and identify run direction.
NFL Comparison: Javon Hargrave
Teams With Need at Position: Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Washington Redskins, Cincinnati Bengals
Projection: Third to fourth round
Bottom Line
While Nnadi was a solid all-around player in college, his limited size likely prevents him from being a true three-down lineman. He doesn’t have the size to consistently play the run, which limits him to being a situational interior pass rusher in the NFL. There’s certainly a role for a player like him, but he possesses a relatively low ceiling.
That being said, there isn’t much bad film on Nnadi. He can’t help his size, but everything within control, he does well. As a rookie, Nnadi should be a very useful situational pass rusher capable of generating pressure up the middle. If he’s able to add more weight as his career goes on, there’s no reason to think that he won’t develop into a solid NFL starter. However, that’s a big if. At the very least, Nnadi provides a solid third-down pass rush option. At best, Nnadi could develop into a serviceable three-down defensive lineman, although his work in the run game will likely never eclipse his pass rushing threat.
