Joe Bachie Overview
Position: Linebacker
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 231 pounds
School: Michigan State Spartans
NFL Combine Performance Data
40-Yard Dash: 4.67 seconds
Bench Press: 26 reps
Vertical Jump: 33.5 inches
Broad Jump: 9 feet 9 inches
Three Cone Drill: 6.93 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.34 seconds
Joe Bachie 2020 NFL Draft Profile
Joe Bachie’s path to the NFL Draft has been anything but smooth. He was not heavily recruited out of high school, being just a two-star recruit, and used his freshman year at Michigan State to redshirt while transitioning from offense to defense. Following his redshirt season, Bachie has appeared in all but five games for the Spartans, putting up impressive numbers and earning two all Big 10 nods. The senior and two-time captain tallied 27.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. In addition to this Bachie also collected five interceptions and forced four fumbles.
As far as what Bachie brings to the table, football IQ tops the list. He is an incredibly smart player and a leader on the defense. When reviewing his game film, Bachie was almost always directing traffic on the Spartans defense and definitely appears to have been a vocal leader of that unit. Bachie also has a high amount of toughness and could often be seen getting his hands dirty and making difficult tackles. What Bachie lacks in natural ability and overall athleticism, he makes up for with his IQ and toughness. With that being said, Bachie is limited due to his lack of coverage skills. He did a mediocre job in coverage with the Spartans during his career, but not great. He does have active hands and often puts himself in a position to deflect passes on occasion, but overall isn’t a true cover linebacker. Despite this, he is excellent against the run and is more than good than enough to be an effective pass rusher.
While the stats are solid, there is some added baggage with Bachie. He failed a drug test causing him to miss the final five games of his college career. When asked about the failed test during media availability at the NFL Combine, Bachie expressed remorse over the situation and explained that he tested positive due to an over the counter pre-workout. Bachie displayed some real maturity throughout the incident and there doesn’t appear to be a reason for concern regarding a repeat offense at the NFL level.
Strengths
- Impressive football IQ;
- Strong tackling fundamentals that should translate to the NFL;
- Tough player and team leader;
- Durability – rarely left the field due to injuries;
- Does an excellent job at filling up gaps against the run.
Weaknesses
- Liability in pass coverage;
- Questionable NFL athleticism;
- Doesn’t close on ball carriers fast enough;
- Doesn’t change direction well;
- Failed PED test could be a red flag for some teams.
NFL Comparison: Reuben Foster
Teams With a Need at the Position: New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Carolina Panthers
Projection: Sixth Round
Bottom Line on Joe Bachie
Despite some of his shortcomings, Joe Bachie is still an interesting prospect. Overall his lack of closing speed and agility will hamper his role on whatever team he lands with, but there is still plenty to like. Bachie will bring a unique toughness to any defense as well as someone who can lead. In addition, Bachie is a perfect fit for a run-stopping linebacker and situational pass rusher. Coaches should also feel safe dropping him into zone coverage, his coverage woes come mainly when forced into man coverage. While Bachie will likely be a day three selection there is a good chance for him to succeed, given the proper role. Each draft has a late-round steal and Bachie has the potential to be just that this year.
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