Derrek Tuszka Overview
Position: EDGE
Height: 6’-4”
Weight: 251 pounds
School: North Dakota State
NFL Combine Performance Data
40 Yard Dash: 4.79 seconds
Bench Press: 24 reps
Vertical Jump: 33.5”
Broad Jump: 120.0”
3 Cone Drill: 6.87 seconds
20 Yard Shuttle: 4.34 seconds
Derrek Tuszka 2020 NFL Draft Profile
After spending the past five seasons with the North Dakota State Bisons, edge defender Derrek Tuszka is hoping to take his game to the NFL level. The 6’-4”, 251-pound defender is coming off the best season of his young career. Appearing in 521 snaps, Tuszka recorded 15 sacks, 13 quarterback hits, 28 hurries, and 11 run stops. While the relatively underwhelming level of competition inflated his stats, this was still an impressive season by just about every measure.
Tuszka initially entered the world of college football as an unranked prospect. Despite the poor rating, North Dakota State saw something they like in the South Dakota native and offered him a scholarship. He had his first breakout season in 2018, recording eight sacks, eight quarterback hits, 22 hurries, and 23 run stops on 445 defensive snaps.
Strengths
- Fantastic on-field production over the past two seasons;
- Smooth, fluid movement that will be hard for stiffer offensive linemen to match;
- Good at avoiding first contact from offensive linemen;
- Above-average bend and ability to speed around the tackle;
- Can drop into coverage in a pinch;
- Tested well at the NFL Combine;
- High-motor type of guy that always chases the play down.
Weaknesses
- Small build with no true position;
- Wins exclusively with speed – not much power in his game;
- Statistics artificially inflated by weak competition;
- Arm length in the third percentile among defensive linemen;
- Struggles to get off blockers when first engaged.
NFL Comparison: Trey Hendrickson
Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Projection: 4th/5th Round
Bottom Line on Derrek Tuszka
Derrek Tuszka is a mid- to late-round prospect that actually has a decent chance of panning out at the NFL level. The North Dakota State product dominated during his final two years at college and appeared unblockable at times. While a lot of that had to do with the level of competition he faced, he has plenty of traits that should translate to the NFL. Combine results can be overrated, but it’s important for prospects to meet a minimum athletic threshold. Tuszka not only meets that, but he actually outperformed expectations. The way he plays should translate as well, as he’s a fluid rusher with good bend that should be able to get past offensive tackles.
There’s a lot to like about Tuszka, but there’s also quite a bit standing in his way. Thanks to his underwhelming build, Tuszka doesn’t project as someone that can make a big difference as a run defender. There’s no power to his game and he probably won’t ever develop into a three-down starter. Additionally, his small arms are an issue and he struggles to shed blocks when offensive linemen engage him. Ultimately, he should be a solid rotational pass-rusher that is well worth a late-round investment.
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