Joe Tryon NFL Draft Overview
Position: Edge Rusher
Height: 6’-5”
Weight: 264 pounds
School: Washington
Joe Tryon Draft Profile
Evaluating the draft prospects who opted out of the 2020 college due to the COVID-19 pandemic is the most difficult issue pro scouts will have faced in years. Joe Tryon is one such prospect. The production is there from 2019, but he never had a chance to prove he could be a consistent force off the edge for Washington. However, scouts can see the impressive athletic traits, and they’re certainly a positive when evaluating Tryon.
Tryon was a three-sport athlete at Hazen High School, Washington. He could have played baseball or basketball at the college level but committed to the Washington Huskies to play football as a defensive end. He redshirted his true freshman season at Washington.
In 2018, Joe Tryon played in 10 games but struggled to make much of a statistical impact. He recorded 20 total tackles and one sack. However, Tryon broke out in a big way as a sophomore. A force of the edge for the Huskies, he racked up eight sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss overall. He earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2019. However, Tryon opted out of the 2020 season as the Pac-12 initially announced their season would be postponed. Instead, Tryon declared and focused on preparing for the 2021 NFL Draft.
[pickup_prop id=”5616″]
Strengths
- Aggressive pass-rusher – attacks lineman with a strong bull-rush;
- Uses length well – has an arm over move, can rush outside or inside;
- Ideal size and length to play on the edge in the NFL;
- Versatile – physical traits should allow Tryon to play on the edge in a 4-3 or 3-4;
- Impressive initial burst and straight-line speed – high motor and pursuit ability;
- Quality upside – work ethic to improve is there.
Weaknesses
- Needs to develop more nuance to his pass rush – doesn’t seem to have much of a plan beyond a bull-rush or an arm over move inside or outside;
- Needs a consistent lower pad level – gets high, doesn’t bend and dip smoothly around blockers;
- Limited counters if he loses on the snap – running game and pass rush sets;
- Raw – one year of production;
- Technique, technique, technique – needs to maintain lower pad level, gets too high.
NFL Comparison: T.J. Watt
Watt had one year of elite production coming out of Wisconsin in 2017. There was little finesse to his pass rush; it was all initial burst, strength, raw aggression, and pursuit skills. That’s how Tryon plays the game, 100% attack all the time. Furthermore, he’s expected to run a 40-time in the low 4:70s, like Watt. Watt has developed into a perennial defensive player of the year contender but wasn’t taken until the 30th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Teams With Need at Position: Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants
Projection: Second round (late first round potential)
Bottom Line on Joe Tryon
Tryon has the size, length, and athleticism to effectively play on the edge in the NFL. He also has the right attitude. Every snap is a handful for a blocker and Tryon brings 100% whistle to whistle on every play. He could play in a 4-3 or a 3-4, but he fits best with a little bit of space to operate in as a 3-4 outside linebacker. When he builds up his bull rush with a little momentum, 264 pounds of Tryon is tough to stop for anyone. There’s real potential for Tryon to be a disruptive force off the edge at the pro level.
There’s an obvious lack of nuance to his game and that leads to some sloppy technique. While you don’t want to take the aggression away from his game, he needs to be more consistent in maintaining a low pad-level. Learning how to create leverage consistently is important if he remains purely a power rusher. Generally, developing consistency in technique is Tryon’s next stage of development, and for that all he should need is reps.
Tryon only has 25 college games under his belt, the upside here is exciting for talent evaluators. In addition, playing at a premium position on the edge makes him good value as a Day 2 pick. He’s even a potential first-round pick depending on how front offices grade out the edge rushers in the draft. Pass rush is always a need. Joe Tryon has all the physical tools to enjoy a successful career on the edge at the pro level.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
