Neil Farrell Jr NFL Draft Overview
Position: Defensive Lineman
Height: 6’-4″
Weight: 330 pounds
School: LSU
Neil Farrell Jr 2022 NFL Draft Profile
Neil Farrell Jr. spent most of his career at LSU as a rotational defensive lineman, before taking a starting role in 2021.
In his freshman season with the LSU Tigers in 2017, Farrell Jr racked up five tackles, one quarterback hurry in three games an injury sidelined him. The following season, Farrell Jr racked up 23 tackles, 1.5 sacks, four tackles for a loss, and one pass deflection in ten games. In his junior season, Farrell Jr accumulated 46 tackles, seven tackles for a loss, three sacks, and one forced fumble in 15 games. Farrell Jr was a part of the same LSU Tigers team that defeated the Clemson Tigers in the College Football National Championship.
In 2020, Farrell Jr opted out of his senior season due to family COVID-19 concerns but reversed his decision later on. That season, Farrell racked up 24 tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss, one sack, and one pass deflection in eight games. Farrell Jr returned for another season in 2021 since college students were granted an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In his final season with the Tigers, Farrell Jr 45 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks, and two pass deflections in 12 games.
After his final season with LSU, Farrell Jr was named Second-Team All-SEC. Along with teammates Damone Clark and Ed Ingram, he was invited to the 2022 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. His impressive performance in Mobile rose his draft stock against high and low levels of competition.
Neil Farrell Jr. is an absolute menace 😈 pic.twitter.com/dNfWUV7JFd
— PFF College (@PFF_College) February 28, 2022
Strengths
- Very good hand placement with a nice swim move
- Great leverage and pad level against opposition
- Has the ability to displace blockers when attempting to make plays
- Good lateral mobility for his size and position
- Good flexibility
Weaknesses
- Not consistent at making plays in the hole
- Does not have the longest arm length, making it easy for blockers to lock him out of the backfield
- Weight can be a concern at the next level
- Quickness off of the snap limits him as a pass-rusher
- Can get displaced off of the LOS due to point of attack strength
Teams With Need At IDL: Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago Bears
Projection: Fourth Round
Bottom Line On Neil Farrell Jr
Neil Farrell Jr’s upside as a defensive lineman could make him a steal in the later rounds. His run defense is top-notch and his swim move in the passing game could prove deadly if he is consistent off of the snap. His above-average lower-body strength is good enough to shake off double teams in the passing and ground game.
However, he is not consistent when making plays in the hole. Sometimes he is displaced off of the line of scrimmage and other times he will throw the offensive lineman aside. He needs to convert some of the body fat to muscle, which will make him a better overall athlete.
Neil Farrell Jr most likely starts his NFL career as a rotational defensive lineman.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
