{"id":108473,"date":"2021-03-24T10:00:01","date_gmt":"2021-03-24T14:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=108473"},"modified":"2021-04-01T12:40:12","modified_gmt":"2021-04-01T16:40:12","slug":"2021-nfl-draft-profile-rashad-weaver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2021\/03\/24\/2021-nfl-draft-profile-rashad-weaver\/","title":{"rendered":"Rashad Weaver 2021 NFL Draft Profile"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Rashad Weaver NFL Draft Overview<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Position:<\/strong> Defensive End<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Height:<\/strong> 6\u20195\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Weight:<\/strong> 273 pounds<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>School:<\/strong> Pittsburgh<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2021-nfl-draft-profiles\/\" target=\"_self\">More 2021 NFL Draft Profiles<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Rashad Weaver Draft Profile<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Pittsburgh Panthers had an underrated set of defensive linemen in 2020 who could all be drafted this year. Rashad Weaver is one of those prospects who had a productive career for the Panthers, has good size, and possesses solid pass rush traits that scouts will like on tape. He had some injury concerns; however, Weaver proved his health in 2020 by having his most productive season as a college athlete.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weaver was only graded as a three-star athlete out of Cooper City High School, Florida. However, scouts were intrigued by Weaver\u2019s size and several schools offered scholarships to the defensive end, including Penn State and Syracuse. He originally committed to the University of Michigan. Weaver de-committed from the Wolverines and committed to Pittsburgh.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The edge rusher improved every season he played for the Panthers in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Weaver redshirted as a freshman before making three sacks for Pittsburgh in 2017. He racked up six sacks and started all 14 games as a sophomore. Weaver was expected to make another leap his junior year but missed the entire 2019 campaign after tearing his ACL. Weaver came back as a senior in 2020 and had a big impact on the Panthers defense.\u00a0 He finished his college career by recording 7.5 sacks, proving his health is in a good place, and raising his draft stock in the process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Strengths<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ideal length for the pro level &#8211; knows how to use it, has an array of counter moves using his length;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Good hands &#8211; powerful in the run game;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Productive &#8211; lived in the opposing backfield at Pittsburgh;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diagnoses the run game well &#8211; holds up blockers and beats blockers with his length;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another year removed from the ACL injury &#8211; could see more dynamic movement moving forward.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Weaknesses<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lack of quick-twitch to his pass rush &#8211; slow developing pass rusher;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lack of elite lateral movement &#8211; could improve another year removed from knee surgery;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His versatility on the edge is an upside projection &#8211; more at home as a 3-4 end;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With his playstyle, needs weight added to his frame and\/or develop more efficient block shedding moves;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Projects as a rotational piece &#8211; limits his draft stock.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>NFL Comparison:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pro-football-reference.com\/players\/A\/AutrDe00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Denico Autry<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Autry represents the style of play and production Weaver should look to achieve. At 285 pounds, Autry isn\u2019t an ideal size for interior work but uses his height, 6\u20195&#8243;, and length to his advantage. Occasionally lining up as a pure pass-rushing defensive end, Autry mainly plays on the inside. He had been productive at the next level by developing a quick get-off to shoot gaps and sheds blockers using his length and strong hand. This is a projection of Weaver but he has the physical tools to work towards it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Teams With Need at Position:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/saints\/\" target=\"_self\">New Orleans Saints<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/steelers\/\" target=\"_self\">Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/jets\/\" target=\"_self\">New York Jets<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/patriots\/\" target=\"_self\"> New England Patriot<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/patriots\/\" target=\"_self\">s<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/dolphins\/\" target=\"_self\">Miami Dolphins<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Projection:<\/strong> Round 3-4<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Bottom Line on Rashad Weaver<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weaver is one of several Pittsburgh defensive linemen entering the draft in 2021 and is not one who received the most attention in college. Patrick Jones and Jaylen Twyman are also very draftable talent in the middle rounds. Weaver projects as a solid rotational piece early in his career and his consistent improvement in college is a good sign that he is coachable and looks for ways to improve.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it\u2019s difficult to say if he\u2019s truly a limited athlete or if another year removed from an ACL tear will improve his short-area quickness and burst. If it\u2019s the former, Weaver will likely need to add weight to his frame to compete consistently as a defensive end at the professional level. He has strong powerful hands to disengage with blockers, but his rushes develop slowly. He won\u2019t get to the quarterback at the next level if he doesn\u2019t improve his get-off or develop a stronger bull rush.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overall, Weaver has the ideal height and length to compete at the pro level. He uses his leverage well which scouts will like on tape and generally has a high football IQ. Consistent statistical production wins above all else and Weaver manufactures disruption in the run and pass game. He could prove a great value pick in the middle rounds for a team lacking depth and production on their defensive line.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[pickup_prop id=&#8221;5616&#8243;]<\/p>\n<p>Main photo:<br \/>\n<a id=\"ejUeW4drRLp8jNt5D2U-TQ\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1230986559\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'ejUeW4drRLp8jNt5D2U-TQ',sig:'KpAc843vLe7uLbGZah4WW8YGyRsKPgqXMY23QNjyvUA=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1230986559',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rashad Weaver has the ideal height and length to compete at the pro level but there are issues that will drop his NFL draft stock.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3597,"featured_media":108531,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1647],"tags":[6669,7907],"class_list":["post-108473","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-draft","tag-2021-nfl-draft","tag-rashad-weaver"],"modified_by":"Justin Patrick, Site Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108473","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3597"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=108473"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/108473\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/108531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=108473"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=108473"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=108473"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}