Cowboys Select Randy Gregory, DE, Nebraska #60

WEAKNESSES: Lanky frame and trunk with skinny limbs…lean lower body and can be knocked off his feet with below average body girth…questionable growth potential and needs to sustain a consistent weight, allowing for too much fluctuation over his career…can be overmatched by power in the run game, lacking the functional strength to consistently dispose of blockers in his path…struggles to generate pop as a pass rusher without momentum and too easily slowed, even by off- balanced blocks…needs to improve his hand strength to be a consistent finisher once he makes contact…late to recognize zone reads and needs to play smarter…snap anticipation has room for improvement to capitalize on his edge speed…needs to keep his emotions under control and harness his passion…tends to wear down later in games with questionable toughness and threshold for pain, often leaving the field of play for minor injuries…durability needs investigated after arthroscopic surgery on his left knee (Aug. 2014) that caused him to miss one game followed by a concussion (Nov. 2014) that forced him out of another game…history of anti- depressant and marijuana use, including two failed tests during his junior season and a failed drug test at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine – very concerning habit.

SUMMARY: The son of parents both stationed in the Air Force, Gregory moved eight times growing up and played mostly offense until his sophomore year in high school when he settled in as a pass rusher. He wins with his first step quickness, flexible frame and natural length, displaying the explosive traits to be an impact pressure player. Gregory has experience standing up and blitzing different gaps, showing the change of direction skills and developing instincts to play on his feet, but is unproven dropping into coverage as a linebacker. He has a puzzling weight timeline with his pounds fluctuating between 220 and 250 pounds in college, lacking an ideal frame to sustain bulk. Gregory was routinely banged up at Nebraska and the tape shows a concerning trend from game-to-game that will bring up toughness and durability concerns in the NFL. He has the active motor and athletic traits that will excite NFL teams, but he has two strong on-field concerns that create doubt: functional strength and growth potential. Due to those size concerns, Gregory is best suited standing up at linebacker in the NFL with massive NFL upside, but his risk is almost as high, especially with the uncertainty of his off-field habits – top-20 talent with question marks. (Brugler 2015 Draft Guide)