The Saints have boosted their depth with another linebacker that has positional flexibility. It’ll be interesting to see where he fits in to their plans with Manti Te’o, A. J. Klein, Stephone Anthony, Dannell Ellerbe, Nate Stupar and Craig Robertson.
Here’s his write up on NFL.com:
Strengths – Has desired size and athleticism to fit into any defensive scheme. His fluid hips allow for easy flips and turns in space. Wide open strider with plus range. Makes up plenty of ground to the perimeter when looking to reel in running backs. Plays with gap-to-gap lateral quickness in his shuffle. Races downhill to get a taste of what iso blockers are serving up. Three-down linebacker who showed off the speed to carry running backs down the field in coverage. Has experience playing all three linebacker spots. Squeezes routes from zone and has acceleration to match seam-running tight-ends. Has closing burst and enough wiggle to challenge the pocket as a blitzer.
Weaknesses – Has had substantial injuries in his background that helped limit his playing time and production. Has no interceptions or forced fumbles at Florida. Plays with inconsistent base. Contact balance is very average. Needs to improve with taking on pulling guards and cross blocking H-backs. Disengagement takes too long and he expends too much energy. Needs to punch and move to avoid being engulfed by linemen. Gets moved out of his run fits by misdirection. Overreacts to play fakes and will lose sight of the ball. At times, will look to do too much in coverage rather than just manning his position.
Bottom Line – Anzalone’s size, speed and athleticism will be tempting for teams looking for a linebacker who can play all three spots. However, concerns about his durability could cause some teams to shy away from him on the first two days of the draft. If he can stay healthy, he has the talent to become a solid three-down starter in the league.
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