2018 NFL Draft Profile: Defensive End Harold Landry

Defensive end Harold Landry had a storied career with the Boston College Eagles. He set the single season sack record with 16.5 sacks his junior year, and was a constant menace to opposing quarterbacks. However his senior season was certainly not what the fans and probably he expected. He was hurt, and missed four games including the Pinstripe Bowl against the Iowa Hawkeyes due to an ankle injury. Now Landry is getting ready for the 2018 NFL Draft, and all signs point to the North Carolina native getting drafted in the 1st round. Let’s look at Landry as a prospect, and take a stab at where he might end up.

Height: 6’2
Weight: 252
40: 4.64
Bench Press: 24
Broad Jump: 119
Vertical: 36

Strengths: As Boston College fans saw during his four years at the Heights, Landry has elite speed off of the edge. In terms of that quickness, he has a great burst off the snap and uses his arms effectively to blast past opposing blockers. His moves allowed him to completely disrupt at the college level, completely overwhelming teams. Below you can see a prime example of how quick he can be, and how difficult it is to contain him 1 on 1.

He also has incredibly long arms, which helps as a defender for a number of reasons. One, Landry isn’t the biggest defensive end at 6’2, however his arms can help give him space and get to the QB quicker. Secondly, it’s a trait that is tremendous for knocking down passes and causing strip sacks/fumbles.

A final strength of Landry has to be his nimbleness. He can bend on the edge which allows him to quickly get around big physical offensive linemen. This could be his biggest strength, something that NFL teams are going to salivate over.

Weaknesses

Landry isn’t the biggest or strongest of defensive linemen. He certainly isn’t going to bowl over offensive linemen, and a good offensive linemen with good hands and technique can often keep him in check. I also wonder about his injury history, last season was a tough one for Landry as he struggled to stay on the field. Hopefully he has moved past it, and he was just being cautious, but you have to wonder.

Interesting Scout Quote (via NFL.com) : “He’s just like (Vic) Beasley coming out with the way he comes off the snap. You remember how Beasley struggled early because he had to learn to be a pass rusher and not just a sprinter? I think Landry might be the same early on. When he puts it together, he’ll do what Beasley did.” -- NFC team pro personnel director

AJ’s projected draft spot: Tennessee Titans Round 1. (#25)