A Swiss Army knife defender who lined up all over the USC defense over the past two years, Su’a Cravens must now take his unique skill set to the NFL, where his fit is much tougher to determine.

LB/S Su’a Cravens

College: USC Trojans
Year: Junior
Birth Year: 1995
Height: 6-1
Weight: 225

Analysis

There may not be any non-quarterback prospect in the draft with a wider range of opinions and projections surrounding him than Su’a Cravens, with analysts projecting him anywhere from late first round to early third day of the draft. Some see him as a 4-3 weakside linebacker, some as a 3-4 inside linebacker, and still others as a strong safety who can play a heavy in-the-box or robber role at the next level. Many would say this versatility gives Cravens value other defenders don’t possess, while others would argue that the USC hybrid safety/linebacker simply doesn’t fit as a full-time starter in any of those spots, making his usage limited

The truth, as always, is somewhere in the midst of all these takes. Personally I see Cravens as a 4-3 weakside linebacker who can man up on flexed tight ends in coverage in the slot when necessary. USC asked Cravens to play all over their defense, but he was mostly on the edge in more of a stand-up 3-4 outside linebacker role during his final two years with the Trojans. He clearly doesn’t have the weight or length to play the same spot in the NFL, but Cravens limited experience in the slot and even off-the-ball should aid his transition to a new position.

Cravens doesn’t really possess a ton of outstanding attributes, which I think caused me to be low on him in the first place. He’s not Deone Bucannon, as Cravens doesn’t possess the same elite instincts, explosiveness, or athleticism that the Cardinals safety-turned-linebacker brings to the table. That doesn’t mean Cravens is a bad athlete, he isn’t, but all the comparisons to Bucannon or Troy Polamalu look pretty ridiculous when you watch the Trojan defender on tape.

Cravens moves well enough in space, but you can see some hip tightness when he has to turn and run with receivers vertically down the field. He’s a solid cover player who often manned the slot for USC, but he’s better working top-down on the ball in zone or off coverage than he was in press position. Cravens has long enough arms to hassle receivers, but his technique and timing can be off, and he’ll often grab receivers well past five yards. He got away with it plenty in college, but NFL officials won’t be as kind, and Cravens will have to learn to keep his contact at the line of scrimmage quick and clean if he is to play a similar role in the NFL.

While Cravens isn’t an elite athlete, he does possess better range and fluidity than the majority of linebackers in the NFL. I like his active feet and flow to the ball at a weakside linebacker spot, as Cravens is constantly looking for the quickest path to the ball carrier. Sometimes Cravens’ attack angle can be overaggressive, especially on the perimeter, but as his vision has improved, the linebacker has learned to be more disciplined in his reactions. Where he struggles is taking on blockers, as Cravens has good form to lock his arms out and get into an opponent’s chest, but lacks the power and pop to disengage and pursue the ball in a timely fashion. It is understandable given his size compared to most offensive linemen, but obviously a concern nonetheless.

So how does Bucannon do it at just 210 pounds? Two words: instincts and explosiveness. If you’re an undersized 3-4 inside linebacker who struggles to stack and shed, you better be able to beat blockers to the ball consistently with your first step. Cravens doesn’t possess these traits in enough abundance to be able to regularly gain position on opposing offensive linemen, which worries me.

Cravens is a disciplined tackler who breaks down well in space and wraps up with consistently good form. His physicality isn’t an issue, as Cravens’ will take on lead blockers and tight ends with ferocity, often overwhelming opponents closer to his size. You can use him as a blitzer and in coverage, which obviously adds to his ability as a clear three-down player. So Cravens may not offer the positional flexibility many want to see, but he does offer versatility within the position that best suits him, if that makes any sense.

Admittedly Cravens is one of the tougher evaluations in the 2016 class given the fact that USC played him on the edge and as a slot corner so often, where he clearly won’t be utilized consistently in the NFL. So without the elite athleticism (or experience at this point) to play safety on the back end, and without the power, burst, and instinctiveness to kick inside in a 3-4, Cravens best spot is as a WILL linebacker who can potentially play the SAM spot as well.

Perhaps no defensive player in the draft has as much riding on the combine as Cravens, who can show teams what kind of an athlete he is, and what an ideal weight looks like for him. I’ll be very curious to see how he tests in Indianapolis and to hear how teams are currently viewing him. From my perspective, when the Trojans did move him back off-the-ball, I saw flashes of a player who can be a very good linebacker in the NFL in time. I’ll reserve the right to revisit this judgement if he tests like an elite level athlete, but for now I like Cravens behind an even front at the next level, likely as a second round pick.

Grade: 2nd Round