Yahya Black, IDL, Iowa
Size:
Height: 6056
Weight: 336
Arm: 35”
Hand: 10 ¼”
Accomplishments:
All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (2024, 2023)
“Yahya Black is a block-eating interior defensive lineman who does his best work extending his arms and locating the football against the run.”
Strengths:
Power at the point of attack
Active hands
Double-team take-on
Stack and locate
Concerns:
First-step consistency
Pass-rush impact
Balance
Film Analysis:
Yahya Black was a three-sport athlete in high school, playing football, basketball, and track, but excelled on the football field. During his career, he set the record for sacks at Marshall High School with 17.5 and committed to Iowa as a four-star recruit.
The 6-foot-5, 315-pound defensive tackle became a disruptive force against the run for the Hawkeyes, racking up 13 tackles for loss, 10 of which came in the last two seasons, but also added 5.5 sacks with 11 passes defended, showing good awareness at the line of scrimmage.
Black lined up in many gaps for the Hawkeyes, seldom lining up outside of a 4i technique, and ate up blocks against the run, freeing up linebackers to do their work. He communicates well to the second level with “heads up” pats on his rear to indicate which gaps the linebackers should be paying attention to. Offensive linemen find themselves at his mercy when he gets his hands on the inside of blockers and extends. He locates the football quickly and can make quick lateral movements to disengage and chase down the ball carrier. His pad level is generally good, but his hand location can be missed outside, allowing blockers to lift him out of the way and sometimes onto the ground. Against duo blocks (double teams), Black uses the “kickstand” technique and tries to twist himself into gaps to disrupt the backfield and his anchor is good enough to eat up double teams.
Black doesn’t have a refined pass-rush plan or toolbox as a pass rusher, but he flashes a snatch-swim technique and the lateral disengagement to affect the passer. He’s best as a pocket collapser but is removed from the field in obvious passing situations. Even when his move wins, he lacks the explosiveness upfield to clear the blocker and close on the quarterback.
Black can be an impactful run defender for NFL teams that practice gap control along the defensive line. However, his lack of explosiveness and pass-rush upside limit him to a two-down run defender projection.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Scheme Specific Contributor
Written By: Daniel Harms
Exposures: Nebraska (2024), Wisconsin (2024), Maryland (2024)
