Dani Dennis-Sutton Scouting Report

Dani Dennis-Sutton has the technique and physical tools to be an immediate impact run defender for an NFL team, with the upside to offer good pash reps.

Draft Grade: Round 3 - Adequate Starter

Strengths:

Scheme Versatility: Due to Dennis-Sutton’s size and overall mass, he could be used in multiple schemes and in multiple alignments to be an effective run defender.

Strength/Power: Dennis-Sutton plays with exceptional strength and power, allowing him to be a high-level run defender. He consistently and effectively sets the edge of the defense and forces ball carriers back inside to the flow of the defense.

Physicality: Dennis-Sutton displays great physicality in the trenches, seeking to impose it on offensive linemen to win collisions. On every rep, Dennis-Sutton brings physicality and strain to hold the point of attack against the run and win the rep by out-physicaling offensive linemen.

Playing Experience: Dennis-Sutton has plenty of experience playing in the Big Ten against NFL talent in high-leverage moments.

Run Defense: Dennis-Sutton is a good, effective, and efficient run defender, showcasing solid overall technique to shed blockers. He also plays with the necessary physical temperament required to dominate in the trenches consistently.

Concerns:

Lack of Elite Athleticism: Dennis-Sutton appears to be a good, not great, athlete on the perimeter, which may limit his ability to pursue ball carriers from the backside or consistently win as a pass rusher off the edge.

Lower-Body Tightness: Dennis-Sutton’s lower-body tightness shows at the top of the arc when rushing the quarterback, where he may struggle at times to quickly flip his hips to the quarterback’s path.

Pass-Rush Repertoire: Dennis-Sutton’s path to winning is currently limited to utilizing power through a bull rush or a speed-to-power maneuver. He needs to develop more hand counters to add to his arsenal to become a more effective pass rusher in the NFL.