The Leading Authority of the NFL Draft

Latest: Dareus is a mountain of a man that most readers will recognize as the player that knocked Colt McCoy out of last year’s championship game. He’s about to be one of the top picks in this year’s draft now that he’s declared himself eligible. The junior was selected to the All-SEC first team this season and he was also a third team All-American. Dareus has great strength to bull rush opposing blockers and he also has the explosion necessary to get to the quarterback. The Huffman product is more of a 3-4 defensive end that will play a 5-technique but he could play in a 4-3 defense as a tackle and still be effective.

Skinny: Our number-four overall prospect for 2011 tops the list of junior defensive end NFL prospects. At 6’3” and 306 pounds Dareus is among the most versatile defensive linemen in the country. He has already shown us what he can do as a three-four defensive end and many believe he will end up as a defensive tackle playing in a four-three scheme. Considering his athleticism and agility, if the Alabama product were to drop some weight he might be able to play some four-three end, particularly on early downs. Nevertheless, it says here he would be best served continuing to play in a “34-defense” where he can use his variety of skills. While opponents were well aware of Dareus prior to the BCS Championship game, there is little doubt that his performance against the Texas Longhorns (Defensive MVP) was his national coming out party. A natural knee bender who can be a force against both the run and the pass, Dareus should be a dominating presence for the 2010 Crimson Tide as he emerges as the linchpin to Nick Saban’s defense. The Alabama native put up impressive sack numbers for a three-four end as a sophomore, which he needs to keep up as he takes on a greater role this season and becomes a more consistent performer. Dareus is ranked atop the list of junior defensive ends entering the 2010 season, but to maintain his lofty status he will have to perform at a high level this season. - Scouting Defensive Ends: Class of 2012

SCOUT'S TAKE

Pros: For a 3-4 defensive end Marcel Dareus is a unique player. The incoming junior, who stands at 6’4”, is expected by many to be one of the elite prospects in the 2011 draft. Dareus became a household name when he won Defensive MVP honors in the BCS Championship Game last season against Texas—Dareus not only knocked Colt McCoy out of the game with a devastating hit, he returned an interception for a touchdown. But that game is hardly the only reason he’s on scouts’ radar; he is no flash in the pan. What truly stands out about Dareus is that he has an incredible fluidity for a man his size. Watch the interception return against Texas and you can see what makes Dareus special. He is not clumsy in any way; every movement is deliberate, effortless, and displays excellent flexibility. This makes Dareus a true nightmare in space for a man his size, and as such you see him make a lot of plays in the offensive backfield (nine tackles for a loss). His 6.5 sacks in part-time duty, which led the SEC, were rather impressive for the sophomore defensive end. Dareus is a nightmare matchup for offensive linemen because he is so graceful and effortless in his movement that he is nearly impossible to mirror. Dareus also has the special ability to manipulate the size of his body. In other words, when he needs to shoot gaps he can make himself small, but when he needs to stack the line of scrimmage for his linebackers, he can play big. Dareus has already added more than 20 pounds since arriving in Tuscaloosa and is expected to tip the scales at over 300 pounds in 2010, with a frame that can easily support more weight. Dareus’ value is also enhanced by his versatility, as he has had success as a 3-4 end in Nick Saban’s scheme, with the potential to be a dominant three-technique defensive tackle in a 4-3 alignment. As a true freshman, the Alabama native even moved inside to nose tackle in passing situations. Dareus also shows sophistication in terms of hand placement, leverage, knee bend and situational awareness. The Alabama man has the look of a true three-down NFL defensive lineman, equally adept at disrupting running lanes and a quarterback’s timing.

Cons: After starting in just four contests and recording a solid 33 tackles last season, we need to see more production and consistency from Darius in 2010 if he wants to be an elite prospect. While Dareus has long arms and legs, his natural strength is not yet at the level where the underclassman is ready to take on NFL level offensive linemen and win on strength alone. Along with adding muscle weight it is also evident that some of the weight in Dareus’ midsection is sloppy. While he is an incredibly smooth athlete there are questions about Dareus’ burst off the line of scrimmage and speed. Working on his body should help alleviate those concerns, while at the same time make him stronger and quicker. If he ends up kicking inside to play defensive tackle the SEC product will need to add a little more bulk if he expects to be anything other than a penetrator at the NFL level.

Our View: Not the most heavily recruited prospect coming out of high school, Dareus burst on the scene as a sophomore and with the likes of Rolando McClain and Terrence “Mount” Cody moving on to the NFL, we expect the defensive lineman to be the lynchpin of Alabama’s front seven in 2010. A truly fantastic prospect, Dareus may end up becoming a victim of the expectations placed on him and the position he plays. While Dareus gets penetration in the Nick Saban system, a lot of his responsibility lies in occupying blockers so others can make plays—don’t expect him to post numbers comparable to edge pass rushers such as Robert Quinn (North Carolina) or Greg Romeus (Pittsburgh). If Dareus does not have the splash plays many are expecting his stock may drop in the outer circles, but NFL insiders will be able to read between the lines. Dareus is a defensive lineman whose strength is in short-area movement and playing in space. In fact, he is so smooth and flexible that in many ways he is reminiscent of Ndamukong Suh, but unlike the number two overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Dareus lacks truly Herculean strength and still has to shed some of his baby fat. If Dareus can work his butt off in the weight room, sculpt his body and improve his burst while taking over as the focal point of the Crimson Tide defense, he has a chance to be a top 10 pick in next year’s draft. With several teams that run 3-4 defenses potentially picking near the top of the 2011 Draft, don’t be surprised if Dareus goes as high as number three, where former LSU Tiger Tyson Jackson went to Kansas City in the 2009 Draft.

NEWS

07/20/10 – If you've managed to get your hands on a copy of EA Sports' "NCAA 2011" college football game, you know one thing: Marcell Dareus is a computer-generated freak of nature. The guy's unblockable. And he's that way in real life, as well. His NFL draft projection -- many experts have him going in the top five next April -- is proof of that. At 6-foot-3 and over 300 pounds, he's essentially a wrecking ball. And with his speed, he's a wrecking ball swung from way back. There's no truly "bad" aspect to Dareus' game. The only knock on the guy is that he's a bit excitable, as evidenced by his post-interception-return celebration in the BCS title game. But even that has never truly been a "problem." Dareus, according to his teammates, is a fun-loving, upbeat guy. – Montgomery Advertiser