The Leading Authority of the NFL Draft

Scout's Notebook

2011 Preseason Skinny - For those who thought Crick’s production in 2009 might have been the result of playing alongside Ndamukong Suh...well, the strapping 6’6”, 285-pound defensive tackle had just as many sacks (9.5) in his junior year and two more TFLs (17) while dealing with a lot more double-teams. What stands out about Crick is his hand technique, which he combines with his considerable strength to bull rush opponents and turn them sideways. There’s no doubt that he’s good enough to be a first-round pick, but he’s not big enough to play inside in a 4-3 scheme and doesn’t have the quickness to be an end in that same alignment. Most likely, he’s a 3-4 end in the mold of a J.J. Watt. In the 3-4 system, he'll be able to occupy blockers and will be tough to push back. The bonus is that he has the hand skills to quickly disengage from his blocks. - NFL is Calling For Cornhusker Defenders

2010 Preseason Scout's Take: Before anyone begins any comparisons to Ndamukong Suh, it needs to stop. The number two overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft was a once in a lifetime player and it is unfair to hold anyone to that standard. Crick is a talented player in his own right and will contend for All-American status. He could also succeed Suh as the Big XII’s defensive player of the year if he can approach a repeat performance of his stellar sophomore campaign. The First Team All-Big XII performer put up some monster numbers as a sophomore, adding 16 quarterback hurries to his 9.5 sacks. However, it must be noted that the Nebraska native benefited from the double and triple teams Suh commanded, and he did accumulate more than half his sacks (five) and seven of his 15 tackles for loss in one game (versus Baylor). His ability to get after the quarterback and wreak havok in the offensive backfield is what separates this Cornhusker from many interior defensive linemen. He has great length at 6’5” and knows how to use it, knocking down four passes and blocking one kick in his breakout season. At 285 pounds he is clearly undersized to play defensive tackle at the next level and will need to add a good 20 to 30 pounds to fit the prototype. Crick came to Nebraska as a defensive end before kicking inside during the spring of 2008 following a red-shirt season. Because of his length and lack of ideal bulk for an interior lineman, Crick may end up moving back to end in the NFL, ideally in a three-four alignment. He could also end up being labeled a ‘tweener—too small to play inside, not athletic enough to play on the perimeter—but if he doesn’t skip a beat without Suh, Crick could emerge as a potential top-15 pick. - Scouting Defensive Tackles: Class of 2012

2010 Preseason Skinny: The first thing that stands out about Crick is his length. At 6’5” the Cornhusker is longer than many of the top interior defensive linemen the NFL has to offer. When he steps on the field you can’t help but be impressed by his awesome penetration power, as his 9.5 sacks (15 tackles for loss) indicate. While it is true that Ndamukong Suh drew a lot of attention away from Crick, the sophomore still had to take advantage of those opportunities. He did just that, and earned himself first team All-Big XII honors along with the Heisman Trophy finalist. The fact is that Crick’s first-step quickness and use of leverage combined with his length made him unblockable in his own right. Nevertheless, many scouts are taking a wait and see approach right now with Crick. The primary reason is that he has undoubtedly been a huge beneficiary of the double and triple teams that Suh drew on every single play. Now that Crick will be the one drawing those double teams many scouts are curious to see how he will hold up. Crick has elite length but his weight is sub par for his frame, particularly for someone who expects to make his living playing on the interior of the line battling against NFL linemen that regularly check in at 330-plus pounds. At his present weight it wouldn’t be unfair to label the Big XII product a ‘tweener—too light to be a defensive tackle and too athletically limited to play end. Even if Crick returns in 2011, this coming season could be the most important of his career in terms of his development as an all-around football player. If Crick ends up maxing out his potential he has every chance of hearing his name called in round one, possibly next April.

News

08/04/11 - Crick grew up in Cozad, a Nebraska town of approximately 4,000 about 200 miles west of Lincoln. And while most high school players in the state dream of playing for Nebraska, he never thought of college football as an option until he received a scholarship offer from Kansas during his junior season. He grew close with the Jayhawks coaching staff and says he was leaning heavily that way until Nebraska finally came calling. In the end, proximity to family and playing for the Big Red won out. He arrived on campus in fall 2007 as a 250-pound defensive end. After a redshirt season, his metamorphosis into a defensive tackle started in spring practice. While in some cases players get bigger because they are not athletic enough, Nebraska's scheme can take advantage of Crick's speed and quickness. The approach resulted in a disciplined process to put on more than 30 pounds without losing any of his physical gifts. "It was rough. I won't lie," Crick said. "It wasn't that you have to eat until you are 30 pounds heavier. You have to put it on the right way, and that's eating the right things at the right time, working out, getting your supplement shakes in and stuff like that. Source: USA Today

08/13/10 - NFL teams obviously are well aware of Jared Crick. The Sporting News rates him as the nation's top college player, regardless of position. Agents send the Nebraska junior defensive tackle brochures and letters touting their services. He’ll look at the letters at the end of this season, Crick said Friday. For now, preseason camp is his priority, he said, along with winning a national championship and graduating. But he made it clear Friday he may face a tough decision after this season — although he insists he hasn’t thought much about the NFL to this point. “At the end of the year, I’ll have my talks with coach Bo (Pelini) and coach Carl (Pelini) about what I want to do, and especially my family,” Crick said. “Right now, it’s not even certain whether I’m going to leave after this year. I may stay for my senior year.” – HuskerExtra.com

08/02/10 - Crick, strong and agile at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, won the defensive tackle spot next to Ndamukong Suh after playing sparingly as a redshirt freshman in 2008. He put up numbers that few could have predicted: 73 tackles, 9½ sacks, 17 quarterback hurries. Crick is careful not to act as if he has it all figured out. What’s projected for him won’t become reality unless he maintains the same attitude and work ethic that got him this far. “I come from a good background,” he said. “I know everything I’ve ever gotten was because of my hard work and my dedication to it. So it’s easy to be humble.” – Omaha World-Herald