As we near the 2022 NFL Draft we will be covering game breaking and game changing talent. There are always high profile prospects but some guys just have an intriguing blend of athleticism, size and the ability to change the entire course of a game. Whether it be a tide turning interception a strip sack in the 4th quarter, these players are a cut above their peers. Devin Lloyd is one of those guys.
As the NFL has moved away from the “3 yards and a cloud of dust” method of offense, the traditional linebacker has went the way of the dodo. Long gone are the days of the 6’4 250 pound MIKE. Linebackers now are expected to cover a tight end like a safety, blitz the quarterback like an edge rusher, and still be able to provide run support and tackle in the open field.
Unless you have a Fred Warner or Darius Leonard type of talent, teams opt to just plug and play a handful of linebackers depending on the situation. As we all know the game of football is a chess match and NFL offenses have built in RPO’s, delayed draws and jet sweeps to catch defenses off guard when they have their pass defense personnel group on the field. So the true three-down linebacker is an invaluable piece to a defense hoping to be successful against both the run and pass.
A linebacker like Devin Lloyd can be that player for a team. With his explosive first step to the ball carrier, his brilliant football mind, and lateral agility; he can do it all. A true game changer.
Bio
Devin Lloyd
Utah
Linebacker
Senior
6’3 237 lbs
Devin Lloyd is part of the rich Southern California football pipeline. While he might be a first round talent at linebacker at this stage of his career, he didn’t have scouts drooling over him coming out of high school. Lloyd wasn’t even recruited to Utah as a linebacker, considering he played everything but that position.
While at Otay Ranch High School in a Chula Vista, California; Lloyd was a safety, wide receiver and a punter. At 6’3 and only 215 pounds it was easy to see why he profiled more as a hard hitting safety than an off ball linebacker. Despite not playing his current position, Lloyd put together quite the impressive career for himself at Otay Ranch.
He had nearly 1,000 receiving yards, 8 interceptions, 13 total touchdowns and even punted at a 35 per punt clip. He was a true Swiss Army knife. Despite his apparent athleticism Lloyd didn’t catch the eyes of many college scouts only getting a handful of offers from major programs, Utah being the only Power 5 school. When you are ranked the 1631st player in the country, it’s hard to blame more schools for not knocking down the door at the Lloyd residence.
Utah must’ve seen something in the young man though, and boy was their intuition right. After not seeing the field as a freshman, Lloyd came on strong in his sophomore year. He notched 91 total tackles, 11 for a loss, 6.5 sacks an interception and scored a touchdown. It was clear that the lean safety from California was going to be an impact linebacker for Utah.
Despite the pandemic shortened season in the PAC12, Lloyd made the most of his limited time. 48 tackles, 10 for a loss to go with 2 sacks in only 5 games gave him some legitimacy as a potential top 50 draft pick. His combination of smarts, athleticism and ability to get after the quarterback made him an invaluable piece of a stout Utes defense.
Expectations were at an all time high going into his senior year. The defense was his and his alone, acting as the quarterback of that unit. Everything that Lloyd did helped Utah beat Oregon twice on their way to their first ever PAC12 title; leading to a berth in The Rose Bowl against Ohio State.
Despite Utah’s best efforts, a historic day from Jaxon Smith-Njigba won the day for Ohio State, as they defeated Utah 48-45. That game capped off a stellar senior season for Devin Lloyd and put him on the map as the best off ball linebacker in the nation. He finished the season with 111 total tackles, 22 for a loss, 7 sacks, 4 interceptions and 2 touchdowns. A jack of all trades and a true three down linebacker.
Strengths
Athleticism
As a former safety converted to linebacker it seems as though Lloyd didn’t lose much of that athleticism, despite putting on nearly 30 pounds in college. He has top tier lateral agility that allows him to clean up tackles sideline to sideline. His 4.66 40 yards dash at nearly 240 lbs was proof of his straight line speed.
Pass Coverage
Another benefit of his history playing safety is his pass coverage ability. Lloyd should have no issues dropping into zone coverage or manning up on a tight end. While I wouldn’t suggest leaving him on an island against a player like Alvin Kamara or Christian McCaffery, he will immediately be one of the better coverage linebackers in the NFL.
Instincts
It seems like Lloyd is never out of the play. He shows great discipline against the run, reading and reacting at light speed. His ability to process and attack is a testament to how intelligent of a football player he is. In a passing age, knowing your linebacker will rarely get caught biting on play action, is a huge asset.
Blitzing
An underrated aspect of Lloyds game is his ability to get after the quarterback. He racked up 15.5 sacks in his three years as a starter. His instincts and explosion help him get great jumps on the snap and he is on opposing quarterbacks before they have a chance to react. Not all blitzes are intended to bring down the QB. Run blitzing is an oft overlooked art, but his 43 TFLs in 33 games show that he’s elite in that aspect. After Micah Parsons success rushing off the edge last year, Lloyds production will be a rather large feather in his cap.
Weaknesses
Strength
He certainly does not have an issue wrapping up in the open field or chasing down a ball carrier from behind, but Lloyd has some trouble stacking and shedding. When he is engaged he can occasionally get taken out of a play despite his long arms. His agility and first step minimize those occurrences, but he will need to work on fighting through blocks at the next level.
Change of Direction
While Lloyd should have minimal issues in coverage, his hips are a bit stiff and he has a tough time recovering on the rare occasion he guesses wrong. It’s hard to tell but he does seem a little flat footed at times which could be hampering his ability to drop into his zone when his first read is run.
Summary
All in all, Lloyd is a sure bet to go in the first round and may find himself going in the top 15. He is a plug and play day one starter for more than half the teams in the NFL, and could ascend into a full blown superstar. Look for Lloyd to be in the running for DROY this coming season.