Tremaine Edmunds draft profile 2018: What they are saying

The NFL Draft is just two days away. As we close on the selection process, we will take a last minute look at some of the top prospects who could be on the Miami Dolphins radar with the 11th overall pick. Josh Houtz has already given us some of those players, with film and profile breakdowns of some of the top prospects. Today, I take a closer look at what others around the internet are saying about linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.

The Dolphins could be sitting in a perfect position to grab a linebacker this year, giving them an immediate starter at a position of need while drafting one of the top prospects remaining on the draft board. The Dolphins drafted Ferrell Edmunds with a third-round pick in 1988, seeing the tight end earn two Pro Bowl appearances in his career. Could the Dolphins again find a Pro Bowl talent with a first-round selection of Ferrell’s son?

Measurables

Tremaine Edmunds
Age: 19 (turns 20 on May 2)
College: Virginia Tech
Class: Junior
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 253 lbs.
Hands: 9-3/8”
Arms: 34-1/2”
40-yard dash: 4.54 sec.
Bench Press: 19 reps
Broad Jumo: 117.0”

College Stats
32 games played
213 tackles
33 tackles for loss
10 sacks
1 interception
5 passes defensed
1 fumble recovery
3 forced fumbles

What are they saying?

At Gobbler Country, SB Nation’s Virginia Tech site, they recently wrote of Edmunds, stating, “Tremaine is a ‘freak of nature’ he’s huge, fast, alert, agile, and smart. He’s going to [the Draft in] Texas to be on the show. If that doesn’t say where people think that he’s going, nothing will.”

They also wrote of him, “Edmunds wasn’t put in a position to rush the passer often. In the NFL, expect him to routinely line up on the outside and rush the passer. The great thing about Edmunds is he can do it all. He can go to a team that plays a 4-3 defense and be a strong-side linebacker. Oh, and he can cover tight ends and slot receivers, too.”

On NFL.com, Daniel Jeremiah wrote of Edmunds, who he ranked as his third ranked prospect of the year:

Edmunds has a unique blend of size, length and athleticism. He primarily lines up off the line of scrimmage, but does get some work rushing off the edge. Against the run, he is quick to key, fill and finish as a tackler. He has rare lateral range and collects tackles from sideline to sideline. The former Hokie flashes the ability to shoot his hands and play off blocks, but this is one area where he can improve. Against the pass, he easily mirrors running backs and tight ends; there are even examples of him matching up and redirecting vs. slot receivers. He offers tremendous upside as an edge rusher, where he can dip/rip and bend around the edge. Overall, Edmunds has All-Pro ability. His upside is outrageous.

Eric Edholm at Pro Football Weekly listed Edmunds as his 11th ranked prospect of the year, writing of him:

Best-suited destination: Brian Urlacher started his pro career covering punts for the Chicago Bears before being handed the keys to the defense, and Edmunds’ path to greatness could follow those tracks. He has the traits and feel for the game to be a star with the right coaching and development, but Edmunds could go through a bit of a learning curve to start.

Still, he has the athleticism, size and range to be a three-down linebacker at any spot for any type of scheme or any type of front. If a team can’t find some kind of role for him, its defensive coordinator is in the wrong line of work. Among the teams that could especially be interested in Edmunds include the Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers and Chicago Bears.

Quotable: “We were doing a little research on the ages of prospects, and we found that most [20-year olds who] go that high were [offensive and defensive] linemen and some receivers. We couldn’t really find too many linebackers that age that high. Raekwon [McMillan] was a 2. Terrell Suggs was a high 1, but they had him rushing the passer, not lining guys up. I don’t know if you give [Edmunds] a green dot [the helmet with the communication to a defensive coordinator] Day 1. That’s a lot to ask of any rookie, especially a guy that young. He just doesn’t have the rare instincts to do that. I would never put that on the kid. He needs time. But he can play. Wouldn’t shock me if he ends up one of the five or six best [non-quarterbacks] in this class when we look back.” — NFC national scout

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote of Edmunds:

Edmunds combines elite size, speed and explosiveness into a productive, versatile linebacker package that will have evaluators salivating. Edmunds has posted high-impact production over the last two seasons and he still has room to get bigger and better. He will make mental mistakes and his instincts are subpar, but he has an ability to mitigate those issues with his athletic ability. Edmunds can play in any alignment at any linebacker spot and has All-Pro potential no matter where he lands.

Sources tell us: “Good luck with your player comp on this one. They don’t come like him. I don’t think there has ever been a linebacker that has had his size and speed. You’re better off comping him with a basketball player.” -- NFC regional scout

In their look at Edmunds, SB Nation’s Cincinnati Bengals site, Cincy Jungle, wrote:

Edmunds is a one-of-a-kind athlete. He boasts one of the best combinations of size and speed in this draft. He has an insane ability to play from sideline-to-sideline while also having the ability to stop runners in their tracks. He may lack the incredible instincts of a Roquan Smith, but he has enough of an understanding of the game to make huge plays on a regular basis. Edmunds and Smith are headed toward being this year’s drafts first two linebackers off the board.

The thing that doesn’t get talked about enough with Edmunds is his age. He will only be 20 by the time his rookie season starts. That means by the time his first contract is up he will only be 25, and he will be in the middle of his prime.

The other thing about Edmunds is his versatility. This goes along with him being so young, but his athletic ability also gives coaches a ton of option as far as where to play him. To show the sheer level of versatility he carries, some teams will probably consider him as an outside linebacker for a 3-4 defense.

The upside for this kid is incredible, and if he finds the right situation he could be a Pro Bowler for years to come.

SB Nation’s Indianapolis Colts site, Stampede Blue, also broke down Edmunds, writing:

There are very few athletes who have the combination of size and speed that 19 year old Tremaine Edmunds brings to the field. His length could make him particularly disruptive in short zones against the pass. His speed allows him to make plays from sideline-to-sideline and to flip into coverage against tight ends if he needs to do so. He also has the physical attributes that could translate to being a nasty situational pass rusher in the NFL.

Trying to figure out where he fits could be the biggest dilemma for teams considering him at the top of the draft. He is not particularly cerebral as this point in his career and currently lacks the mind for the game that Roquan Smith brings to a team. Of course, this could certainly be addressed as he isn’t even 20 years old and has plenty of time to get things figured out in a new system. His physical attributes allow him to make up for some of his cerebral shortcomings.

The upside potential for Edmunds is ridiculously high. He has drawn comparisons to former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher, one of the most dominant middle linebackers in the history of the NFL. The floor is a little harder to peg for me. It is not outside the realm of possibility that Edmunds fails to reach his potential. Maybe he’ll never fully figure it out from the mental side of the game. Maybe he’ll always be a player without a position. Where does he fit?

SB Nation’s New York Giants site, Big Blue View, wrote of Edmunds:

At 19 years old, he will be one of the youngest players to ever enter the NFL draft, but will step on to the NFL field as one of the biggest athletic freaks in the league.

But he is more than just another athlete on a football field, he is a good player. He doesn’t quite have the experience and mental game (yet) to make him the top linebacker in the draft, but he plays with a high enough football IQ to believe that will come in time.

Our own Josh Houtz wrote of Edmunds:

Although I still believe Georgia LB Roquan Smith is the best LB prospect in the draft, Tremaine Edmunds could end up being the better player when all is said and done. At just 19-years old, he has the ability to make plays that many linebackers simply can’t. And his strength and skill-set will only get better with experience. His prototypical size would make him an ideal fit as SAM in a 4-3 defense, or a MLB in a 3-4. Edmunds ability to dissect a play and react without hesitation is an art, and one that I look forward to seeing develop as the years pass. He needs to continue to get better in coverage, but has shown enough throughout his collegiate career to warrant a top-10 pick in this year’s draft. Whether or not Edmunds will be available when Miami is on the clock is anyone’s guess. But one thing is certain, the Dolphins could do a lot worse than Tremaine Edmunds at No. 11.

Film of Edmunds (via Draft Breakdown and @Houtz)

Edmunds highlight videos