DE, Michael Bennett, Texas A&M

DE, Michael Bennett, Texas A&M

Pros:  Positives: Tall with a strong upper body and long arms. ... Can play on the strong or weak side because of his length and strength. ... Can push the tackle into the quarterback when one-on-one, using a strong bull rush. ... Uses his hands to gain an edge or rip off tackles.

Cons:  A bit of a "tweener" who lacks great explosiveness off the edge and great bulk to handle double-team blocking on the power side. ... Lacks great change-of-direction skills in the open field.

Styg's Broncos Fit:    After what can only be called a drought at the 3-4 DE position through the middle rounds of the draft, it isn't until the final picks and college free agency that we start to again see some potential there, starting with Bennett.  He is a physical specimen who has never added up to the sum of his parts. He lacks both the explosiveness in the pass rush and anchor against the run to be projected as a starter in the near future.  As a project, he does have some things going for him though.  His length will allow him to practice at either end of the line, and he has experience at both positions.  He has adequate-to-good speed for pressuring the blocker, and he knows how to use his hands in a bull rush, one of his few moves.  Not a lot going for him, but enough to stand above others this late in the draft.

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Scouting Reports and Offsite Links:

• A strong, long-armed tackle with good power in his overall frame and an ability to consistently get a good push on his bull rush. Displays a quick first step off the edge and possess good bend and closing speed around the corner. Has a nice swat move on the outside and does a nice job keeping his balance turning the corner. Possesses good base strength and can hold the edge on outside runs.  [see more...]
• Blessed with the combination of size and athleticism that warranted the Dallas Cowboys drafting his younger brother, former Texas A&M tight end Martellus Bennett, scouts are still waiting to see Michael take his game to the next level. A solid performer at either defensive end spot, Bennett has a combination of pass-rushing length and run-stopping strength on the edge. Big 12 coaches recognized Bennett's talent in 2007, when he was named honorable mention All-Big 12 despite starting only one game. Was a full-time starter in 2008 and posted statistics worthy of postseason honors (42 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, two sacks), but he was not recognized.   [see more...]