Denver Broncos 2013 Draft

2013 NFL Draft Prospects: DE/OLB Corey Lemonier Scouting Profile

A scouting profile on 2013 NFL Draft prospect Corey Lemonier. Can the former Auburn standout be a target for the Denver Broncos?

By Scotty Payne@Skotty_Payne Apr 20, 2013, 9:00am MDT

With the release of DE Elvis Dumervil the Broncos will start looking at other options. They have explored the veteran Free Agency market, and i expect them to look at some pass rushers early in the draft. One name who may interest the Broncos brass is Auburn DE/OLB Corey Lemonier. According to CBSSports.com Lemonier ranks as the 85th overall prospect in next weeks NFL Draft. Corey Lemonier figures to be a second day selection.

Bio:

Corey Lemonier enjoyed a very productive career at Auburn. In 3 years he totaled 98 tackles, 24 for a loss, 17 sacks and 7 forced fumbles. His best season came in 2011 when he totaled 47 tackles, 13.5 for a loss, 9.5 sacks and 5 forced fumbles. In 2012 Lemonier had a down year where he totaled 34 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 1 forced fumbles.

Class: Senior

Hometown: Hialeah, Fla.

High School: Hialeah

Height / Weight: 6-4 / 246

Position: DE

Major: Public Administration

2011 -- Coaches First Team All-SEC ... AP All-SEC Second Team ... SEC Coaches Pre-Season Third Team ... Phil Steele All-SEC First Team ... Phil Steele Third-Team All-America ... Phil Steele Midseason All-SEC First Team and Honorable Mention All-American ... Sixth on team with 47 tackles, while leading team with 13.5 TFL (-79), 9.5 sacks (-66), and 15 quarterback hurries ... Tied for fourth in the SEC and 16th nationally with 9.5 sacks ... Tied for eighth in SEC with 13.5 TFL ... Totaled three tackles in the opener with Utah State ... Also added a pair of quarterback hurries ... Five tackles and one sack against Mississippi State ... Totaled two tackles for loss ... Forced one fumble and also credited with a QB hurry against the Bulldogs ... Team-high six tackles to go with one sack and two tackles for loss against Florida Atlantic ... Registered a sack and blocked an extra point against South Carolina .... Four tackles, including one sack and two TFL at Arkansas ... Also forced a fumble and credited with a QB hurry against the Razorbacks ... Led Auburn defense with six tackles, including three TFL (-20), two sacks (-16) and four quarterback hurries against Florida ... Named Rivals.com's SEC Player of the Week and SEC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts ... Recorded at least one sack in four straight games, and eight total TFL in that stretch ... First Auburn player to accomplish that feat since Antonio Coleman had at least one sack in six straight games from 10/24/09-1/1/10 ... Totaled five tackles at LSU ... Posted three tackles and half a sack against Ole Miss ... Also picked up a fumble and returned it nine yards ... Totaled six tackles and two sacks in loss at Georgia ... Forced two fumbles in the first half, becoming the first Auburn player to accomplish the feat since Quentin Groves in 2006 at Alabama ... Two QB hurries against Samford ... Totaled four tackles and one sack against Alabama .... Forced a fumble on the lone sack that was recovered in the end zone for a touchdown ... Three tackles in Chick-fil-A Bowl win over Virginia.

Draft Profile:

Strengths: Quick off the edge and the type of rusher than can only be contained for so long. Blend of sped and power to penetrate the pocket and pressure the quarterback. Flashes raw power at the point of attack with a sharp punch, appearing stronger than in past years. Has experience dropping in space and has been given coverage responsibilities. Never quits in his pursuit and is tough to stop, can only hope to slow him down. Ferocious hitter and looks for the knockout blow. Will line up as a stand up linebacker and rush from different angles.

Weaknesses: Still developing his run awareness and technique. Needs to improve his discipline in space and better understand his surroundings. Too often overpursues off the snap and can be overaggressive, taking himself out of plays. Inconsistent snap anticipation and needs to cut down on the offsides penalties. Will get hung up on blocks and hand use in the trenches still a work in progress. Needs to consistently finish once he gets his hands on the ballcarrier. Disappointing second half of 2012 and played down to the level of the rest of the team.

- Dane Brugler

Via: CBSSports.com

STRENGTHS: Long-limbed end with a nice motor and a strong overall build with room to grow. Plays on both sides of the formation. Stands up at times. Showcases a good first step. Also flashes agility to drop into a zone and attack ballcarriers coming into his area. Can threaten outside shoulders of average linemen, and works an impressive rip move on the outside. Has strength and long arms to separate the ball from any ballcarrier. Works hard throughout each play, chasing plays to the sideline when needed and crashing inside for a secondary rush if stopped in his initial upfield move. Works well on twists inside, closes hard and gets into passing lanes if unable to reach the quarterback. Strong arm extension to knock back and shed linemen or tight ends in the run game. Good vision through traffic and hustle to reach the ball. Frame makes him susceptible to cut blocks, but he recovers quite well, gets back into the play to make a stop with pure effort.

WEAKNESSES: Does not have a powerful build. Lacks great snap awareness. Looks to be stiff in the hips, and is not always flexible enough to bend the edge. Weak hands, doesn't deliever a blow on contact with the offensive lineman. Better tackles get a push against him on drive-blocks due to that leggy build. Struggles to separate when an offensive lineman engages into his chest.

NFL COMPARISON: Andre Branch

BOTTOM LINE: Lemonier is a long and projectable athlete, who already has a nice outside rip move. Was tremendously productive as a junior, but saw his play decline as a senior. While his body type is a better fit for 3-4 outside linebacker than 4-3 defensive end, his hips appear to be too stiff to make the transition. Lemonier also lacks powerful hands, and sometime struggles to turn the corner. The fact that Lemonier does not quit on plays, and has a good motor, combined with his athletic potential will likely cast him as a second or third rounder, despite some serious questions about the translating of his play to the next level.

Via: NFL.com