This years draft class is loaded with linebacker talent. With names like Tremaine Edmunds, Roquan Smith and Rashaan Evans stealing the spotlight, it’s difficult not to be impressed. But that also means that like last year’s cornerback class, plenty of promising talent slips through the ranks. Enter one of may favorite sleepers in this draft, Fred Warner.
At 6’3, 235 lbs, Warner ended his final season as a BYU Cougar with 87 tackles, 9 TFL, 1 sack, 5 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble and an interception. He posted extremely similar numbers in his junior year, ensuring that the world knows this was no fluke.
So what makes Warner such an intriguing prospect? As a three-down linebacker who can flash explosiveness In run-support and patience when picking up tight ends and slot wideouts, Warner has the best of both worlds in his play. Experience as a slot-defender gives him a versatile edge over some of the other prospects in his class and the skills attained in the nickel including fluid hips and strong change of direction transpose over to his game as an OLB oh so well.
However, his tackling could use some work. He can get relatively snappy in his technique and often takes wild angles that would be exploited at the NFL level. With that said, balancing the equation is that near-hybrid like ability to pick up running backs and wideouts in coverage and be a monster when it comes to lateral movement and closing off intermediate routes.
As of right now, it’s debatable that the team have one of the best linebacker trios in the league. Jordan Hicks and Nigel Bradham appear to be in the team’s long term plans, especially after a five-year extension was given to the team’s leading linebacker in tackles since joining in 2016. Mychal Kendricks could be on the move, but we say that every year. What isn’t so easy to see is what happens if Kendricks does receive the boot or the team opt out of giving an injury plagued Jordan Hicks a contract extension?
Depth is a problem for the Eagles at linebacker. Joe Walker, Najee Goode and a selection of special teams aces round out the unit with little in the way of starting talent behind the top trio. Warner would very much be the “Big V” of the linebacker corps. A prospect the Eagles can hang their hat on as a player who could develop into a starter under Ken Flajole as opposed to UDFA’s making up the depth chart. Flajole has been responsible for some huge leaps in development and with the Eagles ever-competitive training camps and intense practices, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine Warner taking some defensive snaps in his second or third season, giving the Eagles an insurance policy at a cheap cost.
Mandatory Credit: Glenn Andrews-USA TODAY Sports
