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Home / frontnfl / 2020 NFL Draft Scouting Report: LB Zack Baun
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2020 NFL Draft Scouting Report: LB Zack Baun


Big Board ranking: #35

Positional ranking: #4

 

Overview

Position: LB

College: Wisconsin

Class: Senior

Age: 23

 

Measurables

Height: 6’2 3/8”

Weight: 238 lbs.

Arm length: 32 3/4”

Hand size: 9 5/8”

 

Athletic testing

40-yard dash: 4.65 sec.

Vertical jump: 32.5”

Broad jump: 115.0”

Bench press: 24 reps

3-cone drill: 7.00 sec.

Short shuttle: 4.31 sec.

 

Strengths

Rare positional versatility. Natural pass rusher off the edge. Excellent athleticism and movement skills. Great pursuit and closing speed. Reliable tackler. Explosive finisher. Lightning first step. Can quickly flash inside both as a rusher and run defender. Good speed rush with a counter spin move. Knows how to dip/bend. Very good hand usage. Great play recognition and reaction time. Extremely smooth dropping back in coverage. Reads the quarterback’s eyes in zone coverage. Always gives good effort. Plays with physicality. Will chase down ball-carriers as a backside defender. Does a quality job setting the edge. Doesn’t hesitate to get in on the dirty work. Has experience lining up on both sides of the formation.

 

Weaknesses

Might not have the size/strength to be a full-time edge defender at the next level. Length is average. Too aggressive crashing down the line on zone reads. Will be transitioning to new position as an off-ball linebacker.

 

NFL comparison

Kyle Van Noy

 

Conclusion

Overall, Baun is a relentless chess piece that dominated as an edge rusher for Wisconsin last season, and despite his intentions to enter the draft as an off-ball linebacker, I think he can stay on the edge in a 3-4 defense. Either way, Baun’s natural ability both in coverage and as a pass rusher makes him a first-round prospect.

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