Expert Opinion: Derrick Nnadi’s Profile
Derrick Nnadi is unknown and undersized but is praised for his work ethic and his motor. The defensive tackle hails from Virginia Beach, VA, where he amassed 33 sacks in his final two years of high school and was considered a top-10 prospect before playing football for four seasons at Florida State University.
He played sparingly as a freshman only recording 18 tackles, but became a starter prior to his sophomore year and had a decent season. It wasn’t until 2016 when the junior had a breakout year with six sacks and 10.5 tackles (49 total) for a loss. Nnadi followed that up with 53 tackles (10 for a loss) and 3.5 sacks.
The production is there and when you check the tape you’ll see it. Nnadi displays a good combination of speed and strength. He can shed blocks and attacks gaps to stop running backs in their track. He also has a decent swim move and lateral quickness to attack the edge.
On the downside, Nnadi is undersized (6’1″ 299 pounds) for a nose tackle and will get bullied by NFL linemen with power. Critics say that he loses ground when hit with quick, stiff jabs. Once he’s beat, he’s beat.
Nnadi is a good football player, but he might have to gain some weight and put a ton of hard work in. I believe he is currently projected as a third or fourth round pick and that’s pretty fair. Although, I wouldn’t be surprised if he slid even further.
40 – yard dash: 5.38 seconds
Bench Press: 25 reps
Vertical jump: 27″
Broad jump: 96″
3 cone drill: 8.15 seconds
20 – yard shuttle: 5.02 seconds
Photo: ESPN
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