Expert Opinion: Tremaine Edmunds’ Profile
One of the more intriguing prospects at the LB position in this year’s draft is Tremaine Edmunds from Virginia Tech. Edmunds is 6’5” and 250 lbs. He was a finalist for the Butkus Award, which is given to the best linebacker in college football. During his time at Virginia Tech, he accumulated 213 tackles, 10 sacks and one interception.
Some of his strengths include his athleticism and versatility. He has the ability to cover tight ends and running backs as well as rush the passer. This will allow Edmunds to be a three-down linebacker, although, depending on who drafts him, he may start off as a situational player, which may benefit him in the long run. He is a bit raw, but he has great upside.
Unfortunately, Edmunds is not the most instinctual player, but he is able to compensate very often by using his athleticism. He needs to avoid getting tricked by misdirection and more than anything, the fact that he is raw means that teams may have to be more patient with him than other linebacker prospects.
I do not foresee the Browns pursuing Edmunds. Jamie Collins, Christian Kirksey and Joe Schobert are the simplest reason why Edmunds will not be here. The Browns may look to add depth in the linebacker room, but it will most likely be a later round pick.
There is a big discrepancy of how high or how low Edmunds might go. Those who highlight his athleticism feel he can go as high as #8 to the Chicago Bears, while those who focus on how raw he is, see him falling to as low as #23 to the Los Angeles Rams. It will be interesting to see how Draft Day goes for Edmunds.
