| DE Rahim Alem, Louisiana State | |||||
| Pos. Rank: 9 | Grade: 2nd-3rd Round | Height: 6-2 1/2 | Weight: 251 | 40: 4.76 | Year: 5-Sr. |
The Good: Undersized college pass rusher who makes a lot of plays behind the line of scrimmage. Displays good movement skills, fluid getting out to the sidelines and fast off the edge. Quickly gets off the snap, effectively uses his hands to protect himself, and jolts offensive linemen off the ball with good punch. Can bend off the edge, displays a burst of speed, and pursues the action from the back side. Plays with a tremendous amount of explosion, and rarely off his feet. Covers a good amount of area on the field and shows the ability to drop off the line then play in space on zone blitzes.
The Bad: Very slow shedding blocks and easily controlled by a single opponent. Pushed from his angle of attack or knocked off balance by the first block.
The Verdict: Alem has displayed himself to be a game-impacting pass rusher on the college level, yet he lacks the true size to be an every down defensive end on the NFL level. He offers possibilities as a pass-rush specialist or can be used at outside linebacker in a 3-4 alignment.
