IDP Devy Profile: Josh Sweat, DE Florida State

Bradley Ylitalo Posted On November 1, 2017

It started when I chose to read the “Blind Side” as the focus of a project where we were tasked to read a book and give a presentation on it in my sports literature class. Being the football nut I am, and given how much I had enjoyed the movie, I figured it would be a good fit. It was.

Sure, the main story is about a guy named Michael Oher and his journey from a teenager in poverty to a first-round pick in the NFL, but a surprising amount of the book goes through the history of the NFL, particularly in the battle between the offensive tackle and the edge rusher. Author Michael Lewis took us readers through numerous stories about one player in particular that changed the game forever and made protecting the blind side oh so famous and important, Lawrence Taylor.

The original “LT”, Taylor was a physical specimen with a simply amazing blend of strength and athleticism. I wouldn’t argue with you if you said he was the most talented player ever. The Hall of Famer was a three-time defensive player of the year award winner, ten-time first-team All-Pro, and one of only two defensive players in NFL history to win the MVP (Alan Page, 1971). Ever since I’ve read the “Blind Side”, I’ve fallen in love with the edge rusher position, and specifically, those of the “physically gifted” variety. Josh Sweat is one of those players.

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Sweat was the number one ranked prospect in the country going into his senior year of high school in Chesapeake Virginia. After racking up 8 sacks in his first two games, he tore his ACL which ended up dropping him to number eleven on ESPN’s rankings. As you may expect, every big name coach and program came calling, he ended up going with Jimbo Fisher and Florida State.

Sweat fully recovered and started in nine games as a freshman, and has been a force on the Seminole defense ever since. So let’s break down Sweat and his talents that make him such an exciting prospect, and some weaknesses to be aware of if you’re considering drafting him, let’s begin.

Strengths

Frame

If you were to ask me what the ideal height and weight is for a 4-3 defensive end, I would probably say 6’5, 250 or 260 pounds. What is Josh Sweat? 6’5, 250. He’s the definition of prototype when it comes to frame. We’ll have to wait for pro days and the combine to get arm length and hand size, but from what I can tell when watching him, he should grade out just fine in those aspects. For those who battle in the trenches, size is a massive deal, I think it’s safe to say Sweat will rarely, if ever, be overmatched physically.

Strength

I kid you not, some of Josh Sweat’s plays made me get out of my seat as I scouted him in my dorm room. This kid shows flashes of amazing strength. Everywhere from his lower half to his hands, Sweat is undoubtedly, one strong dude. Like athleticism, strength is a trait that doesn’t really go away and can be used to your advantage in a multitude of facets. In the passing game, Sweat should always be a threat as a good bull rusher. In the run game, well Sweat could become fairly dominant.

Are u kidding me Josh Sweat!! This play got me out of my seat while scouting him. This kid has amazing strength! @ryanylitalo #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/58BaZsD1uK

— Bradley Ylitalo (@NFL_drafthub) October 31, 2017

Technique

In terms of skills on tape, after athleticism and strength, perhaps the next thing you look at in order of importance for edge rushers is technique. What do I mean when I say technique? While pass rushing, it’s having the bend that is often imperative to get around offensive tackles. In the run game, it’s being able to angle your body properly to deal with blockers to the best of your ability, and finally, I include tackling as well.

Sweat, once again, grades out well. I will heed that on run plays he can get a little unorthodox technique-wise, but you combine his bend and tackling ability and you have me excited about him technique-wise as a whole.

Josh Sweat is a lot of fun, gonna beat the RT with sound technique and great strength to drop Hurts for a loss! #NFLDraft #DraftTwitter pic.twitter.com/SrfYkLf02y

— Bradley Ylitalo (@NFL_drafthub) October 31, 2017

Dealing with Blockers

Because of Sweat’s frame, power, technique, hand usage, and motor, he’s a tough matchup to line up across play in and play out. In the passing game, I’d like to see him mix up how he sets up blockers more often. Getting a little more creative would go along way. How he deals with blockers in the run game, however, is absolutely tremendous. He uses his hand strength and hand placement very well to shed blocks and fill gaps all game long. I love him as a run defender going forward into his NFL career, in terms of IDP value, we could be looking at a DE with high tackle and tackle for loss numbers.

Responsible for the C gap here, Sweat sets the edge and forces the RB inside then helps make the tackle! Tremendous. #NFLDraft @ryanylitalo pic.twitter.com/di7kZxtLnm

— Bradley Ylitalo (@NFL_drafthub) November 1, 2017

Weaknesses

Acceleration

There’s a reason I didn’t say athleticism. Josh Sweat, all around, is a good athlete. But for as much as I have hyped him up throughout this article, he’s not a first-round pick in my eyes, simply because of his quickness. Of the twenty-four edge rushers I scouted last year, the highest drafted player with an equal quickness grade to Sweat was T.J. Watt who I will say has impressed me this year.

Could Sweat do what Watt did and sneak into the first round? Absolutely, it’s just pretty difficult. Sweat, even now, has a hard time beating offensive tackles around the edge; That task won’t get any easier as he enters the NFL.

Summary

There’s a lot, and I mean a lot to like with Sweat. This kid has a nice frame on him, amazing strength, sound technique, active hands, and deals with blocks exceptionally well. I don’t think he has the acceleration to be a first-round pick, but I think he’ll be a nice second round value for a team needing a run defending defensive end.

With Sweat’s size and strength, I think he could even play a little 3-4 defensive end if he had to. As an edge rusher who should make his money stopping the run, I wouldn’t necessarily expect any double-digit sack seasons out of the FSU product, but he should be highly productive in terms of tackles and tackles for loss.

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