Grade
63.2Photo: Photo by Steve Murphy / Inside Pack Sports
LB
UDFA
2026 Draft Class
Caden Fordham
Status
UDFATampa Bay Buccaneers NC State
6'1"
223lbs
Age 24
Aug 14, 2026
Executive Summary
Caden Fordham is a high-motor linebacker who consistently finds himself around the football, showing good instincts following pulling linemen, filling gaps, and pursuing ball carriers.
Strengths
Game IQ / Play Recognition, Angles / Pursuit, Tackling / Physicality
Weaknesses
Coverage Ability, Athleticism / Frame, and Run Defense / Block Shedding
Full Scouting Report
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Game IQ / Play Recognition
Pros:
•Does a great job of following pulling linemen and letting them take him to the play
•Fills inside gaps quickly especially in the redzone
•Doesn’t lose track of the ball carrier behind the line
Cons:
•Gets pulled down a few yards by every play action fake
Tackling / Physicality
Pros:
•Wraps up well and doesn’t usually let the ball carrier get away
Cons:
•Lets the ball carrier come to him when tackling
•Does need to work on open field tackling
•Doesn’t really go for the ball
•Doesn’t really tackle with great form and either hits a little higher than you would like or ankle bites
Angles / Pursuit
Pros:
•Takes good pursuit angles and follows the inside hip well
•Very good at moving laterally with the ball carrier
Cons:
•Can sometimes overpursue which can lead to reaching and missed tackles
Run Defense / Block Shedding
Pros:
•Fills gaps quickly and doesn't really get taken out of play
•Can evade blockers in the open field
Cons:
•Struggles to disengage blocks if they get hands on
•Lets blockers get into his chest often and can’t shed well
Coverage Ability
Pros:
•Will keep his eyes on the quarterback for the most part
•Tracks the ball very well and ended up with a few good pics and fumble recoveries
Cons:
•Slow to get into zone drop after getting sucked down by play action fake
•Doesn't get to landmarks fast enough leaving open throwing lanes at times
•Not much to speak of in terms of man coverage
•Loses track of receivers and doesn’t have great zone awareness
Athleticism / Range
Pros:
•Very high motor and doesn’t stop on any play
•Good play speed
•Always seems to be around the ball at the end of the play
Cons:
•Doesn’t have the jumping ability to get into passing windows behind him
•His zone drops look clunky and can be slow at times
•Hip fluidity is questionable and doesn’t show great change of direction
Pass Rush / Blitz Ability
Pros:
•Good at blitzing and quick to get downhill and after the quarterback
•Good wrap up and doesnt let the qb get away
Cons:
•Gets held up by any blocker
•Doesn’t get his hands up at all to block qb vision or bat down passes
Frame / Strength
Pros:
•Has decent enough height
•Doesn’t ever really get ran through by ball carriers and can hold his ground
Cons:
•A little underweight for an nfl linebacker
•Lacks play strength to take on and shed blockers at a high level
Games Watched:
Week 6 vs CAM, Week 7 vs ND, Week 9 vs GT, Week 11 vs FSU, BOWL vs MEM
Ideal Situation
•Caden Fordham was the team leader in tackles and interceptions this past season for the NC State Wolfpack and I can see why. He plays with a very high motor and is always around the ball at the end of the play. He is very solid at following the pulling blockers and trusting them to take him to the play which they normally do. He’s quick to fill gaps and come downhill, but this also leads to him getting pulled down quite a bit by play action fakes. He also doesn’t hit with very much power and often lets the ball carrier come to him when making a tackle. His coverage is also alright, his zone drops look a little clunky and can be pretty slow to get to his landmarks. He’s a little underweight going into the league but can easily put on some muscle in the offseason. The Bucs signed him following the draft and he is currently fighting for his roster spot. Unfortunately, Fordham lacks a lot of the tools you need out of a starting caliber inside LB in the league, but does have opportunity to learn behind Alex Anzalone and could possibly have a big role on special teams and a backup.
Rating
•Game IQ / Play Recognition – 7.6/10
•Tackling / Physicality – 6.5/10
•Angles / Pursuit – 7.2/10
•Run Defense / Block Shedding – 5.2/10
•Coverage Ability – 4.9/10
•Athleticism / Range – 4.8/10
•Pass Rush / Blitz Ability - 6.0/10
Total = 63.2/100 (D-) Mid 6th grade
I am currently a junior studying sports management at Washington State University, originally from Fremont, California. I have experience in football ranging from playing, coaching, and scouting. My main focus is scouting college recruits and providing in depth reports on their strengths and weaknesses.
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Jandro
New Mexico Lobos
Golden State Warriors
Las Vegas Raiders⭐ Diego Pavia ⭐ Fernando Mendoza 👁️ 📋 💎 ⏱️ ⭐ 🔥 📣 📊 🗺️ 👟 ⚡ 🔦 🏅 ⏳Always gotta root for kids like this to make the team.