Processing / Game IQ
Pros:
•Good overall gap integrity
•Keeps his outside contain very well and leves his outside shoulder available for hits
•Avoids running into the double team/chip block
Cons:
•Can leave too big of a gap on the opposite side runs
•Every now and then gets caught giving up that outside lane
•Lacks awareness to stay dropping back in coverage at the next level as often as he did
•Susceptible to crackdown blocks
•Falls for the fake in read option keeps
Athleticism / Frame
Pros:
•Average arm length at 32 inches
•Very good overall straight line speed
•4.64 40 time is solid
Cons:
•Undersized weight at 239lbs
Tackling / Wrap Up
Pros:
•Good overall physicality and likes to nail QBs when he gets the opportunity
•Good chasedown tackler when he comes from behind the ball carrier
Cons:
•Needs to actually wrap up the ball carrier
•Can struggle to finish sacks
•Legs stop driving on contact
•Awful pad level
Pursuit / Bend
Pros:
•Very good closing speed and pursuit speed
•Solid bend
•Good dip move
•Plays with a really high motor
•Chases down the ball carrier on opposite side runs
Cons:
•Bend isn’t quite elite
Hand Usage
Pros:
•Good arm bar
•Can create space with his arms before discarding OL
•Pretty decent rip move
•Disengages very well because of how quick he is
•When he has the right target he can drive an OL back
•Decent counters he can use
Cons:
•Can whiff on his chop down or smack down moves
•Struggles to disengage in run defense
•Doesn’t have the strongest grip
Versatility
Pros:
•Line up in a 2-point stance, 3-point, and 4-point stance
•Favors a 3-4 defense over a 4-3
•Can drop back in coverage at times
•Sometimes gets lined up at QB
Cons:
•Best in a 2-point stance
•Can’t be lined up inside
Strength / Balance / Leverage
Pros:
•Decent pad level
•When he gets his base set he can eat a pulling blockers initial hit and stay strong at the point of attack
•When he has the right target area he can get good leg drive on a bull rush move
•Legs don’t stop moving which normally means if he doesn’t get by he could get a holding call on the opposing team
Cons:
•Pretty bad balance
•Doesn’t have the upper body strength to consistently outmuscle an OL
•Heavily relies heavily on his speed and agility to get by people
•Lacks consistent leg drive or power at the point of attack or in pass rush
•Feet tend to cross over too much which leads to him getting pancaked in run defense
Explosiveness / Twitch / Agility
Pros:
•Elite explosiveness
•Solid agility
•Very good short area quickness
•Exceptional spin move
•Burst and explosiveness off the LOS is insane
•Has a spin move he works in
•Very good first step
•Great dip
•Very quick lateral speed
Cons:
•If he doesn’t win with that first step or mess with the timing of the OL hands he often is neutralized
Games Watched
•Week 2 vs KENT, Week 4 vs UTAH, Week 5 vs HOU, Week 6 vs KU, Week 7 vs ASU, BIG12 CHAMP vs BYU, CFP vs ORE
Ideal Situation:
•Romello Height is a very unique OLB/EDGE in this draft. His overall athleticism, explosiveness off the line, and quick feet make him a very enticing pick for the 49ers that can hopefully unlock his full potential. I would say his ceiling and floor are very odd. Normally, a prospect with this much agility and twitch at the DE position would likely have a crazy high ceiling because of it. His skill set is also only designed to get pressure and sacks. Height’s frame. However, Height is 25 years old, which will cap his ceiling. His frame and weight will make his floor a bit of a question mark. Height struggled in the run game and struggled to make tackles in the few situations he actually got off run blocks and had the opportunity to make a play. For many seasons, Romello Height was a very unproductive and inefficient DE, and it took him this long to be considered worthy of going to the NFL. I could see him struggling for 2+ seasons before truly catching up to the NFL’s speed. If Mykel Williams continues to struggle to stay healthy or takes a significant drop-off from the torn ACL, I could easily see Height getting snaps early. For now, he will remain a backup who comes in when Bosa or Williams need a breather.
Rating:
•Processing / Game IQ – 7.0/10
•Athleticism / Frame – 8.7/10
•Tackling / Wrap Up – 6.5/10
•Pursuit / Bend – 9.1/10
•Hand Usage – 8.4/10
•Versatility – 8.5/10
•Strength / Balance / Leverage – 7.0/10
•Explosiveness / Twitch / Agility – 9.5/10
Total = 82.0/100 (B-) Mid 2nd to late 2nd
DraftedR3 • P70San Francisco 49ers