[ISAIAH PEAD – DEREK WOLFE – ADRIEN ROBINSON – JOHN HUGHES – UDFA’S]
Derek Wolfe was the engine that drove the sack machine last season. The 6’5″ 295 lbs bulldozer anchored a very solid defensive line that lead the Big East in tackles, tackles for loss, sacks, and forced fumbles. Individually he went into beast mode many times last season welcoming double-teams and blowing through them anyways. Wolfe ended the season as Cincinnati’s leader with 9.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss.
When the season was over Wolfe hit the postseason circuit participating in the Senior Bowl with Isaiah Pead as well as the NFL Combine and UC’s Pro Day. Building his resume at Cincinnati only took him so far and participating in those drills in front of NFL Scouts really benefited him. Wolfe ran the seventh fastest 40-time (5.01 seconds) among defensive linemen his size or larger at the NFL Combine and showcased his athleticism in the other events, as well. He has also been incredibly humble throughout this process, seemingly honored to be surrounded NFL Scouts. His attitude of listen/learn from a coach one minute then turn around and pulverize a quarterback the next minute will get him on a pro roster this fall.
STRENGTHS
- Size
- Motor
No one can deny just how gargantuan of a human being Derek Wolfe truly is. The defensive tackle towers over most other players and is a force to be reckoned with for most offensive linemen to block. That’s why he garnered so many double-teams last Fall and this fact only makes the numbers he put up even more impressive. This size also allowed him to be a force against the run. He was 5th in the country with 21.5 tackles for loss and when he wasn’t making a play himself he crowded running lanes which allowed his teammates to make plays. What also made him a pain in the neck to block while at Cincinnati was his intense motor. Even if the offensive line got the best of him in the early goings of the game that didn’t stop him from churning away in the trenches. By the 4th quarter most blockers were simply worn out and gave way easily to the big 6’5″ 295 lbs defensive tackles. If you need any proof just watch the UC-Pitt game in 2011 and ask Tino Sunseri if he wants to see #95 lining up across from him again.
WEAKNESSES
- Technique
- Speed
I’ll get to this in a second but Wolfe will be primarily used as a defensive end in whatever NFL team drafts him later this week. This position requires a little more finesse than you see out of the tackle position where victories are essentially determined by whoever stands their ground the longest. Therefore Wolfe hasn’t needed to learn spin or ‘burst’ moves to beat an offensive lineman. He will surely need to add that to his repertoire for him to make the transformation to end, although he will be benefited from playing in a 3-4 which will require him to be a run stuffer more than anything. Like I mentioned, that’s his bread and butter. But when it comes to catching the quarterback, he might find it more difficult playing on the edge where he will need speed at times to get past an OT so as not to get bogged down and pushed out of a play. Although he ran a fairly fast 40-time he will need to play with that kind of explosiveness to become a force along the defensive line like he was in college.
PROJECTED ROUND(S)/LIKELY TEAM(S)
- 1st Round* to 3rd Round
- New England Patriots*, Pittsburgh Steelers
*Derek Wolfe could be taken by the New England Patriots as early as the 1st round (31st overall) according to Mel Kiper.
Wolfe played the defensive tackle position at Cincinnati but projects to an end in a 3-4 defense in the NFL. He played that some during the Senior Bowl and seems to be adjusting well to the new position. Of the teams most talked about being interested in his services are the New England Patriots, who could take him as the 31st overall pick in the 1st round, and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both teams have glaring needs at defensive end and it looks drafting Derek Wolfe would be a match made in Heaven. Those two franchises seem to be the highest on the former UC defensive tackle but I could see another team with a 3-4 defense like the Packers, Chargers, or Chiefs swoop in and snag him.