Strengths: One of the most versatile and polished
prospects in the 2008 class. Possesses adequate height
with outstanding bulk and all around strength. Can
play DE in three-and-four man front, and also projects
favorably as a 3-4 OLB. Displays explosive power with
initial punch. He shows very goo0d first-step
quickness, fires out with leverage and does a great
job of knocking offensive linemen back with his
initial pop. Displays outstanding power and technique
in his club and rip moves. Does a fine job of
protecting his lower body. Extremely powerful bull
rush. Frequently will stand up the OL and drive him
back into the QB. He is instinctive and does an
excellent job of finding the ball while still fighting
through blocks. He disengages quickly and is
relentless in pursuit of the ball carrier. Never gives
up on a play and his elite motor is infectious. He
grew up around the game and knows what it takes to
make it in the NFL. His overall intangibles and work
ethic are as good as it gets. Also has been extremely
durable to this point; missed time in 2004 due to
illness but started every game from that point on
(2005-07).
Weaknesses: Lacks elite top-end speed. Will rarely win
battles on pure burst off the edge. Very good athlete
as a DE but there are still questions regarding his
ability to flip his hips in coverage as a LB. Also can
get washed out at times when asked to stack versus
300-plus pound OTs.
Overall: Long appeared in 30 games (24 starts) in his
first three seasons (2004-'06), recording 108 total
tackles (24 for losses) and seven sacks. He turned in
a brilliant senior year, collecting 79 tackles (19 for
losses), 14 sacks, two forced fumbles and an
interception that Long returned 25 yards. He was a
unanimous All-America selection, winner of the Ted
Hendricks Award (given to the nation's top defensive
end) and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2007.
Long missed five games in 2004 while suffering from
mononucleosis. He is the son of Oakland Raiders Hall
of Fame defensive end Howie Long. Long still has room
to improve when it comes to fighting through double
teams and he also lacks elite top-end speed.
Otherwise, he's everything a NFL team looks for in a
future perennial Pro Bowl defensive end. His
combination of size, power, quickness and tenacity are
unparalleled by anyone in college football today.
Adding to Long's value is his versatility; he can play
end in a three-and-four man front (or both in a
hybrid) in the NFL. Long has made enormous strides
during each of his three seasons at Virginia. If that
trend continues as a senior, he will undoubtedly hear
his name called in Round 1 of the 2008 draft.
SCOUTING REPORT #2, NFL.COM
Chris Long (DE)
Overview
Regarded by many as one of the most dominant defensive
players in college football entering his senior
season, Long more than lived up to those expectations,
terrorizing opposing quarterbacks to the tune of 14
sacks, 23 pressures, nine pass break-ups and an
interception in 2007. He also caused a pair of fumbles
on sacks that Virginia recovered, leading to Cavaliers
scores.
Named the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player
of the Year and the recipient of the Ted Hendricks
Award (nation's top defensive end), Long has certainly
emerged from the shadows of his father, former Oakland
Raiders defensive end and Hall of Famer, Howie Long.
"You want to talk about a chip off the old block? This
is a young man that plays absolutely lights-out
football," North Carolina head coach Butch Davis said.
"Chris Long has to be one of the premier defensive
linemen in the country."
Virginia head coach Al Groh also had nothing but rave
reviews on Long, stating, "It's hard to imagine there
being a better player at any position than Chris Long.
A guy would have to be one of the Transformers to be
better than Chris. When you've got one of the best
players the school's ever had and he's only interested
in helping the team win, it puts an exclamation point
on what you're trying to do." Groh was amazed that
Chris did not receive more Heisman Trophy
consideration: "If they're ever going to invite a
defensive player to New York in December for the
Heisman Trophy presentation, you'd have to think it
was Chris Long."
Analysis
Positives: Has long arms and large hands, with good
upper body muscle tone, tight waist and hips and shows
good lower body thickness...Uses his long reach well
to keep blockers away from his body, also utilizing
it, along with good timing and leaping ability to bat
down a fair share of passes at the line of
scrimmage...What sets him apart from most young
defensive ends is his keen knowledge of the game and
his uncanny ability to read block pressure and quickly
locate the ball...Quick-twitch athlete who shows good
quickness, agility and flexibility, showing good knee
bend...Builds to top acceleration nicely in long
pursuit and shows good redirection skills in his pass
rush off the edge...Lacks an explosive burst, but has
good leverage and reach to separate from blocks and
close on the quarterback...Shows solid football
instincts and is able to learn and retain information
easily, showing the quick instincts to locate the ball
through trash...Plays and practices hard and with a
purpose, showing good effort and toughness throughout
the play...Leads by example, as well as with his
voice, as the coaches encourage the younger players to
emulate his great work ethic...Can handle tough
coaching and is harder on himself than the staff is
when he fails to make a play or blows an
assignment...Has active hands and feet, showing
outstanding quickness off the ball and natural
movement ability to close...Comes off the snap with
good pad level, getting into the blocker quickly with
a solid hand jolt to rock the opponent back on his
heels (needs to do a better job of staying on the lead
blocker to clog the rush lane, though)...Has very
crisp plant-and-drive agility to make quick change of
direction moves working down the line...One of his
better assets is his lateral agility...Has a good feel
for blocks and knows what to do to avoid in
pursuit...Defends the run well, using his hands and
extending at the point-of-attack, as he has the hand
punch to quickly shed blockers and has developed into
an efficient, physical, hip-roll tackler working
in-line... When he extends his arms (and keeps them
active), he plays with good leverage and can hold
ground at the point of attack vs. the isolated blocker
(struggles some vs. double-teams)...Has better
leverage than strength to anchor, knowing how to use
his lower body...Has enough size and strength to hold
up at the point-of-attack and the flexibility to sit
in the crease and hold his ground or get off
blocks...When he keeps his hands inside the framework,
he can keep separation from the blocker (exposes his
chest when his hands get too wide)...Moves very well
laterally and displays good effort in pursuit, as he
has the knee bend to slip by blockers in-line...High
energy type who had better success disengaging in 2007
than he did in the past, thanks to clearing his feet
and chasing hard to run down plays in pursuit...Shows
adequate flexibility to fight off cut blocks (needs to
protect feet better still, but has improved), as he
takes good angles when pursuing downfield...Physical
tackler who can bend, roll his hips and drive through
the ballcarrier...Might not generate explosive hits,
but he has the strength to push the pocket...Makes a
good effort to arm tackle...His above average lateral
quickness is utilized well in his back-side
pursuit...Does a good job when asked to wrap up and
drag down the ballcarrier in space and he has the
functional strength to generate inside pressure vs.
offensive line-man's outside shoulder...Shows good
body lean coming off the snap and has developed a
solid inside counter move to generate pressure...Has
the upfield speed, along with swim and rip moves to go
with the inside counter and bull rush (asset needed
for a potential move to defensive tackle)...Uses
flexibility and a good burst to collapse the pocket
and displays the quick hands and feet, along with good
hip-flex to turn the corner on edge rushes...Can keep
separation vs. the run when he uses his hands to
control, and when he takes dead aim on the quarterback
he shows good intent to get there...With his leverage,
he can beat the blocker in and out to close on the
passer, as he demonstrates good hand placement and the
ability to separate from blockers.
Negatives: Lacks suddenness off the snap to surprise a
lethargic blocker...Best when taking angles to the
quarterback, as he does not have the foot speed to
take the wide loop in pursuit...Needs to be more
active with his hands, especially when executing
counter moves, as he struggles to shed when a blocker
locks on to his jersey...Susceptible to the low block
and needs to do a better job of slipping off double
teams (must execute his spin move more)...Might be a
better fit as a defensive tackle in a 4-3 alignment,
so as not to expose his adequate closing burst...Does
not use his reach or counter moves with consistency
and can be engulfed by the larger blockers...Plays
better on the move (can get stuck on the bigger
blockers at the X's).
Compares To: AARON KAMPMAN-Green Bay...Like Kampman,
Long is not the fastest, nor is he the strongest
defensive end you will find. He lacks the blazing
speed you look for in an edge rusher and will struggle
to shed blocks at times, but like the Packers
standout, he has great field savvy, vision and
determination. He knows when he needs to avoid
blockers rather than try to overpower them, as he
really doesn't have that blow-up strength (good, not
great) to dominate, anyway. What he does is take good
angles in pursuit and display excellent lateral range
working down the line. In a scheme that will let him
press the outside shoulder of an offensive tackle, he
will have good success. With his pad level and in-line
instincts, he could also earn quality minutes as a
defensive tackle in a 4-3 alignment, but is more
ideally suited to play defensive end in a 3-4 formation.
prospects in the 2008 class. Possesses adequate height
with outstanding bulk and all around strength. Can
play DE in three-and-four man front, and also projects
favorably as a 3-4 OLB. Displays explosive power with
initial punch. He shows very goo0d first-step
quickness, fires out with leverage and does a great
job of knocking offensive linemen back with his
initial pop. Displays outstanding power and technique
in his club and rip moves. Does a fine job of
protecting his lower body. Extremely powerful bull
rush. Frequently will stand up the OL and drive him
back into the QB. He is instinctive and does an
excellent job of finding the ball while still fighting
through blocks. He disengages quickly and is
relentless in pursuit of the ball carrier. Never gives
up on a play and his elite motor is infectious. He
grew up around the game and knows what it takes to
make it in the NFL. His overall intangibles and work
ethic are as good as it gets. Also has been extremely
durable to this point; missed time in 2004 due to
illness but started every game from that point on
(2005-07).
Weaknesses: Lacks elite top-end speed. Will rarely win
battles on pure burst off the edge. Very good athlete
as a DE but there are still questions regarding his
ability to flip his hips in coverage as a LB. Also can
get washed out at times when asked to stack versus
300-plus pound OTs.
Overall: Long appeared in 30 games (24 starts) in his
first three seasons (2004-'06), recording 108 total
tackles (24 for losses) and seven sacks. He turned in
a brilliant senior year, collecting 79 tackles (19 for
losses), 14 sacks, two forced fumbles and an
interception that Long returned 25 yards. He was a
unanimous All-America selection, winner of the Ted
Hendricks Award (given to the nation's top defensive
end) and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2007.
Long missed five games in 2004 while suffering from
mononucleosis. He is the son of Oakland Raiders Hall
of Fame defensive end Howie Long. Long still has room
to improve when it comes to fighting through double
teams and he also lacks elite top-end speed.
Otherwise, he's everything a NFL team looks for in a
future perennial Pro Bowl defensive end. His
combination of size, power, quickness and tenacity are
unparalleled by anyone in college football today.
Adding to Long's value is his versatility; he can play
end in a three-and-four man front (or both in a
hybrid) in the NFL. Long has made enormous strides
during each of his three seasons at Virginia. If that
trend continues as a senior, he will undoubtedly hear
his name called in Round 1 of the 2008 draft.
SCOUTING REPORT #2, NFL.COM
Chris Long (DE)
Overview
Regarded by many as one of the most dominant defensive
players in college football entering his senior
season, Long more than lived up to those expectations,
terrorizing opposing quarterbacks to the tune of 14
sacks, 23 pressures, nine pass break-ups and an
interception in 2007. He also caused a pair of fumbles
on sacks that Virginia recovered, leading to Cavaliers
scores.
Named the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player
of the Year and the recipient of the Ted Hendricks
Award (nation's top defensive end), Long has certainly
emerged from the shadows of his father, former Oakland
Raiders defensive end and Hall of Famer, Howie Long.
"You want to talk about a chip off the old block? This
is a young man that plays absolutely lights-out
football," North Carolina head coach Butch Davis said.
"Chris Long has to be one of the premier defensive
linemen in the country."
Virginia head coach Al Groh also had nothing but rave
reviews on Long, stating, "It's hard to imagine there
being a better player at any position than Chris Long.
A guy would have to be one of the Transformers to be
better than Chris. When you've got one of the best
players the school's ever had and he's only interested
in helping the team win, it puts an exclamation point
on what you're trying to do." Groh was amazed that
Chris did not receive more Heisman Trophy
consideration: "If they're ever going to invite a
defensive player to New York in December for the
Heisman Trophy presentation, you'd have to think it
was Chris Long."
Analysis
Positives: Has long arms and large hands, with good
upper body muscle tone, tight waist and hips and shows
good lower body thickness...Uses his long reach well
to keep blockers away from his body, also utilizing
it, along with good timing and leaping ability to bat
down a fair share of passes at the line of
scrimmage...What sets him apart from most young
defensive ends is his keen knowledge of the game and
his uncanny ability to read block pressure and quickly
locate the ball...Quick-twitch athlete who shows good
quickness, agility and flexibility, showing good knee
bend...Builds to top acceleration nicely in long
pursuit and shows good redirection skills in his pass
rush off the edge...Lacks an explosive burst, but has
good leverage and reach to separate from blocks and
close on the quarterback...Shows solid football
instincts and is able to learn and retain information
easily, showing the quick instincts to locate the ball
through trash...Plays and practices hard and with a
purpose, showing good effort and toughness throughout
the play...Leads by example, as well as with his
voice, as the coaches encourage the younger players to
emulate his great work ethic...Can handle tough
coaching and is harder on himself than the staff is
when he fails to make a play or blows an
assignment...Has active hands and feet, showing
outstanding quickness off the ball and natural
movement ability to close...Comes off the snap with
good pad level, getting into the blocker quickly with
a solid hand jolt to rock the opponent back on his
heels (needs to do a better job of staying on the lead
blocker to clog the rush lane, though)...Has very
crisp plant-and-drive agility to make quick change of
direction moves working down the line...One of his
better assets is his lateral agility...Has a good feel
for blocks and knows what to do to avoid in
pursuit...Defends the run well, using his hands and
extending at the point-of-attack, as he has the hand
punch to quickly shed blockers and has developed into
an efficient, physical, hip-roll tackler working
in-line... When he extends his arms (and keeps them
active), he plays with good leverage and can hold
ground at the point of attack vs. the isolated blocker
(struggles some vs. double-teams)...Has better
leverage than strength to anchor, knowing how to use
his lower body...Has enough size and strength to hold
up at the point-of-attack and the flexibility to sit
in the crease and hold his ground or get off
blocks...When he keeps his hands inside the framework,
he can keep separation from the blocker (exposes his
chest when his hands get too wide)...Moves very well
laterally and displays good effort in pursuit, as he
has the knee bend to slip by blockers in-line...High
energy type who had better success disengaging in 2007
than he did in the past, thanks to clearing his feet
and chasing hard to run down plays in pursuit...Shows
adequate flexibility to fight off cut blocks (needs to
protect feet better still, but has improved), as he
takes good angles when pursuing downfield...Physical
tackler who can bend, roll his hips and drive through
the ballcarrier...Might not generate explosive hits,
but he has the strength to push the pocket...Makes a
good effort to arm tackle...His above average lateral
quickness is utilized well in his back-side
pursuit...Does a good job when asked to wrap up and
drag down the ballcarrier in space and he has the
functional strength to generate inside pressure vs.
offensive line-man's outside shoulder...Shows good
body lean coming off the snap and has developed a
solid inside counter move to generate pressure...Has
the upfield speed, along with swim and rip moves to go
with the inside counter and bull rush (asset needed
for a potential move to defensive tackle)...Uses
flexibility and a good burst to collapse the pocket
and displays the quick hands and feet, along with good
hip-flex to turn the corner on edge rushes...Can keep
separation vs. the run when he uses his hands to
control, and when he takes dead aim on the quarterback
he shows good intent to get there...With his leverage,
he can beat the blocker in and out to close on the
passer, as he demonstrates good hand placement and the
ability to separate from blockers.
Negatives: Lacks suddenness off the snap to surprise a
lethargic blocker...Best when taking angles to the
quarterback, as he does not have the foot speed to
take the wide loop in pursuit...Needs to be more
active with his hands, especially when executing
counter moves, as he struggles to shed when a blocker
locks on to his jersey...Susceptible to the low block
and needs to do a better job of slipping off double
teams (must execute his spin move more)...Might be a
better fit as a defensive tackle in a 4-3 alignment,
so as not to expose his adequate closing burst...Does
not use his reach or counter moves with consistency
and can be engulfed by the larger blockers...Plays
better on the move (can get stuck on the bigger
blockers at the X's).
Compares To: AARON KAMPMAN-Green Bay...Like Kampman,
Long is not the fastest, nor is he the strongest
defensive end you will find. He lacks the blazing
speed you look for in an edge rusher and will struggle
to shed blocks at times, but like the Packers
standout, he has great field savvy, vision and
determination. He knows when he needs to avoid
blockers rather than try to overpower them, as he
really doesn't have that blow-up strength (good, not
great) to dominate, anyway. What he does is take good
angles in pursuit and display excellent lateral range
working down the line. In a scheme that will let him
press the outside shoulder of an offensive tackle, he
will have good success. With his pad level and in-line
instincts, he could also earn quality minutes as a
defensive tackle in a 4-3 alignment, but is more
ideally suited to play defensive end in a 3-4 formation.