2025 NFL Draft prospect profile – Danny Stutsman, LB, Oklahoma

The defensive position class, and the defensive tackles specifically, is extensively thought to be among the finest in current reminiscence.

There are such a lot of probably nice defensive linemen on this 12 months’s class that they’re overshadowing lots of the different positions. However within the shadow of these linemen is a really stable linebacker class as effectively.

Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman has been on the periphery of the linebacker class, however he’s a flexible and well-rounded defender who may have some massive followers in teaching staffs across the League.

The New York Giants have had their greatest linebacker play in years because of Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden. However may the Giants additional reinforce that power if the worth is true?

Prospect: Danny Stutsman (28)Video games Watched: vs. Iowa State (2023), vs. Texas (2023), vs. Tennessee (2024), vs. Texas (2024)

Measurables

Kent Lee Platte | RAS.soccer

Strengths

Finest traits

Soccer IQ
Instincts
Athleticism
Versatility

Stutsman is a good-sized, sensible, athletic, and instinctive linebacker.

Stutsman has good dimension for a contemporary linebacker at 6-foot-3, 233 kilos with loads of pace for the place with a 4.52-second 40. Stutsman performs very quick, and is a really high-IQ participant with nice processing pace in addition to instincts.

He does an amazing job of speaking together with his teammates all through the play. He helps to line them up and make changes within the pre-snap section, in addition to after the snap. Stutsman has nice psychological footwork and does a great job of anticipating the play in addition to taking an correct first transfer. He constantly strikes towards the path of the play within the opening moments of the play, which additional boosts his play pace.

Stutsman is a flexible linebacker who can play inside or exterior and is an element on all three downs. He’s capable of come downhill to play the run or rush the passer via the A and B gaps, or across the edge. He additionally does an amazing job of getting depth in his zone drops and has good consciousness in house. Stutsman does a great job of studying quarterbacks’ eyes and is ready to choose up receivers as they enter his zone of protection.

Weaknesses

Worst traits

Agility
Change of path

Stutsman’s biggest weak spot is that whereas he’s a great – and even superb – athlete, he’s one thing of a linear athlete.

He has some stiffness in his decrease half that may present up all through his sport. He can battle to vary instructions shortly when matched up in protection in opposition to extra athletic talent place gamers. Likewise, notably agile operating backs could make him miss if he has to regulate shortly in a brief space.

Stutsman’s relative lack of agility may also trigger him to take worse angles and sometimes miss tackles. He takes good, sensible angles when he has the time and house to take action, however they endure when he has to vary path shortly.

Stutsman would additionally doubtless be greatest in a protection that permits him to stream to the ball or shoot gaps, versus routinely taking up blocks from offensive linemen. He doesn’t fairly have the scale or power to constantly shed or make performs off of blockers within the method of an “old school thumper”.

Recreation Tape

(Stutsman is the Oklahoma linebacker quantity 28 with a purple band and elbow brace on his left arm.)

Projection

Stutsman initiatives as an essential rotational linebacker on the NFL stage with place and scheme versatility, and the upside to begin in the suitable state of affairs.

His instincts, soccer IQ, and athleticism give him the flexibility to play inside or exterior linebacker. Stutsman’s aggressive toughness and hustle will earn him followers amongst teaching staffs.

His skill to shoot gaps to defeat runs behind the road of scrimmage may assist his draft inventory because the operating sport turns into extra essential. Likewise, he can play in blitz-happy schemes in addition to extra conventional schemes. Stutsman most likely shouldn’t be utilized in man protection, nevertheless he’s capable of play zone protection in addition to spy the quarterback.

Stutsman needs to be a three-down linebacker within the NFL and will likely be powerful to maintain off the sphere.

Does he match the Giants?Sure

Ultimate Phrase: A later Day 2 or early Day 3 worth