Sean Porter made an impact from day one at Texas A&M. As a freshman, he played in every single game and started twice. From there on out, Porter started every game for his final three seasons and even weathered a defensive scheme switch in his senior season; in which he won All-Big 12 honors. Let’s take a look at the scouting report for this versatile linebacker prospect.
| Ht | Wt | Class | Ranking | Projection |
| 6'1" | 229 | Senior | 56 | Second Round |
Strengths
Athletic: Porter is a very athletic linebacker. He possesses great footwork, quickness and flexibility in both his shoulders and hips. While he might not have the best straight-line speed, Porter’s long legs allow him to cover a lot of ground quickly and close on the ball carrier.
Smart: Porter also has great awareness and a high football IQ. He has no problem reading a play before the snap and reacting accordingly. In addition, he doesn’t bite on play action and other fakes often and appears to almost always know where the ball will end up.
Versatile: Porter’s mix of smarts, athleticism and his unique size allowed him to endure a scheme switch very well between his junior and senior seasons. Because of this, he has the ability to rush on the outside, blitz up the middle, stop the run on the outside as well as between the hashes and drop back in coverage.
Weaknesses
Size: I wouldn’t call Porter’s size a weakness, but it’s definitely not helping a whole lot. At 6’1” and 229 pounds, he’s not that small compared to NFL linebackers. The problem lies in his short, 32” arms and small(ish) 9” hands, which make it difficult to swat passes in coverage and to engage blockers when blitzing.
Separation: Porter utilizes his athleticism to beat most blockers; whether it’s around the outside or up the middle. But when blockers are able to make contact and engage Porter, he has a very tough time gaining separation and can be taken out of the early stages of a play.
Bottom Line
Porter is a smart and talented athlete, with the versatility to play any linebacker position in any defensive scheme. He’s a solid top-50 pick, that with a little refinement; will definitely make an impact for years to come for whoever drafts him. People will knock his size/length, but it will never be that big of an issue in the NFL.
Check out our interview with Sean Porter on eDraft Sports Radio today between 3-6 PM EST