College: BYU
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 235
Positives
Instincts: Don't get me wrong, Van Noy has plenty of speed and quickness to go around, but it's his instincts that put him in the position to make the play time and time again. With his excellent reaction skills he reads the play quickly and bursts to the ball and while the play is away from him he is excellent at getting to where the ball is going finding a way to always contribute. With out a doubt Van Noy's instincts and reaction skills are two of his best assets.
Pass Defense: When you hear "Van Noy" you immedieatly think pass-rusher. In a league that has trended towards passing finding an elite pass-rusher off the edge has become vastly important, which is exactly why Van Noy won't have to wait long to hear his name called come draft weekend. He explodes off the line of scrimmage with great acceleration followed by impressive top-end speed. Not only can he burst into the backfield, but his pursuit once he's there is exceptional as well. He has the ability to close on his target in an instant wether that be the quarterback or ball carrier in the backfield.
Due to his great instincts Van Noy excels in pass coverage as well with the ability to quickly dissect the play and break to the ball. In addition he has a smooth and natural back pedal while athletic in space, giving him another way to create turnovers.
Negatives
Run Defense: When watching the tape the instincts that Van Noy possess during passing situations seem to evaporate come running downs. With a lack of confidence Van Noy will attempt to " tippy toe" or finesse his way around his blocker. All this may have to do with his lack of bulk and overall strength at the point of attack. The bad news is at the next level is opponents will only get bigger and stronger, complicating things further for Van Noy.
Strength: It's not that Van Noy isn't strong, as he is surprisingly powerful and physical considering his thin lanky frame (for an outside linebacker). However, at as stated above, at the next level in order to produce at the same quality Van Noy will most certainly need to add more bulk to his frame. One can only hope this doesn't effect his speed and quickness though as that is his true secret weapon.
NFL Player Comparisons
Not many current linebackers in the NFL possess the same traits as Van Noy without one or the other lacking in a certain area. I will say his elite speed and excellent quickness are similar to Denver's Von Miller. Although Van Noy is no where near close to possessing the strength that Miller does, he does have the same fluid athleticism and will make his money rushing the passer in the NFL. Similar to Miller, there is no doubt that Van Noy has the potential to be a star in the NFL.
Draft Outlook
The odd thing about Van Noy's situation is his draft stock was actually higher last year at this time. Instead of declaring for the draft after a monster junior campaign he elected to come back for his senior year where he was plagued with mild injuries and constant double and triple teams. Now as he has watched his draft stock fall when he looks up he will see the likes of fellow linebackers Kahlil Mack, Anthony Barr, and Kony Ealy as hotter prospects. Still with Van Noy's potential to be a dynamic play maker and the high demand for pass rushers I'd be hard pressed to see him falling any further than the middle of the second round.
Best Fits
Don't be surprised if Rob Ryan slams the table for this kid near the end of the first round. Ryan has done a great job turning around the Saints defense back to respectability and has earned another piece to add to his puzzle. If they decide to wait on a pass-rusher however, teams like the Falcons, Vikings, Bills, and Titans all make a ton of sense in the second round to add this future play maker to their linebacking corps, adding talent while filling a pressing need.
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