Draft Profile: Carl Nassib

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An examination of former Penn State edge rusher Carl Nassib and whether or not he is a fit with the Jaguars. 

By Jordan de Lugo

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Who Is This Guy?
Carl Nassib is a former walk on at Penn State University who, in 2015, lead all of college football in sacks with 15.5 despite missing 2 games. He was also able to force 6 fumbles on 2015 on his way to earning All-American Honors. Prior to 2015, Nassib was a virtual unknown, but based on his 6'7'', 275 pound frame, you wouldn't know it. He is the brother of former Syracuse quarterback and current New York Giant Ryan Nassib.

Strengths
Nassib has the physical size to impose his will against most players. He has outstanding straight line explosion and shows the ability to bend the edge or use his hands to get inside on tackles. Nassib possesses average athleticism for an outside rusher and for his size his football speed is pretty impressive. He is a try hard football player, who gives 110% on every play. He seemingly wills his was to the quarterback on some occasions and seems to be at his best when the game is on the line. Nassib plays with a fire that keeps him in plays that many other defensive lineman would give up on. He is a natural football player that has a great feel for the game. His size, athleticism, incredible work ethic, high motor, and senior year production make him an attractive prospect. Mike Mayock went so far as to compare him to Jared Allen, one of the best to ever do it. 

Weaknesses
​With incredible size, good athleticism, and remarkable senior year production most would assume that Nassib should be a sure fire first round pick, but in reality he will likely go in the second or third round. Due to his label as a one year wonder, many coaches and scouts will ask the question where was all this before? In addition to only being productive for one season, he doesn't have great bend and his hips are a bit stiff. Sometimes he takes bad angles to the ball against faster players. He needs to add strength to his massive frame in order compete with some of the best tackles in football. Nassib also doesn't have the huge arsenal of pass rush moves displayed by the best pass rushers in the game. 

Is He A Fit With The Jags?
Nassib could be a fit with the Jaguars. He doesn't have the ideal athleticism and quickness for a LEO, but he could still have a role as a sub package player in the future. He will certainly be there in the second round and Dave Caldwell could consider taking him and working on refining his game, but there will be a lot of risk involved as he has a long way to go as a pass rusher. The reason he is a better fit with the Jaguars than similarly ranked Emmanuel Ogbah, who I recently examined here, is because he is a try hard guy who you know is coachable, whereas Ogbah regularly appears to not be giving full effort. While Ogbah displays better athleticism in shorts, Nassib's athleticism translates better to the football field. He also appears to have a better feel for the game than Ogbah and is constantly around the football. It is unclear at this point if Nassib will go in the second or third round, but if he is available in the third round he may be too good to pass up for a team that needs hard working, high motor football players, who could have a major impact in 2016. I won't go so far as to compare him to the great Jared Allen, but I will say he is a smart, instinctive, and hard working player who could have a bright future in the NFL. I would be more comfortable with the Jaguars drafting him in the third round than the second where he would be a bit of a reach as there will likely be more talented and refined players available at the top of the second round. While the Jaguars could elect to take Nassib in the third round, I would rather see them go Myles Jack or Shaq Lawson in the first round, Shilique Calhoun in the second round, and an interior lineman in the third -- this strategy would make them more explosive and address several needs.