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Tommy Eichenberg NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Ohio State LB

BR NFL Scouting Department

HEIGHT: 6'2"

WEIGHT: 233

HAND: 9¼"

ARM: 31⅝"

WINGSPAN: 77⅛"

40-YARD DASH:

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE: 4.24

VERTICAL: 32.5"

BROAD: 9'8"

POSITIVES

— Good instincts against the run to make quick reads and put himself in a good position to take on blocks or make plays.

— Strong and physical at the point of attack to get extension on blocks against offensive linemen.

— Has impressive linear speed when coming downhill to create stalemates or win versus fullbacks on iso blocks.

— Gets his pads down and wraps up when tackling, leading to very few misses.

— Solid speed helps him carry routes against tight ends when playing Tampa 2.

NEGATIVES

— Poor lateral movement skills. Has to take a step or two to gather himself before changing direction, which hurts him in man coverage and when transitioning from run to pass against play action.

— Lacks instincts/awareness in zone coverage as the hook defender, as he will leave receivers in his area open.

— Subpar agility limits his sideline-to-sideline range as a run defender.

— Is top-heavy and reliant on upper-body strength, which can be an issue against stronger offensive linemen at the next level and make it harder for him to knock running backs backward or stop their momentum in short-yardage situations.

2023 STATISTICS

— 10 G, 82 TOT, 2.5 TFL, 1 SK, 0 PD, 0 INT, 1 FF

NOTES

— Born Jan. 11, 2001

— 4-star recruit in the 2019 class, per 247Sports

— Injuries: 2022 (broken hands, played through for 2 games and had offseason surgery), 2023 (arm, missed 2 games)

— Brother Liam played offensive tackle at Notre Dame and was a 2021 second-round pick by the Miami Dolphins

OVERALL

Tommy Eichenberg is about as old-school of a linebacker as they come nowadays. He's a good run defender with impressive instincts who clearly loves contact, as he's physical at the point of attack and comes downhill with a flurry. He also has a relentless motor and is tough as nails, which he proved by playing with two broken hands at the end of the 2022 season.

However, he is a questionable fit in the modern NFL. While his linear movement skills are fine, he struggles when moving laterally, which hinders him in coverage and against stretch runs. Additionally, his instincts in zone coverage aren't up to snuff, as he will leave pass-catchers open in his area and struggles to read the quarterback's eyes to anticipate throws.

The Ohio State product could be a good two-down inside linebacker in either even or odd fronts. He'd be best in a scheme that uses a lot of Tampa 2 coverage since that will mitigate some of his lateral movement issues and allow him to turn and run, which is his biggest strength in coverage.

GRADE: 6.8 (Potential Role Player/Contributor — 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 102

POSITION RANK: LB5

PRO COMPARISON: Dan Morgan

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

   

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