Top 10 linebackers in the 2019 NFL Draft

#5 Germaine Pratt, N.C. State

This kid arrived at N.C. State campus as a 200-pound All-State safety. Since then he has added 40 pounds of muscle and grown into a 6’3” body. After two years of rotational usage, Pratt already was an impact player as a junior, but he really took his play to another level last season, when he recorded over 100 tackles, with ten for loss, six sacks, three PBUs and a couple of fumbles forced, as he earned first-team All-ACC honors. During that two-year stretch, he also established himself as the clear leader of the Wolfpack defense after learning from Bradley Chubb, B.J. Hill and others,

Pratt is a downhill linebacker, who has the power to not let blockers get in his grill and extend to keep vision on the backfield. He sorts his way through traffic, slipping off tacklers and swallowing running backs like a bear, not letting anybody go once he has them wrapped up and twisting opponents to the ground. He missed just four of his 92 tackle attempts in 2018. Pratt recognizes pulling guards and beats them to the spot, even though a couple of high IQ backs have seen that and found the cutback lane against him. When he can just attack downhill, he flashes a quick first step and good overall burst.

Similar to the way he shoots upfield in the run game, the N.C. State linebacker simply runs through running backs in pass protection and was an instrumental part of the defensive blitz packages, opening up lanes with good timing and looping around to get free. He also realizes when that guy is part of the protection scheme and he is free to rush, putting some monster hits on opposing quarterbacks.

Pratt played SAM linebacker on over-fronts quite a bit as well. In passing situations he puts a good shove on backs and tight ends off the line and when he does land his hands inside their chest he controls the release and pace of the route for the most part, especially when the receivers line up in a bunch set. In coverage, he is at his best when dropping back and being able to react to what is happening underneath him and then shooting there to blow somebody up.

However, Pratt lacks some speed to run people down towards the sideline, plays a little too upright and when he does get stood up by a blocker, he just catches the ball-carrier and falls backwards with him for easy yards after contact. That lack of sink in hips also shows up when he struggles to change directions with receivers and he gets pretty handsy when asked to run with guys down the field. With just one full season of starting experience, Pratt is still learning the position and can mix up his keys when he reads blocking schemes, putting himself in some bad spots.

For such a big linebacker, Pratt put up an excellent 40 time at the combine with 4.57 and was solid during the on-field portion of the workout. There are some limitations as to how you can use him on third downs due to below-average flexibility of his lower body, but you can rush him off the edge and use him as part of your blitz packages after you have him standing up on base downs.