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2020 NFL Draft Player Profiles: Ohio State ILB Malik Harrison

From now until the 2020 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to showcase as many prospects as possible and examine both their strengths and weaknesses. Most of these profiles will feature individuals that the Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to have an interest in, while a few others will be top-ranked players. If there is a player you would like us to analyze, let us know in the comments below.

#39/Malik Harrison/ILB/Ohio State/6’3”, 246 Lbs

The Good

-Smart, instinctive linebacker
-Reads and reacts quickly and trusts his eyes when reading keys; thrives coming downhill
-Good closing burst in short areas and is a sound tackler
-Good first step to get moving downhill and fill lanes
-Works off blocks well with quick, strong hands with pop; stays relatively clean
-Hot motor; takes it personally when teams try to run at him

The Bad

-Susceptible to play-action and trick plays because he leans so heavily on his eyes and keys in front of him
-Lacks flexibility in his hips; labors in change of direction
-Routes and angles on stretch and outside runs are poor, resulting in runners turning upfield against him in space-Range is iffy; long speed sideline to sideline isn’t up to snuff
-Marginal in coverage; able to spot drop, but lacks feel and awareness around him in space

Bio

-Played in 53 career games at Ohio State, starting 28 games in four years, including final 27 games of his career
-Finished four-year career with 205 total tackles, 29.