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2021 NFL Draft Player Profiles: Buffalo EDGE Malcolm Koonce

From now until the 2021 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.

Malcolm Koonce/EDGE Buffalo – 6’2/2 249

The Good

– Good frame and plus length, little bit on the lean side
– Above average athlete, quick first step
– Best trait is bend, great hip/ankle flexibility, able to flatten and turn the corner with ease
– Plus hand use, able to chop hands down and turn the corner, shows effective, go-to pass rush
– Uses length well in run game, holds point of attack when he plays with proper leverage and pad level
– Didn’t drop into coverage a lot but fluid with loose hips moving backward, looked natural in zone coverage
– Able to disengage and slip blocks in run game
– Good hit power and finish, impactful tackler
– Experience playing left and right side, spent lots of time playing on his feet

The Bad

– Needs to get stronger overall
– Will get washed in the run game when he plays too high
– Power/bull rushes aren’t much of a threat, NFL tackles will sit on speed
– Should develop more inside counters, flashes inside spin but needs to add another move to toolbelt to make speed rush more effective
– Didn’t see to have a lot of experience dropping into coverage, even less in man coverage
– Only moderate production despite lower level of competition
– Played just one career game against Power 5 school

Bio

– Two-year starter for Buffalo
– Career: 109 tackles (22.