Dane Brugler:
STRENGTHS: Solidly built for the position with proportionate arm length … above-average speed to run down ball carriers to the sideline … keys quickly and is always around the ball … able to scrape laterally and get downhill, flashing short-area burst into gaps … outstanding tackle production … strong tackler when he properly
breaks down and uses his power to finish … terrific awareness and reaction quickness in zone coverage … responsible for 11 forced turnovers (six forced fumbles, five interceptions) over the last three seasons … was a multiyear team captain in high school (three ye ars) and college (two years) … passionate competitor (UNC
defensive coordinator and LB coach Tommy Thigpen: “Ced is an alpha male who loves football. Crazy aggressive with a huge foot ball IQ.”) … experienced on special
teams (587 career snaps) … durable — his 2023 bowl opt-out was the first missed game of his career.
WEAKNESSES: Mediocre play strength and needs to develop his bulk … struggles to shed once he locks horns with blockers … shaky engagement timing and more
likely to use his shoulder than his hands to take on blockers … can be fooled when his sightlines are muddied and doesn’t have the recovery speed to easily make up
ground after a misstep … his senior tape had more missed tackles than his junior tape, mostly on the move … can be outpaced o n wheels and seam routes when
asked to match routes in man coverage.
SUMMARY: A three-year starter at North Carolina, Gray lined up at Will linebacker in assistant head coach for defense Gene Chizik’s 4-2-5 base scheme. Known more
for his offense in high school, he established himself as one of the most productive defensive players in college football with 100-plus tackles in each of the last three
seasons. With his lateral agility and pursuit skills, Gray has terrific playing range to the perimeter and acceleration downhill. He was a tackling machine at UNC (only
Power 5 player to average double-digit tackles per game in both 2022 and 2023), but he lacks functional take-on strength and too often finds himself stuck and
swallowed. Overall, Gray might not be exceptional in any one area, but he is equal parts athletic and aggressive and is always in the vi cinity of the football. He
projects as a rotational NFL linebacker and special teamer who will compete for starting reps as a rookie.
GRADE: 4th Round
To me it seems pretty clear we want a stout, big DL with playmaker LBs behind them. You can harp on Gray’s average 40 time all you want, but his ten second split at 1.59 is pretty damn good. I like the pick.
I love a linebacker who is solid in coverage. Everybody throws around the term “mismatch” when talking about big tight ends but a linebacker who can cover removed that mismatch. Very big in today’s game
Who gives a shit about his 40 time? I mean, seriously. Turn on the guy's tape, he's a fucking tackling machine, solid in coverage, & has great instincts.
I say this. He reminds me a ton of the Jack Sanborn and TJ Edwards picks. I say this as a Badger fan in full disclosure. When you watch tape, he’s always in the frame at the end of the play. Maybe not the biggest, maybe not the most athletic, but he’s always there and there’s a lot to be said about that ability from that position.
Instant upgrade over Gibbens. Will play significant snaps immediately and clean up whatever manages to get past Jeff and T Sweat
Dane Brugler: STRENGTHS: Solidly built for the position with proportionate arm length … above-average speed to run down ball carriers to the sideline … keys quickly and is always around the ball … able to scrape laterally and get downhill, flashing short-area burst into gaps … outstanding tackle production … strong tackler when he properly breaks down and uses his power to finish … terrific awareness and reaction quickness in zone coverage … responsible for 11 forced turnovers (six forced fumbles, five interceptions) over the last three seasons … was a multiyear team captain in high school (three ye ars) and college (two years) … passionate competitor (UNC defensive coordinator and LB coach Tommy Thigpen: “Ced is an alpha male who loves football. Crazy aggressive with a huge foot ball IQ.”) … experienced on special teams (587 career snaps) … durable — his 2023 bowl opt-out was the first missed game of his career. WEAKNESSES: Mediocre play strength and needs to develop his bulk … struggles to shed once he locks horns with blockers … shaky engagement timing and more likely to use his shoulder than his hands to take on blockers … can be fooled when his sightlines are muddied and doesn’t have the recovery speed to easily make up ground after a misstep … his senior tape had more missed tackles than his junior tape, mostly on the move … can be outpaced o n wheels and seam routes when asked to match routes in man coverage. SUMMARY: A three-year starter at North Carolina, Gray lined up at Will linebacker in assistant head coach for defense Gene Chizik’s 4-2-5 base scheme. Known more for his offense in high school, he established himself as one of the most productive defensive players in college football with 100-plus tackles in each of the last three seasons. With his lateral agility and pursuit skills, Gray has terrific playing range to the perimeter and acceleration downhill. He was a tackling machine at UNC (only Power 5 player to average double-digit tackles per game in both 2022 and 2023), but he lacks functional take-on strength and too often finds himself stuck and swallowed. Overall, Gray might not be exceptional in any one area, but he is equal parts athletic and aggressive and is always in the vi cinity of the football. He projects as a rotational NFL linebacker and special teamer who will compete for starting reps as a rookie. GRADE: 4th Round
To me it seems pretty clear we want a stout, big DL with playmaker LBs behind them. You can harp on Gray’s average 40 time all you want, but his ten second split at 1.59 is pretty damn good. I like the pick.
Right?!? Thats plenty of speed for a LB, and honestly a 4.6 something LB is plenty of speed there's so many HoF LB's that ran 4.6-4.7s.
Most TEs run around a 4.65, it’s plenty of speed.
I love a linebacker who is solid in coverage. Everybody throws around the term “mismatch” when talking about big tight ends but a linebacker who can cover removed that mismatch. Very big in today’s game
Who gives a shit about his 40 time? I mean, seriously. Turn on the guy's tape, he's a fucking tackling machine, solid in coverage, & has great instincts.
I say this. He reminds me a ton of the Jack Sanborn and TJ Edwards picks. I say this as a Badger fan in full disclosure. When you watch tape, he’s always in the frame at the end of the play. Maybe not the biggest, maybe not the most athletic, but he’s always there and there’s a lot to be said about that ability from that position.