Prospects to watch: Michael Hall Jr.

The New Orleans Saints have had a ton of success with drafting Ohio State prospects. These prospects include Marshon Lattimore, Pete Werner, Michael Thomas, and Chris Olave. The Buckeyes are one of the most storied franchises in college football. Today, we’ll take a look at DL prospect Michael Hall Jr.

Where Michael Hall Jr. excels:

When I watched the tape of Hall Jr. versus Notre Dame, I first noticed how fast he gets off the line. Weighing in at 280 lbs, he’s a little lighter than most DTs, but he makes up for it with his speed. This weight also allows him to line up at DE on plays.

I also really love his power and hands. The junior is an absolute bulldozer who is able to push opposing linemen back to create pressure on QBs. He also uses his hands very well to push opponents in different directions and get by them.

The Buckeye plays with great intensity and a high motor. He gives 110% on every play and isn’t taking any snaps off. It’s very hard to find DTs that can cause havoc with both pass-rushing and run-stopping abilities. While I do think his pass-rushing upside is better, he’s shown solid run defense.

Weaknesses of Michael Hall Jr.:

At only 6’2”, he’s a lot smaller than most NFL DTs. Also, only weighing in at 280lbs will make it tough for him to take on an NFL lineman. He can easily fix that though by bulking up 10-20 pounds.

He also can be inconsistent at times. In some plays he looks like an absolute monster, and in others he looks like any other lineman. He also has trouble doing anything if he is double-teamed.

The verdict:

Overall, Hall Jr. is an excellent player who can do a little bit of everything. I believe he’ll have a great combine and will likely go in the late first round or early second.

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