| Dontari Poe Scouting Report |
| Dontari Poe - Memphis (HT: 6-3½ - WT: 346) |
Positives -- Massive size, dominates the line of scrimmage, demands double teams due to his sheer size, occupies blockers and clogs up running lanes, collapses the pocket with power... Has the reputation as a workout warrior, very impressive strength, looks every bit of 346 pounds but carries his weight
well because of his height, penetrates easily in one-on-one situations... Unreal combination of size and strength, has a thick trunk and doesn't let blockers latch on, gets his hands up in passing lanes when he can't get to the quarterback... Surprising athleticism, impressive first step, consistent get-off, good initial quickness, can beat linemen with his get-off and one move; reasonably good COD, runs well for a big man... Can penetrate into the backfield to disrupt running plays... Adequate range, chases the action out to the flanks, reliable tackler, ball carrier goes down even if Poe just gets a piece of him, a powerful hitter who can jar the ball loose... Plays with a better motor than given credit for, stays active, doesn't take plays off... Has played in all but one game during his collegiate career, missed 2009 Houston game due to a death in the family... Will probably be the first nose tackle off the board, can play multiple positions and is scheme diverse, will be a hot commodity as more teams move toward a 3-4 base defense; has lined up at tackle and end for Memphis, projects to defensive tackle, nose tackle or 5-technique in the NFL... Will be over-drafted because of his size and strength and because his ceiling is through the roof; works hard, mature, team captain, so his potential is attainable with good coaching... Would like to see him used similarly to how the Ravens use Haloti Ngata, could still swing inside in certain packages, really don't see him playing full-time at nose tackle in a three-man front... Put on a show at the combine, ran a 4.98-40 with a 1.68 10-yard split at 346 pounds, led all players with 44 reps of 225 lbs... Comparatively, Ngata ran a 5.13-40 with a 1.73 split at 338 pounds and put up 37 reps of 225 lbs.
Negatives -- Pass rush ability is subpar despite impressive get-off, struggles to disengage once blocked, limited potential in this area, only flashes a rip move and nothing else... Lacks the anchor and balance of an elite 3-4 nose tackle prospect and disappeared for stretches at a time playing at Memphis; moving him off the line of scrimmage is easier than expected... Doesn't always maintain gap responsibilities, blockers can easily seal him out of the play... Lacks ideal awareness of the ball carrier, he often ends up out of position to prevent backs from crossing the line of scrimmage... Staying low is difficult, comes out of his stance too high and can be driven off the ball; his height serves as a disadvantage, shorter centers have the natural leverage advantage and can get their hands into his chest, doesn't disengage well versus double teams... Shorter than ideal arms and gives up a ton of leverage at 6'3½", ideal 3-4 nose tackle height is around 6'1" or 6'2" such as Casey Hampton, Vince Wilfork, Aubrayo Franklin or B.J. Raji... His ability to line up at nose tackle in a three-man front is questioned due to his lack of leverage and balance, has the size of a 3-4 nose but not the skill set, would be a more natural fit in a 4-3 or as a 3-4 DE (5-technique), doesn't project to 3-4 nose as well as his weight would suggest... A boom or bust prospect who isn't near NFL-ready, very raw, technique needs work, lacks polish, draft stock is based mostly on potential at this point, needs significant development before he is even ready to be included as part of a rotation, will take a season or two before he develops into a real force inside... He is probably a fourth round prospect right now on tape that will go in either the first or second round based on his size, strength and potential, is overrated because of freakish athletic tools... Lack of competition playing in Conference USA, wasn't very productive in college and didn't stand out on tape like a top prospect should versus a lower-tier FBS conference.
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| Combine Results |
| Height |
› |
6034 |
| Weight |
› |
346 |
| Arm |
› |
32 |
| Hand |
› |
9⅝ |
| 40-Time |
› |
4.98 |
| Vertical |
› |
29.5 |
| Broad |
› |
8'9" |
| Bench Press |
› |
44 |
| Shuttle |
› |
4.56 |
| Cone |
› |
7.90 |
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At Memphis -- (Official School Bio) 2010: Named as an honorable mention All-C-USA selection in 2010... One of six Tigers to start all 12 games in 2010, and joined Frank Trotter as a consistent starter on the defensive line... Opened the season with three tackles, all of which were solo stops, against Mississippi State... All three of his tackles limited the Bulldogs to three or fewer yards, and one was for a loss of four yards... Credited with three tackles against ECU, including teaming up with Frank Trotter for a TFL... Set a season high mark with seven tackles versus UTEP... Sacked UTEP's Trevor Vittatoe in the first quarter for a loss of five yards... The play was on 3rd-and-8 and forced UTEP to punt the ball away... Four of his tackles limited the Miners to fewer than three yards... Had another big game against Louisville with six tackles, four of which were solo stops... Logged at least three tackles in the next three games, including a five-tackle effort versus Marshall... Tied a career mark with two TFL against Southern Miss, and didn't give way to Southern Miss gaining more than two yards on his stops... Registered his second sack of the season, for a loss of 11 yards, against Marshall... Closed the season with three tackles, one of which was for a loss of three yards, against UCF... Ended the year ranked fifth on the team in tackles with 41, and fourth in TFL with 6.5... His TFLs generated losses of 27 yards... Was presented one of the Leadership Awards by the coaching staff at the 2011 Blue-Gray Game... Was voted by the media as the Defensive MVP of the 2011 Blue-Gray Game. 2009: Named to C-USA All-Freshman Team... Played in 11 of 12 games, making six starts at nose tackle on the defensive line as a true freshman... Led the team in TFLs with seven, and tied for the team lead in forced fumbles (3)... Tied for third on the team in sacks (2)... Finished the year with 27 tackles, including 18 solo stops... Ranked tied for 31st nationally in forced fumbles per game (.27) and fifth in C-USA.
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