Everything you need to know about TT's Third Round Pick... OLB Kyler Fackrell.

[woodbuck27]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1850983/kyler-fackrell

Player Lowdown

Combine Results
40 Yd 20 Yd 10 Yd 225 Bench Vertical jump Broad Shuttle 3-Cone Drill
4.72 ...2.75 - ...........15.......... 34 1/2 - - -

Workout Results

40 Yd 20 Yd 10 Yd 225 Bench Vertical jump Broad Shuttle 3-Cone Drill
4.62 ....2.75 ....1.61.... 15..... 34 1/2 .............10'1" - -


Player Overview

Fackrell returned from a serious knee injury as a junior to emerge as a first team all-Mountain West player in 2015, leading the nation with five fumble recoveries while recording a team-high 15 tackles for loss and a school-record 12 quarterback hurries.

He also had 4.0 sacks while become a semifinalist for the Butkus Award and earning an invitation to the Senior Bowl.

Fackrell suffered a season-ending torn ACL in September of 2014 after emerging the previous season with a team-best 13.0 tackles for loss, adding 82 tackles, 5.0 sacks and a 99-yard interception for a touchdown.


Strengths Weaknesses

STRENGTHS: Tall, long-levered frame. Worked hard to develop his muscle and limb strength. Loose athlete with smooth redirection skills and long strides to cover a lot of ground. Lateral quickness to sidestep blocks or string plays to the outside. Active rusher and quick to read, adjust his angle and close. Uses his length to engage and lock out.

Looks natural in reverse and has experience in coverage.

Offers athletic versatility and natural ball-skills (eight passes defended and four interceptions in his career).

Played on special teams coverages in college, including one blocked kick. Humble and hard-working, but also feisty and competitive - singled out as the leader of the defense by his head coach.

Football junkie who already works and prepares like a professional.

Highly productive with 253 tackles and 36.0 tackles for loss over 41 career starts.


WEAKNESSES: Lean-muscled body type with lanky bulk. Not a forceful player at the point of attack and needs to develop his take-on strength to push through the shoulder of blockers. Plays tall and too easily caught up in the crowd. Quick hands, but shed technique and block recognition requires fine-tuning.


Needs to better break down and finish in space. Long-legged mover, leading to choppy steps and lost balance in short-areas. Inconsistent backfield vision and anticipation, which leads to overaggressive tendencies.


Older prospect and will be a 25-year old NFL rookie.

Missed all of the 2014 season due to an ACL tear in his right knee (Sept. 2014).


IN OUR VIEW: A three-year starter, Fackrell lined up as an edge rusher and outside linebacker in Utah State's 3-4 base and was a jack-of-all-trades defender who rushed and dropped in coverage.


He is a tall, long-armed and flexible athlete with range and closing burst, doing his best work in space because he's not a power player.

Fackrell can be too easily controlled at the point of attack and needs to develop his take-on strength to better dispose of blockers, but the competitive toughness is there.

He has above average intangibles and you won't find anyone who says something negative about him as a person.


Fackrell isn't an explosive player, but floats with great effort in pursuit and offers functional versatility to be an every-down player, ideally suited in a 3-4 scheme.


--Dane Brugler (2/13/16)

[pbmax]

Teddy said 4th round comp picks or no, they were going up for a guy in the 2nd as the board was running short. When they figured they could get Spriggs and the cost wasn't bad, easy decision.

[pbmax]

Michael Cohen @Michael_Cohen13 17m17 minutes ago
Fackrell: "We're just grateful to be here right now and be part of the #Packers organization."

Packer Report @PackerReport 17m17 minutes ago
Fackrell said injury was blessing in disguise. Wife was pregnant at time and was sick a lot, so he got family time.

Michael Cohen @Michael_Cohen13 17m17 minutes ago
Fackrell said the torn ACL came at a fortunate time because his wife was pregnant. He got to spend extra time with his daughter.

Michael Cohen @Michael_Cohen13 16m16 minutes ago
Fackrell: "It's a great team. I'm so excited to be there, and to learn, and to contribute everything that I can."

Michael Cohen @Michael_Cohen13 15m15 minutes ago
Fackrell: "I think definitely upper-body strength is something I continue to work on. I think I can put on maybe 10 pounds, be more stout."

Packer Report @PackerReport 13m13 minutes ago
Fackrell said knee felt great last year. Wore brace for two practices, then ditched it. “It got stronger as the season went on.”

Packer Report @PackerReport 12m12 minutes ago
Fackrell, on what this means: “Incredible. To be able to share it with my wife, it’s just such a huge blessing.”

Michael Cohen @Michael_Cohen13 13m13 minutes ago
Fackrell on his length: "I think that's one of the first things people look for. The length and being able to keep OTs hands off you."

Michael Cohen @Michael_Cohen13 14m14 minutes ago
Fackrell on his pass-rush style: "I think speed first and foremost. Speed kills, and that's why I always try to win with speed first."

[3irty1]

height; 6'5"
weight: 245 lbs
arm length: 33 1/4"
40 Yrd Dash: 4.72
20 Yrd Dash: 2.75
10 Yrd Dash: 1.61
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 15
Vertical Jump: 34 1/2
Broad Jump: 10'01"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.36
3-Cone Drill: 7.34

Speed and length in the mold of Jeremy Thompson or Clay Matthews. Hopefully more like the latter.

[pbmax]

Rotoworld's Josh Norris compares Utah State OLB Kyler Fackrell to Connor Barwin.
Norris ranks Fackrell as the No. 35 prospect in the 2016 NFL Draft. "Reminds me so much of Connor Barwin," Norris wrote. "Can be a starting caliber drop end/linebacker for a team opposite a designated pass rusher. His safety background shows in his comfort in space. Still growing as a pass rusher, but has a foundation for hands and lateral moves." The 6-foot-5, 245-pounder received a second-to-third round evaluation from the NFL, but Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage indicated he'd heard first-round chatter.

Source: Rotoworld Feb 19 - 6:03 PM
Kyler Fackrell - DL - Aggies
NFL Network's Mike Mayock sees Utah State OLB Kyler Fackrell as a potential second or third-round selection in this spring's draft.
As Mayock colleague Chase Goodbread noted, during Saturday's Senior Bowl, Fackrell showed well when he "beat Texas Tech left tackle Le'Raven Clark with an inside move in the first quarter to get a hit on Alabama QB Jake Coker just as he released a pass, forcing an incompletion." The 6-foot-5, 245-pound NFL hopeful might have received a second-to-third round evaluation from Mayock, but Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage indicated that he's heard first-round chatter during the practice week. This past season, Fackrell notched 82 tackles (15 for loss), four sacks and 12 quarterback hurries. He's done well to recover from a torn ACL suffered in 2014.

Source: NFL.com Jan 31 - 6:55 PM
Kyler Fackrell - DL - Aggies
Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage said he's heard some first-round talk surrounding Utah State OLB Kyler Fackrell.
"He missed some time with an injury as a junior, but I felt like if he came back and had a good senior year, he'd be a good candidate down here," said Savage. "You hear some talk that he could potentially be in first-round consideration. I think he's definitely in the class of guys that could get a potential (NFL) starter grade. We'll see where he goes from there over the next few months." The 6-foot-5, 245-pounder had 82 tackles, 15 TFL, four sacks and 12 quarterback hurries in his return to the field last year. He's a a pass-rushing linebacker best suited to a 3-4 defense, but is auditioning as a 4-3 strong-side linebacker this week to fit his squad's scheme. "Striking, getting off blocks, I'm always trying to gain weight and mass in my upper body," Fackrell said. "So shedding blocks is something I want to work on. The advantage to my game is speed and an ability to play in space."

[pbmax]

height; 6'5"
weight: 245 lbs
arm length: 33 1/4"
40 Yrd Dash: 4.72
20 Yrd Dash: 2.75
10 Yrd Dash: 1.61
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 15
Vertical Jump: 34 1/2
Broad Jump: 10'01"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.36
3-Cone Drill: 7.34

Speed and length in the mold of Jeremy Thompson or Clay Matthews. Hopefully more like the latter.

Pro Day he ran 4.62 in 40. Also CBS had that as the workout where he clocked 1.61 in the first 10 yards. If true, he has an impressive top gear.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1850983/kyler-fackrell

[mraynrand]

but Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage indicated he'd heard first-round chatter.

and there goes the credibility

[3irty1]

I have a feeling this is another of Ted's passrushers who can Plan B as an ILB. If that's the case I hope it doesn't take a whole season for him to find his home. No time to waste with a guy this old.

[3irty1]

Pro Day he ran 4.62 in 40. Also CBS had that as the workout where he clocked 1.61 in the first 10 yards. If true, he has an impressive top gear.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/p...kyler-fackrell

I pulled from here:

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=107209&draftyear=2016&genpos=OLB

[Deputy Nutz]

Brady Poppinga?

[swede]

Brady Poppinga?

The secret underwear is similar anyway.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I did see a report from one guy who said he projects Fackrell best as a 3-4 ILB. Not sure if that's an outlier or if the Packers are thinking along the same lines. Perhaps, this could be a similar play as last year whenever everybody had Randall at S, but the Packers brass envisioned him as a CB.

http://live4sportnetwork.com/football/nfl-draft/player/kyler-fackrell-nfl-draft-profile/

Positives: Kyler Fackrell has unique size for the position. Fackrell possess good linear movement, short area burst and agility. Fackrell is a natural tackler and pass rusher.

Negatives: Kyler does not possess good coverage ability. Fackrell's straight line speed is not impressive.

Overall: It's always questioned when a player gets a position change in my rankings but Kyler Fackrell's game translates too well to a 3-4 ILB for me to list him with the OLBs. With an impressive combination of size, agility, football smarts and tackling ability, Fackrell should be an early contributor at the next level. His ability to shed blockers utilizing his arm length and hand placement works well in confined spaces.

Kyler Fackrell is a starting ILB on my '2016 All Rookie, Pre-Draft Team'.

Not sure how reliable this guy is though. I had him as a good coverage LB, and this guy rights that he doesn't possess good coverage abilities. It it contradicts everything I've heard and seen on Fackrell.

NFL.com

NFL COMPARISON Connor Barwin
BOTTOM LINE When it comes to the length and athleticism teams will look for off the edge, Fackrell will be one of the poster boys. His field versatility, coverage talent and potential as a pass rusher could make him one of the fastest rising prospects in this draft and a future contender for a Pro Bowl nod.

ESPN

3rd Down Capabilities: Provides quality balance to contribute as a pass rusher and in coverage in this area. Adequate first step quickness. Uses length well and shows active hands. Average torso flexibility but shows the ability to dip pads and gain outside leverage point. Flashes some speed-to-power capabilities but needs to incorporate more of it into his arsenal. Fluid athlete and shows above-average range in underneath one coverage. Will have some limitations against more athletic TEs in man coverage.

CBS

STRENGTHS: Tall, long-levered frame. Worked hard to develop his muscle and limb strength. Loose athlete with smooth redirection skills and long strides to cover a lot of ground. Lateral quickness to sidestep blocks or string plays to the outside. Active rusher and quick to read, adjust his angle and close. Uses his length to engage and lock out.
Looks natural in reverse and has experience in coverage. Offers athletic versatility and natural ball-skills (eight passes defended and four interceptions in his career).

[wist43]

Voch Lombardi likes Fackrell... just wishes his athleticism matched his football IQ.

Like I said, I think Fackrell knows how to play football... great instincts, smart football player. Diagnosis instantly - he's just limited athletically; and, at 25, how much bigger can he get??

[3irty1]

I'm convinced Ted has a personnel strategy in place to address all linebacker spots with the same type of prospects. The mold is guys who have the combination of experience and physical skillset to both rush the passer and cover.

Because pass rushers are so important, have such a high bust rate, and you can never have enough of them... you'd like to draft as many as possible just to throw a lot of them against the wall. But that's a lot of draft resources to allocate to a position where statistically not much sticks. The answer is to reclaim the failed pass rushers and give them a second chance to succeed as inside linebackers. Most college pass rushers were DE's in college who are poorly suited for this. But you look at this group and you guys with reason to believe they might be cover. Guys like Matthews, Brad Jones, Palmer, Elliott, Bradford, and now Fackrell. Some of these guys have great 3-cones, some were safeties in past lives, or in Bradford's case he had played some ILB. This is particularly well suited for the 3-4 where ILB are more often expected to stack and shed because all of these guys will have experience taking on tackles on the edge. Its also mirrors Ted's OL philosophy where he likes to get college LT's and move them all over his OL because that's where the best college athletes are. Same is true of college pass rushers.

If this is indeed what Ted's up to it hasn't worked much yet but the strategy makes sense. In theory you'll get to try out nearly twice as many draft picks at OLB and when one of your failed OLB's has the instincts to work out at ILB you'll have a higher caliber of athlete than the usual types who play ILB in college. Other teams might be doing this too. Bobby Wagner of the Seahawks comes to mind.

[woodbuck27]

Round 3, Pick 25 (88) Kyler Fackrell OLB 6'5" 245 Utah St. 5.8

Pick Analysis: "He is very loose and bendy to wrap around blocks and pursue from the back side. He's versatile in the passing game. He can run and mirror tight ends and he's an explosive blitzer. Overall, this is a very athletic edge defender with the ability to make plays on all three downs." -- Daniel Jeremiah