At last a Dline pick

Trevor Scott
Height: 6-5 | Weight: 256 | Position:TE | College: Buffalo Player Profile Draft Tracker Other TE

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Overview
Trevor Scott failed to find his spot on offense at Buffalo and shifted to the defensive line by head coach Turner Gill as a junior. The move was made to help a depleted front wall, but not even the coaching staff expected the instant results Scott produced.

Scott led the team in both quarterback sacks and tackles behind the line of scrimmage in both his junior and senior campaigns. Despite playing just two seasons on defense, he ranks third in school history with 19 sacks.

At Potsdam Senior High School, Scott was twice named an All-Northern selection while playing tight end and outside linebacker. He earned two letters and was twice named team captain. The squad's MVP as both a junior and senior, he was also a Watertown Daily Times first-team selection. He added four letters in track and field and two in basketball.

Arriving on Buffalo's campus in 2003, Scott spent the season as a red-shirt on the scout team. He appeared in eleven games in 2004 as a reserve tight end. He had a 42-yard catch and excelled on special teams while also brief action on defense, posting six tackles (four solo).

As a sophomore, Scott appeared in seven games as a reserve tight end, missing the Bulls' final three contests after breaking two bones in his back vs. Ohio University. He finished with eight receptions for 55 yards (6.9-yard average) while also making two tackles.

Scott was an instant success at right defensive end in 2006. His nine sacks were the most by a Bull since Buffalo joined the Division 1-A ranks in 1999. He also led the team with 13 ½ stops for losses and totaled 45 tackles (29 solo). He added five pressures with a fumble recovery, as he also deflected a pass and blocked a kick.

As a senior, Scott earned All-Mid American Conference second-team accolades. He shifted to left end, starting all 12 games. He collected 46 tackles (25 solo), as he led the team again with 10 sacks, ranking second in the MAC and 16th in the NCAA. His 15 stops behind the line of scrimmage was a team high, as he added seven pressures and a pass breakup. He recovered one fumble and caused three others.

In 41 games at Buffalo, Scott started 24 contests. He recorded 99 tackles (59 solo) with 19 sacks for minus 136 yards, 28 ½ stops for losses of 163 yards and 12 quarterback pressures. He caused three fumbles and recovered two others, returning one 17 yards. He also broke up two passes, blocked one kick and had nine receptions for 97 yards (10.8-yard average).

Analysis
Positives: Has very little body fat and a frame to carry another 10 pounds of bulk without the added weight affecting his quickness … His lean frame and timed speed might be a better fit for strong-side linebacker at the next level and he has experience at that spot from his high school days … Has a very quick and sudden straight-line burst to surprise offensive tackles … High-motor type who lacks good change-of-direction agility, but takes good angles to shorten his path in pursuit of the quarterback … Has rare speed for a defensive end, but lacks the bulk to defeat bigger blockers up front … Has that initial step to gain advantage, but needs to stay lower in his stance to prevent from getting washed out on the play … Outstanding competitor with a high motor and a good leader-by-example type who pushes his teammates … Shows good effort on coverage units and has the straight-line speed to get downfield to break up the wedge … Struggles when playing head-up on a blockers, but is more effective chasing down inside ball carriers than he is working through trash … Not really naturally strong, but is adequate at using his hands to shed … Plays with consistent effort and when he "pins his ears back," he is difficult to mirror … Showed improvement as a senior in attempts to knife through and penetrate, but he struggles to disengage when blockers attack his body … Makes plays moving down the line and with added experience, he showed better vision when attempting to sift through traffic … Not an explosive tackler, but shows adequate wrap-up ability, as he does a good job of breaking down in space … Won't punish a ballcarrier with his hits, but uses his hands well to hold on until help arrives … Has adequate up field speed to come off the edge and showed improved hip wiggle and shake as a senior, but it is still a work in progress … Has the short-area burst to collapse the pocket, adjusting on the hoof to catch the quarterback from behind … Has good timing, arm reach and extension to bat down passes at the line of scrimmage.

Negatives: Has a very thin lower-body frame, lacking the leg strength to anchor and hold ground at the point of attack … Bit high-cut and top-heavy, having added over 25 pounds of muscle to his frame since 2006, but he is a bit high cut and does not show the sudden change-of- direction agility you expect from a blitzer … Plays too high and shows stiffness in his ability to redirect … Has only adequate hand usage and is still learning how to extend and punch with them to keep blockers off his body … Still a new to the defense and quarterbacks have had success fooling him with misdirection plays … Has only adequate initial quickness off the ball … Doesn't always play to his timed speed and gets engulfed often by interior blockers on the bull rush … Not effective working in-line vs. the run due to his lack of size and playing too high in his pads … Struggles to shed blocks from physical tight ends … Is adequate as a wrap-up tackler, lacking explosion and pop on contact … Has marginal functional strength as a tackler playing on the line and might be a better fit in the second level as a linebacker … Shows some up-field speed, but is not a quick-twitch athlete … Has trouble keeping his hands inside his frame or generating a strong enough punch to prevent long-armed offensive tackles from locking him up and riding him away from the play … Gets knocked to the ground when he fails to protect his legs from cut blocks … His hips and legs are too underdeveloped for him to improve his lower-body strength enough to be a down lineman at the next level … Must stop ducking his head when charging into the pocket on the pass rush, as he loses balance when doing so … Needs time to adjust to a potential move to linebacker and lacks a great feel for route progression, showing some hip stiffness in transition getting back to cover the short-area receivers.

Compares To: DAVID BOWENS-New York Jets … Scott is better served as a rush end or strong-side linebacker in a 3-4 alignment. He lacks bulk and strength, especially in his lower body, to take on and defeat offensive linemen. He lacks sudden change-of-direction agility and is best getting to the quarterback when he slips blocks -- he's not going to win any battles with his hands or raw power. He is still a work in progress learning the technique of playing defense, so a coach that will preach patience is a good fit for this late-round project.