Gregory Rousseau – Defensive End
Height/Weight: 6-6/265
Birthplace: Hialeah, Florida
Team: Miami Hurricanes
Class: Redshirt Sophomore
Age: 20
| Year | G | Solo | Ast | Total | TFL | Sacks | FR | FF |
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 13 | 34 | 20 | 54 | 19.5 | 15.5 | 1 | 2 |
Talent: Rousseau came out of high school as a three-star defensive lineman from Champagnat Catholic – Hialeah. The stud defender didn’t even play defensive line until his senior year of high school. Instead, he played wide receiver and safety throughout his first three years of high school. At 6’6”, the defender became a dominant force in his two years at Miami. There are rumors he was compared to Calais Campbell entering Miami in 2018.
Size — 9
Hand Quickness — 9
Speed — 9
Athleticism — 9
Frame — 9
Point of Attack — 8
First Step — 8
*https://247sports.com/Player/Gregory-Rousseau-90457/
Size and Speed: At 6’6” and 265 pounds, the Hurricane defensive lineman has excellent height for a pass rusher. Rousseau has a good base weight but should be able to add even more muscle as he develops in the NFL. His size, explosion, and speed are already above average coming into the NFL, but within a few years, I would expect Rousseau to play at 280 to 290 pounds and become the prototypical size for an NFL defensive end.
Production: The 20-year old stud proved his abilities on the field as a redshirt freshman in 2019. In his 13 games, Rousseau produced 54 total tackles, 15.5 sacks, and 19.5 tackles for loss. He used his immense size, speed, and athleticism to beat blockers and get to the ball. Throughout his one full season, Rousseau dominated most of the snaps he played.
Weaknesses: Rousseau consistently plays with a higher than necessary center of gravity and often uses his hands early in his pass rush. If not corrected, these habits will hurt Rousseau against NFL blockers, who typically sink low and create leverage advantages at the snap of the ball. If corrected, Rousseau’s ceiling is incredibly high.
Injury/COVID Impact: Gregory Rousseau sat out 2020 for COVID, which could create a precipitous learning curve for the young defender. Additionally, the Hurricane was also forced to sit out much of the 2018 season with an ankle injury. Playing only one full season in Miami has created questions about whether or not Rousseau can take the pounding the NFL will undoubtedly dispense. I think he’ll be fine.
Draft Slot: Rousseau is projected to be chosen around pick 15 in the 2021 NFL draft. Franchises selecting in that range include Minnesota, New England, and Arizona, all of whom could use another pass rusher. For IDP purposes, the best landing spot for Rousseau would be Minnesota. The star defensive lineman would immediately slot perfectly into the Vikings 4-3 defensive line across from Danielle Hunter. Rousseau would become a long-term defensive end with upside the likes of Jared Allen.
Rookie IDP Ranking: Rousseau will likely be the 1st IDP defensive lineman selected in rookie drafts. Depending on your scoring structure and due to the scarcity of productive pass-rushers, Rousseau could become a 1st or 2nd round selection in 2021 combined rookie drafts.
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