From now until the 2024 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, I’ll be profiling Alabama EDGE Chris Braswell.
#41 CHRIS BRASWELL/EDGE ALABAMA – 6033, 251 LBS. (SENIOR)
Senior Bowl
Combine
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Chris Braswell | 6033/251 | 9 3/8 | 33 1/4 | 81 3/8 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.60 | 1.59 | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 9’7″ | 33.5 | N/A |
THE GOOD
– Solid frame to be a 3-4 EDGE defender
– Good overall athletic ability
– Good repertoire of pass-rush moves, including rip, swim, cross-chop, and long arm
– Capable of pushing the pocket with his bull rush
– Solid bend to help turn the corner on tackles
– Good use of hands to keep blockers away from his body to set the edge against the run
– Quick enough to cross a tackle’s face and win with an inside move
THE BAD
– Awkward get off from both three-point and four-point stance, wasted movement off the snap
– Just adequate mental processing, plays slow while he thinks
– Doesn’t string together his pass rush moves effectively if first move fails
– Inconsistent motor, poor effort rallying to the ball on backside of plays
BIO
– Originally a five-star prospect out of Saint Frances Academy in Baltimore, Maryland
– 22 years old, will be 23 in October
– Became a full-time starter in 2023; limited starting experience
– No notable injury history
– 75 total tackles, 31 solo tackles, 15.5 TFLs, 10.5 sacks, four FFs, one PD, one int returned for TD
– Second-team AP All-SEC in 2023
TAPE BREAKDOWN
For having relatively little starting experience in college, Braswell has a surprisingly large repertoire of pass rush moves that he has shown capable of winning with. In the three games I watched, I counted a cross-chop, long arm, inside swim, dip and rip, and a bull rush. He hasn’t quite figured out how to string these together to counter when his initial plan fails, but the number of moves he uses is encouraging.
He also shows good enough play strength and use of hands to effectively hold the edge against the run, though he does struggle at times from the mental processing aspect of the job. Sometimes, he will lose contain as he fails to recognize the play until it is too late.
There is something to be said about varying the timing of pass rush moves and get-offs to keep an offensive lineman on his toes, but Braswell is teetering more on the side of wasted movement and hesitation. Some of that is mental processing, and some of that is mechanics coming out of his stance. It will need to be cleaned up. This clip shows a few of those issues. Football is a game of inches, so he cannot afford to take multiple steps at half-speed before committing if he hopes to reach the quarterback in the NFL.
He is a good enough athlete to stick with defenders in coverage in a straight line, but he gets into trouble at the top of routes where his eyes and change of direction don’t quite stack up.
CONCLUSION
Given Braswell’s inexperience at the college level and his relatively well-developed repertoire of pass-rush moves, he has a chance to develop into an impact player out on the edge. His body type, outside of slightly shorter-than-ideal arm length, is solid, and he is athletic and strong enough to be an asset against the pass and the run. He reminds me of Derick Hall from last year’s draft, though he probably won’t go quite as high as Hall did a year ago.
Projection: Mid Day Two
Depot Draft Grade: 8.0 – Potential Starter/Good Backup (3rd Round)
Games Watched: at Texas A&M (2023), vs Texas (2023), at Tennessee (2022)
