From now until the 2024 NFL Draft takes place, 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, a scouting report on Kentucky linebacker Trevin Wallace.
#32 TREVIN WALLACE, LB, KENTUCKY — 6012, 244 Lbs. (JUNIOR)
Event Name
-2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Trevin Wallace | 6012, 244 | 9 1/8″ | 30″ | 73 1/4″ |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
The Good
-Well built, thick frame for the position
-Long arms with a wide tackle radius
-High character player that provides energy to the defense; clear-cut leader
-Physical tackler that can drop the hammer
-Turns and runs with ease sideline to sideline; shows ability to carry the seam
-Very comfortable in zone coverage; understands concerns and rules in zone
-Sure tackler, rarely misses the he gets hands on you
The Bad
-Very inconsistent run defender; undisciplined run fits
-Doesn’t use length or physicality when attacking downhill against blockers
-Engulfed in the run game by bigger linemen; labors to get off blocks
-Doesn’t have lateral agility to slip blocks consistently
-Heavy feet in man coverage and is a tick slow to react when in phase
-Easily tricked by ball fakes and eye candy
Bio
-Played in 36 career games for Kentucky, starting 19 of them for the Wildcats
-Finished three-year career at Kentucky with 166 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 5 quarterback hurries, 3 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles and a pass breakup
-Recorded a team-high 80 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 2023
-Voted a team captain for Kentucky in 2023
-Reportedly was clocked 22 mph on the GPS at Kentucky, recorded a vertical jumps 38.5 inches, and the program says he power cleaned 380 pounds and squatted almost 600 pounds in 2023
-Former 4-star prospect coming out of Georgia in high school. Ranked No. 6 player in high school at Georgia, was considered No. 2 linebacker in the country. Chose Kentucky over Auburn and Ole Miss
Tape Breakdown
With great size and strength, Kentucky’s Trevin Wallace is well-built and made to be an off-ball linebacker in the game of football. The issue is, he must continue to develop to truly tap into that size and strength and take his game to the next level at the position.
Though he was a tackling machine for Kentucky this past season, leading the team in tackles as a captain, there were some flaws on tape that are quite concerning. Still, that size and physicality, along with his sideline to sideline range, is tantalizing.
Against Mississippi State this past season, Wallace set the tone right away, flying downhill to the sideline to put a lick on the Bulldogs’ running back, hyping up his sideline.
You can see the ability to turn and run, and he converts that speed into power at the point of attack, which will help him play the run in the NFL.
With his length and range, he makes a lot of plays against the run. There is no denying that on tape.
However, that lack of physicality taking on blocks is a real issue with Wallace on tape. He doesn’t bring the same physicality in that area of the game.
He’s a bit passive taking on blocks and doesn’t explode into them when attacking downhill like you want an off-ball linebacker to do.
While he shows the ability to get to the hole against the run, he doesn’t have that thump taking on blocks. He also hasn’t shown the ability to slip blocks, either, which can lead to him getting engulfed against the run.
He’ll find the ball and is usually around it quite a bit, but the inability to play with physicality at the point of attack and early strike blockers to try and blow up the play is pretty concerning, considering his style.
If he’s not going to do that at the NFL level, he’s going to need to show the ability to slip blocks. That will be a key area of growth in his game.
While he’s a good athlete overall, Wallace has some issues in coverage, particularly man coverage. He tends to play with some heavy feet in those situations and is slow to react to receivers changing routes. Teams attacked that when Wallace was on the field.
Eye discipline is an issue, too.
He can get fooled by ball fakes and eye candy, creating throwing lanes behind him in the passing game, and even taking himself out of the play against the run. He wants to make plays and brings real energy to a defense, but he has to learn to tone some of that eagerness down and read his keys.
He might be better suited playing a two-down role early in his career, developing further as a run defender, and then potentially having some sort of pass rush role as he gets more comfortable in the NFL.
There were signs of a decent rotational pass rusher off the ball during his time in college, and he finishes with a flourish at the quarterback.
Conclusion
Overall, the size, strength and athleticism is intriguing with Trevin Wallace. He’s likely going to have one heck of a day at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in late February and should really have a buzz around his name. But, the tape has some concerns that are hard to get over.
He needs to land in a situation where he doesn’t have to play right away and can develop behind a strong defensive line, learning how to attack downhill against blockers, slip blocks, shoot gaps and make plays at or behind the line of scrimmage. Though he has the athleticism to play in coverage, he’s going to need to be in more of a zone-heavy scheme early on while he continues to develop his skillset in man coverage.
There’s a workable foundation with Wallace, but some of the first-round buzz that he’s received seems a bit far-fetched.
Projection: Mid-Day 3 (Fifth Round)
Depot Draft Grade: 6.6 – Backup/Special Teamer – (Fifth Round)
Games Watched: Mississippi State (2023), Clemson (2023), Alabama (2023), Georgia (2023)
