2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Indiana ILB Aaron Casey

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 Indiana linebacker Aaron Casey.

#44 AARON CASEY, ILB, INDIANA (r-SR) — 6007, 231 pounds.

NFL Combine

Measurements

The Good

— Productive behind the line of scrimmage
— Physical, attacking style
— Solid mirror in man coverage
— Good acceleration and finish as a blitzer
— Downhill, gap filler in the run game
— Stonewalls runners near and behind LOS; minimal yards after contact
— Good angles to the outside
— Can spy quarterbacks

The Bad

— Zone coverage ability is marginal in middle of the field
— Testing numbers are below average in speed/explosion
— Slightly undersized
— Decelerates into RB blocks when blitzing
— Only adequate pursuit to the ball not in his area in passing game
— Gets hung up in traffic/on blocks when chasing run from backside
— Doesn’t get off blocks at the second level
— Tackling in space is inconsistent

Bio

— Career: 240 tackles, 155 solo, 36 TFL, 10 sacks, 5 PBU, 5 FF, 1 blocked kick
— 2023: 109 tackles, 78 solo, 20 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 3 PBU, 3 FF
— First-team All-Big Ten 2023
— 56 games with 24 starts
— Team captain
— Ranked third nationally in tackles for loss
— Second-team All-American (Phil Steele) 2023
— Lettered in basketball and soccer in high school
— Born June 12, 2000 (23)

Tape Breakdown

Aaron Casey was a two-year starter in the Big Ten and a productive defender. He was top five in the nation in solo tackles and tackles for a loss and had over 20 pressures.

In the passing game, he was used in zone and man coverage. In zone, he was asked to drop into the middle of the field and into the flat. He was more comfortable in the flat area and can click and close to the ball in front of him quickly. In man coverage, he can cover the running back out of the backfield or carry the tight end down the middle of the field in trail-man coverage. They used him to spy the quarterback and blitz as well. When blitzing from the middle or from the outside edge, he has good acceleration and can find small gaps to slip through to close on the quarterback quickly.

Creating pressure.

He looked much more comfortable in man coverage than in zone.

In the running game, Casey has solid mental processing and gets downhill in a flash. On plays in front of him and to the front side of the play, he has good acceleration and attacks gaps. With a blocker in his way, he will confront to close the gap inside or outside if necessary but if he sees a gap, he can slip under that block. With no blocker there or reading the pulling lineman, he hits the accelerator to get to the spot before them, shooting the gap and making the stop for a loss. At or behind the line of scrimmage, he is a very good tackler. Yards after contact are rare with him stonewalling runners.

His tape is littered with plays like these.

And some more. He hits, they go down.

When dropping to the zone in the middle of the field he frankly looks confused. His awareness of receivers in the area is marginal and will often end up with his back to the quarterback when looking for receivers. After the ball is thrown, his pursuit is just adequate to get to the catch point of throws not in his area. When blitzing, he decelerates into the running back’s block.

He looked uncomfortable in zone coverage, late to reacting to receivers in his area and getting into position.

When chasing from the backside of running plays, his processing is touch slower, and he will get caught in the traffic or delay enough to allow a lineman to engage. He is marginal getting off blocks at the second level. In space, his tackling is only adequate, and Casey will slip off of runners.

Getting off second level blocks is an area for him to improve.

Conclusion

Overall, Casey is a physical defender who is best when attacking. In coverage, he was in better position in man coverage rather than zone. He has solid ability to blitz and can be used to spy the quarterback as well. In the run game, he is a strong defender coming downhill and to the frontside of the play. He is willing to fill gaps to take on blockers and has very good stopping power on his tackles.

Areas to improve include his understanding and execution of zone coverage, avoidance of running back blocks when blitzing and pursuit to the ball when it is not in his area. Improvement in his backside pursuit to avoid blocks and traffic and cleaning up his tackling in space will also help him down the road.

Let’s be real here. Who doesn’t like physical, attacking, downhill linebackers? The production is there, and you can see what Casey can do on film. Keep him clean and let him go get the ball. His testing numbers in the speed and explosive categories were below average and can be a cause for concern. In coverage, he looked okay in man coverage but will that translate to the NFL?

In the NFL, his fit is as a BUCK or SAM linebacker. He will thrive as a special teams player and could blossom into at least a two-down starting linebacker with the stay on passing downs to blitz or cover.

For a player comp, yes, Vince Williams obviously comes to mind. However, I’ll go with a former teammate of his at Indiana, Cam Jones. They have comparable size and testing numbers, have an aggressive style to the ball but can get hung up on blockers. Jones went undrafted but Casey’s production at IU was much better so he should get drafted.

Projection: Mid-Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 6.6 Backup/Special Teamer (Fifth Round)
Games Watched: 2023 – Vs Ohio State, At Maryland, At Michigan, At Penn State, Vs Wisconsin