From now until the 2023 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, a scouting report on Arkansas EDGE Trajan Jeffcoat.
#7 TRAJAN JEFFCOAT, EDGE, ARKANSAS – (R-SENIOR) 6040, 266 POUNDS
SHRINE BOWL INVITE
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Trajan Jeffcoat | 6040, 266 | 10 1/8″ | 32 3/4″ | N/A |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.69 | 1.66 | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 10’0″ | 31.5″ | 21 |
THE GOOD
— Has all the measurables you look for in an edge rusher
— Can play with his hand in the dirt or as a standup 3-4 outside linebacker
— Possesses the size and strength to hold his own at the point of attack
— Shows flashes as a pass rusher with his long arm and inside spin moves
— Will often counter inside with the spin or the rip if he can’t get the corner
— Can convert speed to power as a rusher to knock tackles backward
— Does a great job shooting gaps inside to get immediate penetration into the backfield
— Has the stopping power to bring down big quarterbacks and runners solo
— Shows good pursuit of the football
— Has the tools to develop into more of an impactful pass rusher
THE BAD
— Lacks elite play speed and acceleration in the open field
— Doesn’t always to his size and strength on the edge
— Will lose contain at times due to lack of technique or urgency
— Doesn’t get in on many plays as a run defender
— Pass rush production is lacking for the traits he has
— Fails to get around the corner often against tackles
— Doesn’t possess great bend or flexibility
— Has a tough time disengaging from blocks
— Hasn’t developed into a reliable pass rusher despite ample starting experience at two SEC schools
BIO
— Redshirt Senior prospect (6th year) from Columbia, SC
— Ranked as a three-star recruit by Rivals
— Partnered with the The Diaper Collective to raise over $20,000 to give diapers to families
— Committed to Missouri out of high school and played in 13 games as a true freshman in 2018 and made seven total tackles and one sack
— Redshirted the whole 2019 season
— Broke out in 2020, where he recorded 23 tackles, six tackles for loss, six sacks, seven quarterback hurries, and a forced fumble in 10 games played
— Started all 13 games in 2021 and posted 34 tackles, ten tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery
— Started 11-of-13 games in 2022 and made 21 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and a sack
—Transferred to Arkansas prior to the start of the 2023 season
— Started 12 games in 2023 and made 16 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, and four sacks
— First-Team All-SEC (2020), SEC Academic Honor Roll (2020-21)
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Trajan Jeffcoat looked destined for stardom after his 2020 season at Missouri, notching six sacks after his redshirt season, primed to step into a bigger role for the Tigers. That production never followed the 6-4, 266-pound pass rusher, posting the same number of sacks in the next two years combined and opted to transfer to Arkansas for a fresh start in 2023, logging four sacks for the Razorbacks.
When you pop in the tape on Jeffcoat, you see a big, long pass rusher that has the build you look for at the position. He can play with his hand in the dirt as well as in a two-point stance, having the blend of size and athleticism to fit at either defensive end or outside linebacker. He is a physically imposing player coming off the bus, possessing the strength and power to defeat blocks with his power rush. You can see that in this clip below at the Shrine Bowl with Jeffcoat bulldozing the offensive tackle in the one-on-ones portion of practice, getting his hands right inside the blocker’s chest and proceeding to run his feet on contact to put the big offensive tackle on his backside.
Jeffcoat can use his strength to long arm blockers on his path to the quarterback as well as hold his own setting the edge. However, Jeffcoat sees most of his success as a pass rusher come when rushing inside, opting to crash inside the tackle or resort to an inside rip or spin move as you can see both in the clips below. The first shows Jeffcoat ripping through the blocker’s inside shoulder to get into the pocket, forcing the passer to scramble. In the second clip, we see Jeffcoat start his rush inside but then counters back inside with the spin move to get into the pocket and finish at the quarterback for the sack.
Jeffcoat is a good athlete for his size and displays a good motor that pursues both the quarterback and the ball carrier with great effort. Watch in the clips below as Jeffcoat runs down the runner from his defensive end spot across the field in the first clip while he was still at Missouri while the second clip shows Jeffocat getting upfield and into the backfield untouched for the tackle for loss.
Still, Jeffcoat has yet to maximize his potential given his measurables as his production has been solid, yet not spectacular as he’s regressed since his 2020 season. He needs to do a better job with his hand usage as he can get stuck on blocks and often fails to win the edge as a pass rusher, often resorting to countering inside, even when the counter isn’t there. He doesn’t have a great burst or bend to flatten the corner, as you can see in the clips below against LSU, engaging the right tackle on the snap of the ball, but he can loop around the arc into the pocket, resulting in him getting stuck on the block.
CONCLUSION
Trajan Jeffcoat is a height/weight/speed specimen as a pass rusher who has the body you want but lacks the technique or desired production to be heavily relied upon heading into the league. He spent six seasons in college and failed to progress from the flashes he put on tape in 2020, still flashing from time to time, but lacked consistency. This will lead many teams to believe he is what he is at this point, while others will still be enamored by his frame and traits and look to take a flier on him and see if they can develop him into a quality rotational pass rusher.
When coming up with a pro comparison for Jeffcoat, Ali Gaye is a name that came to mind that possesses freak measurables and a similar frame to Jeffcoat but couldn’t get those traits to translate into production at LSU. He ended up signing with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent last year after being a fringe draft pick heading into the process, similar to Jeffcoat, where he’s hoping a team bets on his traits to make him one of their late Day Three selections. The Steelers could stand to bring in another pass rusher late in the draft or as an UDFA, and Jeffcoat has the raw traits that match what they look for at outside linebacker to be a potential target.
Projection: Late Day Three/ Priority UDFA
Depot Draft Grade: 6.1 – End of Roster/Practice Squad (Seventh Round)
Games Watched: at LSU (2023), at Ole Miss (2023), at Kentucky (2022)
