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 Buffalo linebacker Joe Andreessen.
#12 JOE ANDREESSEN, ILB, BUFFALO (GS) — 6004, 240 pounds
Pro Day
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Joe Andreessen | 6004/240 | 9 1/8″ | 30 1/2″ | 74 5/8″ |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.65 | 1.59 | 4.22 | 7.21 | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 10’2″ | 38″ | 32 |
The Good
— Decorated at the FCS level
— Zone-coverage mobility in flat and middle of the field
— Reads the quarterback’s eyes to get into passing lanes
— Solid speed and acceleration as a blitzer
— Gets downhill quickly to get into gaps
— Willing to take on blocks to constrict running lanes
— Solid angles outside when he stays inside the runner
— Solid tackler overall
— Experience on punt-coverage teams
The Bad
— Will drift out of his area in coverage
— Speed is only adequate
— Didn’t see him play a lot of man coverage other than in the flat
— Doesn’t avoid blocks well as a blitzer
— Commits into blockers before running back makes gap choice
— Gets swallowed up by o-linemen; struggles to get off blocks
— Lack of length limits ability to wrap up on tackles
— Late to come to balance leading to overruns
— Easily knocked off track by bumps/chips
Bio
— Career: 346 tackles, 203 solo, 49.5 TFL, 8 sack, 3 FF, 2 FR, 5 INT, 12 PBU, 2 blocked kicks
— 2023: 90 tackles, 55 solo, 12 TFL, 1 sack, 1 FF, 2 QBH, 2 PBU
— Spent five years at Bryant University before transferring to Buffalo
— 2022 FCS All-American second team (AP)
— First-team All-NEC as a junior and senior
— 51 games/25 starts
— Missed 10 games with injuries at Bryant
— Also wrestled in high school
Tape Breakdown
Buffalo’s Joe Andreessen is a linebacker with adequate height, solid weight, and adequate length. He is a graduate transfer from Bryant University where he was an FCS All-American in 2022. In 2023, he was a starter and part of a rotation at the strong side linebacker position.
In the passing game, he was primarily used in zone coverage in the middle of the field and in the flat. At the snap, he has good mental processing to determine run versus pass. He gets good depth and reads the quarterbacks eyes well, displaying good mobility and solid awareness of receivers in his area and the effort to get into throwing lanes. Once the ball is thrown, he shows good pursuit to help make the stop and will do his part as a blocker after teammates’ interceptions. As a blitzer, he displays solid speed and acceleration.
Drop, read the quarterback, and get in the passing lane for the pass breakup.
Against the run, he is quick to decide to get downhill into gaps. With a gap, he has solid acceleration to fill and make the stop. When aligned on the outside, he is solid to set the edge and constrict running lanes. His pursuit to the outside is good, and when he stays inside of the running back, he takes good angles. He is a solid tackler overall with solid hit power.
When patient, he is able to work through the traffic to the ball.
In coverage, crossing routes in front of him will cause him to drift out of his area. His speed is adequate overall but could be a problem handing man coverage over most of the field. When rushing the passer, he needs a clear lane, unable to get around blocks.
Against the run, he commits to a gap and hits it before the running back commits. Offensive linemen can swallow him up, and he struggles to get off blocks and will get caught in traffic. His overall play strength is adequate. Against read-option plays, he will lose sight of the ball. In the open field or when pursuing outside he is late to come to balance and will get juked. He gets overzealous on outside runs and gets ahead of the back, allowing easy cutback lanes. Blockers can easily knock him off his path with a block or chip. His length could be an issue when wrapping up on tackles.
Getting off blocks was an area where he struggled.
Here he is coming on the blitz. A block from the running back shifts him three yards to the right.
In these clips, he is into the blockers before the running back commits to the hole.
On these plays, he doesn’t come to balance and overruns the ball.
Conclusion
Overall, Joe Andreessen has adequate height and length with solid weight. He played the strongside linebacker and was used primarily in zone coverage. In coverage, he shows good mental processing, reads the quarterback well and displays good mobility in his drops. He makes the effort to get into throwing lanes and has solid acceleration on blitzes. Against the run, he is aggressive getting downhill, is willing to take on blocks and pursues the ball well.
Areas to improve include limiting his drifting in zone coverage and improving his timing and ability to avoid blocks as a blitzer. Against the run, reading the running back and not committing to a gap too quickly, getting off blocks and having more consistent angles to the ball will be beneficial.
Andreessen is a high-effort player and a solid athlete with the heart to battle. The Steelers reportedly showed interest in him. In my opinion, he looked overmatched on the FBS level. His effort as a defender is good but his mental processing, speed, and inability to get off blocks will limit him. He should get an invite to a camp or even sign as an undrafted free agent where he can try to impress to earn a spot and possibly find a special team role.
For a player comp, I’ll give you former Colorado linebacker, Nate Landman. Andreessen is a better athlete overall and each was able to react and get downhill quickly, but both had similar inconsistencies against the run and struggled getting off blocks.
Projection: Late Day 3/UDFA
Depot Draft Grade: 5.5 – Camp Invite (Undrafted Free Agent)
Games Watched: 2023 – At Wisconsin, Vs Liberty, Vs Bowling Green, Vs Eastern Michigan
