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 Michigan EDGE Braiden McGregor.
#17 BRAIDEN MCGREGOR, EDGE, MICHIGAN – (SENIOR) 6050, 257 POUNDS
SENIOR BOWL INVITE
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Braiden McGregor | 6050, 257 | 10″ | 33 1/8″ | N/A |
| 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
— Has the height, size, and length you look for at the position
— Played on the edge as well as inside at 5-tech/4i
— Has played on either side of the line of scrimmage with his hand in the dirt as well as standing up
— Uses long arms to extend blockers and set the edge
— Shows great pursuit to the football
— Possesses a chop/rip, two-hand swipe, push/pull, and long arm/bull rush in his arsenal
— Does a good job getting off the ball on the snap and working to round the corner
— Has a strong punch to land hands inside blocker’s chest to establish first contact
— Does a good job getting home on inside rushes as well as on twists and stunts
— Fairly raw player who is still developing into his frame
THE BAD
— Only two years of legit playing experience and one year as a full-time starter
— Doesn’t change directions easily when in the pocket or in the open field
— Lacks anchor and base strength to hold his own against powerful blockers
— Can get washed down against the run as well as kicked out toward the sideline
— Functional strength needs to continue to improve to maximize his frame
— Can do a better job finishing through contact on his path to the passer
— Disrupts a fair number of plays but needs to get home more consistently
— Can go long spurts without making an impact play
— Suffered a significant knee injury as a senior in high school
BIO
— Senior prospect from Port Huron, Mich.
— Born July 12, 2001 (age 22)
— Rivals.com four-star prospect
— Under Armour All-American Game and the Polynesian Bowl invite
— Three-time all-state and all-conference and all-academic selection in high school
— Signed an NIL deal with SAXX Underwear and happily sports it on his X page
— Did not play in any games in 2020
— Played in nine games in 2021 as a reserve and on special teams and recorded five total tackles and one tackle for loss
— Played in all 14 games with three starts in 2022 and notched 17 total tackles, five tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and two pass deflections
— Started all 15 games in 2023 and recorded 26 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three pass deflections, and a forced fumble
— Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (2023)
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Braiden McGregor may not have been a multi-year starter for the Michigan Wolverines, but he managed to make a notable impact in his 38 games played with 18 starts in Ann Arbor. McGregor came alive down the stretch for the Wolverines defense in 2023, posting 3.5 sacks in his final five games as he played a key role in the well-oiled machine that won a national championship.
When you pop in the tape on McGregor, you see a long, tall, athletic pass rusher who can play standing up on the edge or with his hand in the dirt. Some of McGregor’s best play came in Michigan’s biggest games last season. Getting in on two sacks against Alabama in the CFP semifinals we see McGregor utilize his inside pass rush to work through the inside shoulder of the left tackle with both reps coming with McGregor lining up as a 4i technique. He extends his arms to keep the tackle’s hands off his frame as he closes in on the quarterback for the sack.
McGregor is a good athlete at the position, having the length, burst, and bend to work around the corner as a pass rusher. Watch this play against Washington in the national championship game. McGregor dips and rips through the outside shoulder of the tight end, fighting through the block and accelerating into the pocket to lay a hit on QB Michael Penix Jr. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, Penix gets the ball away before McGregor can get home, finding an open target in the end zone for the score. In the second clip, we see McGregor execute the two-hand swipe move on Troy Fautanu, who is projected to be a first-round pick in this year’s draft, clearing the block as he gets into the pocket and forces Penix to throw the football away.
When he clears the block in time McGregor does a good job of going for the football as he turns the corner on the edge. Watch this clip below against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship game. McGregor executes a club/rip on the left tackle to get into the pocket and swats at the quarterback’s throwing arm as he drops back to throw, forcing a fumble that the defense recovers.
As a run defender, McGregor plays with great pursuit of the football and uses his long arms to establish first contact on blockers. He does a good job shooting gaps and working through traffic as you can see in the clip below. Fighting through the double team on the draw play to the outside, he makes the tackle for loss in the backfield.
Still, McGregor lacks the physical strength and anchor to hold his own consistently against power at the point of attack. He can get washed down the line of scrimmage on down blocks or kicked out toward the sideline, like in the clip below against the Huskies. He engages Fautanu but fails to get off the block as Fautanu drives him clear out of the play.
CONCLUSION
Braiden McGregor is a long, athletic pass rusher who has the frame and tools to make for an intriguing prospect in today’s NFL. He needs to get stronger functionally to better hold up as a run defender and get off blocks more regularly as a pass rusher. But the tools are the for McGregor to develop into a quality rotational player with the upside of becoming a starter down the road should he add more functional strength and mass. When coming up with a pro comparison for McGregor, K’Lavon Chaisson came to mind as a player with a similar frame and athletic profile who flashed at LSU but needed to develop more play strength as well as be more productive at finishing the play. McGregor could be a fit for the Steelers at outside linebacker should they look to address the position later in the draft or attempt to sign him if he ends up going undrafted.
Projection: Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 6.8 – Backup/Special Teamer (Fifth Round)
Games Watched: 2023 – vs Iowa, vs Alabama, vs Washington
