From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to 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 SMU EDGE Elijah Roberts.
#5 ELIJAH ROBERTS, EDGE, SMU (GS) – 6036, 290 lbs.
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Elijah Roberts | 6036/290 | 10 1/8 | 33 7/8 | 82 |
| 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
— Good size and length
— Lined up on both sides from the 3-tech to the wide 9
— Good sack and tackle for a loss production the last two years
— Good motor and active hands getting after the QB
— Uses good leverage and hand placement in his power rushes
— Quickness to beat guards into the gaps
— Good technique to stack and shed blockers
— Can set the edge and squeeze running lanes
The Bad
— Hand placement and power is adequate in speed rushes
— Does not have the speed to rush around the arc
— Allows opponent to make first contact to his chest
— Change of direction chasing the ball is marginal
— Didn’t use power rushes enough
— Marginal when reading the mesh point
— Didn’t hold his ground against lateral blocks
— Often tried to duck inside, pulling OL leaving edge open
— Motor to chase across/downfield needs to improve
Bio
— Career: 93 tackles, 49 solo, 26 TFL, 18 sacks, 4 PBU, 1 FR, 5 FF
— 2024: 35 tackles, 17 solo, 11 TFL, 7.5 sacks, 1 PBU, 1 FR, 1 FF
— 3 years at Miami, 2 years at SMU
— 47 games/ 28 starts
— 2024 Team Captain
— 2024 All-ACC Honorable Mention; 2023 All-ACC Second team
— East West Shrine Bowl invitee
— 2023: Action Sports All-America First Team
— 2023: Second in ACC with 10 sacks
— Birthday 12/24/2001 (23)
Tape Breakdown
Elijah Roberts is of good height and length and is a very good weight for an Edge player. He aligned on both sides of the defense and lined up from the 3-technique out to the wide 9. Most of his snaps were played on his feet, but he occasionally put his hand in the dirt.
As a pass rusher, he has solid quickness at the snap, a good motor, and active hands. He tries various moves, including chops, swims, bulls, clubs, and rips. He displayed solid quickness as the looper and solid closing speed when he had a lane. When he kicks inside, he generally still plays on his feet. He shows good lateral quickness and hand usage versus interior linemen. His best moves were the swim moves against a guard or chops when crossing the face against the tackle into the B gap.
His bull rush uses good pad level, punch timing, and leg drive to move the pocket.
Against the run, he has solid snap quickness and good hand placement. When playing in a 2-gap scheme, he displayed the pad level, leverage, and play strength to stack and shed defenders. He was good at setting the edge. He is a good tackler within his gaps and uses good play strength to shut down ball carriers. When 1-gapping, he displayed solid quickness to get into gaps. On the edge, when he takes on the puller, he has the pad level and strength to squeeze the running lane.
Though his hands are active, they are generally ineffective, especially on speed rushes on the edge. Too often, he allows the opponent to make first contact with their hands. Speed rushes are not his forte. He doesn’t have the burst or bend to consistently stress a tackle. His change of direction when chasing the ball is marginal. As a penetrator on stunts, he is mechanical rather than aggressive.
The first clip shows the active hands but does not help his rush. In the second clip, he leaves his chest open, and the OL gets first contact to shut him down.
He was marginal reading the mesh point and late determining who had the ball. Against lateral blocks, he was adequate at holding his ground. More often than not, he tried to duck inside of a pulling lineman, leaving the edge open. His pursuit across and downfield is adequate and at less than full speed. I didn’t see him taking on double-team blocks, so I can’t comment on his ability there.
Not reading the mesh point and losing sight of the ball.
Ducking under blockers and letting the runner get outside.
Conclusion
Roberts is of good size and length and has experience playing multiple spots along the defensive line. He played mostly on his feet but also in a 3- or 4-point stance. He has a good motor when rushing the passer and tries various moves. He can kick inside on passing downs and showed good quickness versus interior linemen. As a run defender, he has good technique when 2-gapping and solid quickness to shoot gaps. He is a good tackler and can squeeze lanes against pullers.
There are areas to improve, such as better hand usage when rushing the passer and not allowing blockers to be the first to make contact with his chest. Building on his power-rushing ability would be beneficial. Reading the mesh point, sticking to the script rather than trying to slip blocks, and turning up the motor in pursuit would also be improvements.
Roberts is a 290-pound player with a 260-pound player’s mind. He wants to be a speed rusher on the edge but lacks the burst to be effective in that role. He is another player who is kind of in between positions, on the edge or inside. It would be best to focus on moving inside to a 3-tech or 5-tech position. Tools exist; if he builds on them, he will outplay his draft position. He can be a rotational player with a chance to start with some improvements.
For a player comp, I will give you John Franklin-Myers. He has played defensive tackle and defensive end as a pro and has a similar build. He was also a pass rusher along the defensive line with a big wingspan and needed to improve his hands.
Projection: Early Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 7.3 Rotational Player (4th Round)
Games Watched: 2024 – Vs TCU, At Louisville, At Stanford, Vs Clemson At Penn State
