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, Day 3 selections, or priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on California linebacker Teddye Buchanan.
No. 10 Teddye Buchanan/LB California – 6021, 233 pounds (Senior)
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Teddye Buchanan | 6021/233 | 9 3/8 | 31 3/8 | 75 3/8 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.60 | 1.59 | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 10’5″ | 40 | N/A |
THE GOOD
– Impressive and fluid athlete with testing to match
– Shows sideline-to-sideline range to chase the ball on the perimeter and in the flat, able to defend screen/quick game
– Great closing speed, plays like how he tests; effective blitzer who gets after the quarterback
– Reliable tackler who gets the job done
– Impact and splash playmaker, always around the ball
– Smooth in getting zone depth and able to carry seam, played in more complex defense that pattern matched
– Chases ball with good effort
– Quick trigger in run game when he sees it
– Highly productive 2024 despite making jump to FBS
The Bad
– Leggy build and on thinner side
– Prone to getting swallowed up by guards in run game
– Inconsistent block shedding and can get stuck
– Needs more consistent eye discipline to key ball, can take cheese on play-action, and be late on reads
– Lacking zone awareness of where routes develop and can be out of position
– Tends to overrun plays, must be more technical and play inside/out, understanding leverage and help
– Only one year at FBS level
Bio
– 49 career college games across time with UC Davis (2020-2023) and Cal (2024)
– 2024: 114 tackles (led team), 12 TFL, 5 sacks, 4 PDs, 2 FFs
– Named 2024 First-Team All-ACC
– UC Davis Career: 208 tackles (14.5 TFL), 14 FFs, 8 INTs, 4 sacks
– Two-star recruit from San Francisco, California; chose UC Davis over Sac State, San Diego, Colorado State, and San Jose State
– Considered top transfer portal linebacker; location and defensive-mind coaching reasons why he chose Cal over Stanford and Washington, also calling Cal his “dream school”; made sure to graduate at UC Davis first before moving out
– Team captain at UC Davis
– Played QB and LB throughout high school; limited to only defense junior year due to broken thumb and sprained ACL, returned to play QB senior season and threw for over 1,700 yards with 83 tackles, six sacks defensively
– Still ranks Top 20 in his high school’s history in the triple jump (41’3.5)
– Younger brother is DB at Cal who walked on same day Buchanan made the transfer decision
– Took part in mentoring program at UC Davis with over “100 hours” of community work
– Has several hobbies outside football, enjoys hiking, cooking, and drawing
Tape Breakdown
Teddye Buchanan burst on the FBS scene in 2024 after a strong career at UC Davis that earned him plenty of attention from power West Coast programs. It’s easy to see why. Buchanan plays like he tests, a rangy player who can track the ball down all over the field. Watch him track down these throws in the perimeter, not just making the stop but capable of taking the ball away, too. As shown in the first of these two clips against Syracuse.
He repeatedly made impact plays on Cal’s defense. Buchanan had a tackle for loss in ten of 13 games while recording five sacks and a pair of forced fumbles. He’s a ball searcher and looks to rip it out.
He can close on the quarterback, too, leading to sacks or pressures that create mistakes.
Negatively, he can get engulfed by larger linemen. He got beat up some in the Miami (FL) game by their big guards.
He can overrun plays, so he needs to be more disciplined and play inside/out. “Keep your cup” and know where you have help.
Conclusion
Overall, Teddye Buchanan is an impressive linebacker with all the foundational tools you look for. He’s not as built but a little similar to Payton Wilson, a tremendous athlete with great see-to-do who needs to clean up his hand usage a little bit. But he has the makings of being a starting NFL linebacker.
My NFL comp is Jordan Hicks.
Projection: Mid-Late Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 8.2 – Second Round (Future Quality Starter)
Games Watched: at Auburn (2024), vs Miami FL (2024), vs Syracuse (2024)
