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 North Carolina defensive lineman Jahvaree Ritzie.
#5 JAHVAREE RITZIE/DL NORTH CAROLINA – 6042, 294 pounds (Graduate Student)
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Jahvaree Ritzie | 6042/294 | 10 1/4 | 33 1/4 | 81 1/8 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 5.00 | 1.70 | N/A | 7.78 | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 9’6” | 35.5 | 26 |
The Good
— Good size, solid length, and very good hand size
— Experience playing in 1- and 2- gap
— Keeps eyes on quarterback while rushing
— Solid as the penetrator on stunts
— Flashes a good bull rush
— Good motor when chasing the ball outside
— Good mental processing recognizing blocking scheme
— Solid lateral agility to fight reach blocks
The Bad
— Snap timing is inconsistent
— Pops up from his stance rather than out
— Hand placement rushing the passer marginal
— Pass rush plan in undeveloped
— Doesn’t counter with his hands
— Lacked quickness as the looper
— Leaves his chest open versus blockers
— Adequate disengaging from blocks
Bio
— Career: 138 tackles, 58 solo, 12 TFL, 9 sacks, 1 INT for 84 yards, 1 TD, 2 PBU, 2 FF
— 2024: 40 tackles, 20 solo, 7 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 1 INT for 84 yards, 1 TD, 1 PBU, 1 FF
— Combine invitee
— 52 games/20 starts
— In high school, All-American Bowl selection
— A two-time team MVP in track and field, competed in short sprints, relays and throws
— Also participated in basketball and cross country
— Mom, Kindra, was a college heptathlete at SUNY Brockport
— Brother Jahnaul competes in track and field at Charlotte
— Member of Kernersville Cares for Kids, a program protecting children from drugs
— Birthday 1/31/2023 (22)
Tape Breakdown
Jahvaree Ritzie is a defensive lineman with very good height and solid weight. He also has solid length and very good hand size. He primarily played the 3-technique but also played the 1-technique and lined up over the center on third and long plays.
As a pass rusher, he has solid snap quickness and a good motor, and he rushes with his eyes up on the quarterback. He will try hand swipes and chops when taking on blockers, and his best pass rush was a bull rush versus interior offensive linemen. He was solid as the penetrator on twists and stunts to open up lanes for teammates. He was often used on contain rushes, looping outside to box in the quarterback. He makes a concerted effort to get his hands into passing lanes. When chasing outside the pocket, he displays good speed and effort.
His sacks were effort over technique.
His bull rush works when he combines pad level and hand placement.
Big guy TD.
Against the run, he has good mental processing for identifying blocks. When playing 1-gap, he has a solid burst to get in gaps, and as a 2-gap defender, he has solid hand placement and play strength to stack and shed defenders.
He has solid lateral agility to fight reach blocks on outside runs and uses good effort to string out the play to the sideline.
He pops up at the snap versus pass and run rather than bursting forward. His hand placement when pass-rushing is marginal and does not connect consistently. His pass rush plan is marginal when he doesn’t bull rush. His attempts at stabs and rips were largely ineffective. He does not counter with his hands when the rush is unsuccessful. As the looper, he lacked quickness to threaten through the gap.
Many of his pass rushes were truncated or never really got started.
Against the run, too often, he has poor hand usage and leaves his chest open, or he will lead with his shoulder and get turned around by the blocker. He was adequate at disengaging from blocks but lacks the anchor to hold his ground vs. double-team blocks.
Conclusion
Overall, Ritzee has good size and solid length with experience on the interior defense line. He has a good motor, keeps his eyes up when pass rushing, and was asked to rush in various ways. Against the run, he has flashed the ability to penetrate as a 1-gap defender and stack and shed as a 2-gap defender. He recognizes run blocks well and can string out the play to the sideline.
Areas to improve include his pad level at the snap, hand usage when rushing the passer, and developing a pass rush plan. It would also be beneficial to win with his hands when taking on blocks, keep defenders off his chest, and improve the speed with which he gets off blocks.
When drafting reports on players, I try not to say that a player “can” do something because it doesn’t indicate their level of success. Ritzee is a player who can bull rush. He can shed blocks. He can get off the snap quickly with a good pad level. The issue is that there is no consistency with his game. Maybe that was by coaching design, or maybe that is just the way he plays. Based on size, there is potential to be a 3-tech or even a 5-tech, but he will need to show a lot of consistency to stick at the next level.
For a player comp, I’ll give you Treyvon Hester. He was of good size and solid athleticism and had good reactions versus the run but played with inconsistent pad level and burst at the nap.
Projection: Last Day Three/UDFA
Depot Draft Grade: 5.6 Undrafted Free Agent (PFA)
Games Watched: 2024 – At Minnesota, At Virginia, At Florida State At Boston College, Vs North Carolina State
