Jerry Hughes has a terrific first step that all quality NFL pass rushers possess. Hughes is frequently the first player to move at the snap of the ball. The Ted Hendricks Award winner dips his shoulder and achieves leverage on his outside rush. The speed rush is his signature move. However, the two-time All-American is no one trick pony. The former TCU star has an effective rip and spin move. He can work his way inside and catch an offensive tackle by surprise with a solid bull rush. The two-year starter uses his hands well to create space and has a decent club move to knock a blocker off-balance. Hughes refuses to be blocked and is relentless in his pursuit of quarterbacks and running backs. The Mountain West Conference Player of the Year is an alert player who is quick to read a screen pass. Hughes bends his knees well and has a low center of gravity. He tackles well in space. Hughes has quick and powerful hands that he uses to dislodge the football. His thick thighs and strong hips make it difficult to knock him off of his feet. The anchor of TCU's stingy defense looked fluid working out for NFL teams in linebacker drills. He has fairly long arms.
Weaknesses:
Hughes can be engulfed by a double-team. He could use some work on getting off of blocks faster in run support. An offense can have some success running the ball right at him. He pursues better than he sheds blocks. His instincts for recognizing the trap block are average. Hughes is undersized for an NFL defensive end. He is a strong candidate to be converted into an outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. Hughes has very little experience dropping into coverage or rushing from a 2-point stance.
Football Character & Mental Make-Up:
Hughes is a self-starter and really works at honing his craft. The TCU practices are known to be very demanding. Hughes is a well-conditioned football player who was a leader on the practice field. He gained solid weight and strength during his four years in college. Hughes immersed himself into learning the intricacies of playing defensive end after being a high school running back. He would watch extra film and adjusted so quickly that there was no need to redshirt him. He was a good student-athlete and comes from a stable and supportive family.
Jerry Hughes Draft Value
Rating:
Late 1st Round
NOTE: Our ratings are NOT where we predict a player will be drafted, but rather, where we believe a player SHOULD be drafted based upon future production.
Forecast:
Jerry Hughes makes disruptive plays and is a natural at putting pressure on quarterbacks. He has the change of direction skills to make the transition to outside linebacker. The success of undersized pass rushers, such as, Elvis Dumervil, should give an NFL team the confidence to select Hughes by the 2nd round. In addition, we think he can be a versatile defender who can rush as a defensive end on 3rd down passing situations. Many teams that utilize the 3-4 want to be able to mix-in the 4-3. Hughes is such a student of the game that he should develop into a multi-positional front seven defender for a team.
Note: We put as much effort into researching a player’s football character (passion or interest in the game) and mental make-up as we do grading game film. Why? Because it is just as important (perhaps more so) as a player’s physical tools. Our scouting reports reflect this emphasis on capturing the total picture.
