As the 2018 NFL Draft draws closer, teams are beginning to hold their official visits with prospects of their own choosing. The Cowboys have already met with a few different prospects thus far, and they’ve reportedly added a linebacker to that list this week.
Multiple reports are saying the Cowboys will meet with Boise State linebacker Leighton Vander Esch this week, adding him to the list of 30 potential visits.
Vander Esch is a bit of a controversial prospect in the draft world. As I’ve stated before, he tested like a freak athletically, and his combine profile alone would put him in the discussion on day one. The problems I have with Vander Esch have nothing to do with his athleticism, however, and everything to do with his actual football-playing ability.
On film, I see a player who struggles to get off blocks and will have trouble finding a home with the Cowboys. Still, I wouldn’t mind the Cowboys drafting Vander Esch – that pick cannot come in the first round though.
Vander Esch is a long, rangy, and athletic linebacker who is at his best playing laterally and tracking down plays. As a blitzer, Vander Esch has some rather clear issues. He often runs directly into blocks and is unable to shed at the point of attack. I also don’t think he is as instinctual a player as some of the other linebackers in this class, such as BYU’s Fred Warner or Alabama’s Rashaan Evans.
The way things are looking, however, Vander Esch is going to be a first round pick. And if not, he’ll almost certainly be a top 50 pick. I wouldn’t be very comfortable taking him at 19, and I’d have to think twice before even taking him at 50 for that matter.
