2015 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Oregon DE/DT Arik Armstead
ARIK ARMSTEAD- 6’8, 290- JR.
Arik Armstead may not jump off the page at the casual college football fan as a recognizable name; though he has played on three pretty successful teams, the Oregon defensive lineman has not exactly been a standout contributor during his three college seasons. However, because of his monstrous size and outstanding traits as a player, he’s probably the next most intriguing prospect behind USC’s Leonard Williams for a team that is looking for a player in this year’s NFL Draft with the versatility to play a 3-technique or 5-technique defensive tackle role.
Armstead actually has lined up a fair amount as a traditional defensive end on the offensive tackle’s outside shoulder in Oregon’s defense, so theoretically he’s capable of contributing at three different positions. With that said, he probably doesn’t fit as an edge rusher in the NFL due to his lack of speed rushing technique or explosiveness.
Armstead will need to be developed and nurtured a bit, as he’s been held back by several injuries during the course of his college career and also missed a substantial chunk of the Ducks’ offseason program as a freshman while playing on the basketball team. If he’s probably coached up, however, Armstead has the potential to make an impact similar to that of Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Calais Campbell, using his exceptional size and power to contribute all across the defensive line and dominate offensive linemen.
Despite the fact that he hasn’t been tremendously productive in college, Armstead’s size and athleticism, combined with a relative lack of interior defensive line talent in this year’s draft class, could very well allow him to be taken in the first round. Barring unforeseen circumstances, it’s extremely unlikely that Armstead will last beyond the end of the second.
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POSITIVES: absolutely massive, size makes him a realistic fit at any position along any defensive line in the league…has experience playing the three-technique and five-technique defensive tackle spots in addition to his primary role as a traditional 4-3 defensive end in Oregon’s scheme…disciplined and tactful with his positioning; does not over-pursue…exceptional power rusher; his length creates major problems for offensive linemen, especially when he attacks from the interior…on the rare occasion that he takes advantage of finesse moves (usually a swim), exhibits good hip movement and use of his momentum to get into the backfield.
NEGATIVES: Not exceptionally explosive, has to get himself into the backfield by exerting tremendous power rather than using a speed rush…cannot afford to play with a high pad level, which he generally avoids, but when he does so he gets taken out of the play completely…lacks burst off the ball at times, which puts him at a disadvantage especially when he’s rushing off the edge…closing speed is average at best…highly susceptible to cut blocks; Texas took advantage of this when facing him in the 2013 Alamo Bowl…does not contribute much as a run defender (which can be partially attributed to his role within Oregon’s scheme)…has been limited by injuries and has not been an exceptionally productive college player; only has four sacks over three seasons.
2014 Summary: Though Armstead is a likely first-rounder because of his rare combination of size and athleticism rather than his on-field production, he did have a pretty good junior season for the Ducks. While a bothersome ankle injury caused him to miss two games completely and fail to register any statistics in two others, he still managed to record 46 tackles and 2.5 sacks, both of which were career highs. He also contributed 5.5 tackles for loss and a team-high six quarterback hits. Armstead struggled a bit in the Rose Bowl against Florida State, but he rebounded to have arguably the best performance of his college career in the National Championship Game against Ohio State, recording nine tackles, the highest single-game total of his three-season career.
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Talent Grade: Late First/Early Second Round
Rams Role: If he ends up settling in as a defensive tackle in the NFL, Armstead would be a near-ideal fit in the Rams’ defensive scheme. Though they strayed from their style this past season by selecting 6-foot-1, 285-pound defensive tackle Aaron Donald, the Rams have generally shown a preference for freakishly big defensive tackles like Armstead. Since Jeff Fisher, and probably more significantly, defensive line coach Mike Waufle, have arrived in St. Louis, they’ve acquired seven defensive tackles who stand 6-foot-5 or taller: Kendall Langford, Michael Brockers, Matt Conrath, Alex Carrington, and Kellen Heard, as well as practice squad members Mason Brodine and Doug Worthington.
Unfortunately, Armstead’s projected value doesn’t match up with the Rams’ needs. With Donald and Brockers firmly entrenched as the Rams’ starters in 2015, it wouldn’t make sense for the team to draft a backup defensive tackle with the 10th overall pick. There will be a need at the position, however, with Langford likely to be released and Carrington unlikely to be retained as a free agent this offseason, so if the Rams trade back to the latter part of the first round or if Armstead ends up dropping to the second (which is by no means out of the question), then perhaps he would be a target.
Film Watched: vs. Ohio State (2014), vs. Florida State (2014), vs. Michigan State (2014), vs. Texas (2013)
Next: 2015 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Ohio State DE/OLB Noah Spence