Carter's Classroom draft profile: T.J. Watt, linebacker

One of the more talked about players in the 2017 NFL draft class who isn't consistently projected to go in the first round is the outside linebacker from Wisconsin, T. J. Watt.

Watt first had a spotlight on him thanks to his older superstar brother, J. J. Watt, but he's kept that spotlight on him with consistent play and fundamental defense on a unit that contended for the Big Ten championship with Penn State this year.

His athleticism, skill set and size make him a prospect who teams can consider at both outside and inside linebacker, despite Wisconsin relying on him as the former throughout the 2016 season.

We get into his tape on his edge play primarily, with a little reasoning after as to why he could be a guy that the Steelers could consider for either position:



Watt's combine showed what his tape already suggested; he doesn't have elite straight line speed, but he's an explosive player with good lateral movement and agility. He ran a 4.68 in the forty yard dash, but he ranked among the top of his class for both the vertical and broad jumps, the three cone drill and both the 20 yard and 60 yard shuttle runs.

His 6-foot-4-inch, 252-pound frame also makes for the lengthy type of player who can use his arms to keep opponents away from his chest, making it more difficult for any offensive lineman to get control of him at the point of attack.

The tape on Watt shows that he knows how to use that length, displaying fundamentals both in tackling and with engaging linemen.

GOOD HANDS

When Watt attacks linemen he looks to gain leverage on his opponents, not by attacking the outside shoulder or using rip or spin moves to get around them, but by attacking the inside of their body and pushing them backwards so he can move off of them.

Watch how he uses a bull rush to drive this tackle into the quarterback, crumpling the pocket and forcing the sack:



That's old school and a bit of what linemen look to do to defenders, but it works for him. He recorded 11.5 sacks in 2016 and most of them came from rushing just like he did in the above play.

It not only turns the tables on offensive linemen, but it also shows what he can do in the run game. That kind of approach of winning the battle to gain inside leverage becomes a problem for offensive linemen when they need to drive their opponents, so Watt causes them frustrations.

Watt also knows how to switch it up from that technique to set up linemen when they get caught leaning in to take him on. Watch his olé move here as he catches the offensive lineman trying to get inside on him:



Watt has a good sense of momentum, struggle and how to take advantage of opponents. He can drive linemen into the backfield, stone wall them on the edge by fighting for better hand position inside or fake them out like he did in the play above.

EDGE RUSH TRAITS

When Watt is given the green light to rush, he brings it in his own way. Watch the sack below as he uses his own style of rush of using his long arms to gain leverage on the tackle and brush by him to get after the quarterback:



It's not conventional, but it did get the job done in the NCAA. Watt's size allowed him to use his long arms to keep linemen from getting a hold of him. That hand-fighting can be an asset, but one has to wonder how that will translate to the NFL where more tackles are large enough to counter Watt's long reach.

Watt does have good burst off the line and can bring big hits in the backfield. It's not great, as other players in this class have a better first step, but you can see how he can negate that difference with his heads-up style of play.

Watch how Ohio State lets Watt off the edge and is setting him up to be trapped by the pulling left guard:



Watt realizes immediately what Ohio State is trying to do and closes down on the backfield so fast that the guard never gets the chance to touch him. He even hits the running back so hard that J.T. Barrett gets cut off and the play is shut down.

While these are fun to watch, these aren't the the skills that NFL scouts look for in a premier pass rusher. Watt does not have good bend or an arsenal of pass rush moves that meet the criteria for a pure pass rusher. That's probably the biggest factor as to why he's not slated higher in the draft.

SETS EDGE

What does have Watt's stock as high as it is today is his consistent display of fundamentals. He doesn't possess the moves of a typical elite pass rusher, but he does know how to set the edge and maintain leverage to turn runs back to the inside.

Watch how he does just that against Michigan, even when the offensive tackle gets to his outside shoulder, something that can be a cardinal sin for some outside linebackers:



Watt's able to get his hand back to the inside on the lineman and shuffles his feet so that he can cut off the running back's path to the outside and force him back to where Wisconsin's defense is waiting.

Setting the edge against the run is a vital skill that not all outside linebackers naturally possess. Watt has that in spades, which will attract teams who need to solidify their run defense.

PLAYMAKER

Watt's a player with great lateral movement, which is why teams also consider him as a potential candidate for inside linebacker. He has a motor that always has him looking to make a play no matter his assignment.

Watch how he comes off the edge on this play, checks on the dump down receiver and then makes a play on the ball for the interception that he returns for a touchdown:



Watt's ability to move side to side, cut and break quickly in space is an asset. It will allow NFL teams to consider giving him multiple responsibilities out in space and run between zone assignments or come out to cover targets in the flats.

STEELERS STOCK

Like our breakdown of Haason Reddick,  Watt fits both of the Steelers' most immediate needs of a potential inside linebacker and an outside linebacker by practice.

Whether Watt would fit the bill for either position is a question Kevin Colbert will have to consider. Watt is not a prospect who is considered as a first round player, but he's also one who many expect to last into the late second round.

His length and lateral movement may make him a good prospect for the Steelers to take a chance on, but in the first round it may be a bit of a reach to pick him up.

If you're wondering why the Steelers would want to pass up on a player who shows to play with fundamentally sound techniques, decent athleticism and a solid NFL lineage, it's because they have a big need for a pure pass rusher and Watt does not fit that bill.

Watt is a player who looks like he can create sacks on occasion, but not consistently by NFL standards. The Steelers need a player who can be a terror in the backfield as well as a sure bet to be a run stopper.

Watt has the latter part of that bill filled, but not the pass rusher part. Despite his impressive sack numbers in his senior year, there's still a question of how he'll be able to translate his pass rush moves when more offensive linemen have consistent length and strength to counter his style of rushing.

There will also most likely be more natural inside linebackers available in the first round, so taking a first round stab at Watt may pass up better prospects at either position. However, if Watt does manage to fall to the late round and the Steelers are looking for an inside linebacker, he may be worth the chance depending on who is there.