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Darryl Blackstock OLB Virginia 6’4 240 Jr.
By: Robert Davis

Darryl Blackstock jumped onto the scene immediately as a freshman in 2002. He totaled 107 tackles with 14 for loss, and 10 sacks. He earned National Defensive Freshman of the Year by various sources, and was a unanimous selection to freshman all american teams. As a sophomore, he had 85 tackles, 16 of them for loss, and 6 sacks. The sack numbers popped back up as a junior, when he finished with 11 sacks with 45 tackles, 14 of them for loss.

Blackstock is tailor made for a 3-4 outside linebacker role. He is a prolific pass rusher, and is a terror moving up the field. He has the frame to pack on some more weight once he gets into the league, and has very good all around athletic ability. With his experience rushing the passer from the 3-4 scheme, he could make an instant impact in the NFL.

While he is an accomplished pass rusher, Blackstock needs work in every other part of his game. He needs to bulk up and get stronger to get off blocks at the next level. With his pass rush ability, he wasn’t asked to drop into coverage much, and he needs to develop this part of his game. He may not be a very good fit in a 4-3 defense, which most teams run in the NFL.

Blackstock is a premiere talent at linebacker for teams that run the 3-4. He could be a perennial double digit sack man if used correctly. He also has the physical skills to develop the all around skills teams would like. Blackstock looks like a solid 2nd rounder, but a team at the end of the first like Pitt or New England, two teams that run the 3-4, could take him at the end of the first.

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