Holmes originally committed to Ohio St out of high school, but did not score high enough on his SAT to gain entrance into the school. He wound up in Arizona at Scottsdale Community College, and became one of the most sought after players in the country. In two years at SCC, Holmes had 192 tackles, 40 for loss, and 16 sacks. In his first season for the Wildcats, Holmes had 36 tackles, five for loss, and four sacks.
Louis Holmes is all about getting after the quarterback. He is a very good athlete and uses it to routinely beat tackles and get into the backfield. He changes direction well, and has a nose for the football in the backfield. Holmes has a great frame for a DE. He is long and lean, and has plenty of room for more growth, despite already topping 260lbs.
Holmes still relies on his athleticism too much. He will play upright and times, and coupled with his lankiness, makes him a non factor in running plays when the tackle gets a hold of him. He also lacks the outstanding closing speed most big play pass rushers possess.
This is his first year at the Division I level, but it may be his last. His size, athleticism, and pass rush potential could make him very attractive to scouts. Holmes could use another year in college to bulk up more, and refine his overall game. The potential is there to be a 1st rounder, but he does not look like he will go that high if he declares this year.