With the NFL morphing more and more into a league driven by the abilities of its quarterbacks and wide receivers, the need to put pressure on those signal callers both in the pocket and when the ball is in the air is essential.
Pass rushers Von Miller and Demarcus Ware bookended Denver's defense on the way to a victory in Super Bowl 50 over the Carolina Panthers, athletic players who can get after and take down quarterbacks like Cam Newton who can move in and out of the pocket. Ware and Miller weren't asked to drop in pass coverage much, but in today's NFL, outside linebackers must have the ability to do both.
Ohio State's Darron Lee can do both, and do both very well.
Lee exploded onto the scene as a redshirt freshman for the Buckeyes in 2014, finishing second on the team in both sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (16.5) while Ohio State won the inaugural College Football Playoff. He showed a rare ability to get after the quarterback but also play in space, especially on the sport's biggest stage:
Lee's interception return for a touchdown on an attempted bubble screen saved Ohio State against a scrappy Northern Illinois team last season, one of three career scores the former high school quarterback tallied in his brief Buckeye career.
Lee is a freak athlete, testing at or near the top among the other linebackers at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine in the 40-yard dash, broad jump and vertical. He morphed into the ideal modern-era linebacker and a soon-to-be first round pick.
But where will Lee get drafted? What franchises have needs Lee could fill? Here are five.
Miami Dolphins
Where They're Picking: First Round (13th overall)
Breakdown: The Dolphins finished 25th in total defense and sacks in 2015 and want to add speed to the unit this offseason, especially at linebacker. Lee is explosive, has great range for an outside linebacker and should continue to improve as he gets more experience playing the position. New defensive coordinator Vance Joseph plans to keep the 4-3 in place in Miami, which Lee thrived in at Ohio State. Miami added Kiko Alonso in a trade with Philadelphia last month, but need a quick twitch athlete at the position. Lee is that.
New York Giants
Where They're Picking: First Round (10th overall)
Breakdown: New York needs playmakers on both sides of the ball, but speed at linebacker was a glaring issue last season. Tenth might be too high for Lee, especially considering he is in a draft class that includes UCLA's Myles Jack. Jack is considered the best prospect at outside linebacker, but Lee is not far behind. The Giants sit in an interesting spot in the draft order, but must address a pass rush that racked up only 23 sacks in 2015.
Atlanta Falcons
Where They're Picking: First Round (17th overall)
Breakdown: Atlanta's 19 sacks in 2015 were the fewest in the NFL. Its defense was serviceable outside of that statistic, finishing 17th in total yards allowed in the regular season. However, the lack of playmaking ability and athleticism at the position is a hole Lee can fill from Day 1. The Falcons might wait to take a linebacker in the second round where Lee probably won't be available, but Dan Quinn is a creative defensive coach that could jump at the opportunity to grab a player of his talent and caliber to pair with Vic Beasley and Courtney Upshaw in Atlanta's pass rush.
Chicago Bears
Where They're Picking: First Round (11th overall)
Breakdown: Chicago's defense under new coordinator Vic Fangio is set to be an attacking 3-4 that sometimes appears as a 4-3 over. Either way, Fangio likes to utilize a wide range of linebackers and pass rushers who are athletic and fly to the ball. Chicago's defense finished 14th in total yards allowed in 2015, but it is clear Fangio will address the second level of the unit before the season begins. Lee charges at the ball and does well in pursuit, so the Bears might see him fit at No. 11.
New York Jets
Where They're Picking: First Round (20th overall)
Breakdown: The Jets need help at outside linebacker after deploying defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson at the position just so he could get on the field with Leonard Williams and Muhammad Wilkerson at the same time. New York could go a different route with Leonard Floyd or even Noah Spence, but head coach Todd Bowles isn't afraid to change up his scheme based on the personnel he has on his roster. Lee would step right in be a game changer on the outside and allow the Jets to play with different lineups for different situations.
Honorable Mention: New Orleans Saints, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
