Aeneas Peebles DL Virginia Tech | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Aeneas Peebles DL Virginia Tech
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| SUB-POSITION: DT 3-TECH | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/03/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.94 seconds (53%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| SUB-POSITION: DT 3-TECH | |
| Last Updated: 03/03/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.94 seconds (53%*) | |
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 83.0 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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80% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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53% |
| Pass Rush: |
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91% |
| Run Defense: |
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77% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
5th
Overall Rank:
#137
Position rank:
#34
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| College Games: 57 College Snaps: 1728 | ||
ESPN RATING: 73/100
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247 RATING: 89/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.6 (92%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jonah Tavai - San Diego State |
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82% |
| Calijah Kancey - Pittsburgh |
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70% |
| Gabriel Murphy - UCLA |
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69% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Aeneas Peebles (born January 1, 2001) honed his craft at Knightdale High School in North Carolina, where he accumulated 195 tackles and 27 sacks in his final two seasons while earning Northern Athletic 4A Defensive Player of the Year honors. The three-star recruit began his collegiate journey at Duke in 2020, appearing in 10 games as a freshman before steadily increasing his impact over the next three seasons. By 2023, Peebles had developed into a disruptive force for the Blue Devils, recording 40 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, and 4.0 sacks while co-leading the team in tackles for loss.Following four productive seasons at Duke where he tallied 84 tackles, 13.5 TFLs and 7.5 sacks across 47 games, Peebles transferred to Virginia Tech for his final year of eligibility. The 6'0", 282-pound defensive tackle immediately established himself as an interior terror for the Hokies, registering 31 tackles (11 solo) with 6.5 TFLs and 3.0 sacks in 12 starts. His consistent disruption in the trenches earned him First-Team All-ACC and Third-Team AP All-American recognition, capping a five-year college career that spanned 57 games and nearly 1,800 defensive snaps.
Peebles' dominance during his lone season in Blacksburg extended beyond traditional statistics, as he led all ACC defensive tackles with 35 pressures and ranked fifth nationally at his position according to Pro Football Focus. He particularly shined against Vanderbilt and Rutgers, recording five tackles in each contest while consistently collapsing the pocket from the interior. His stellar final campaign with the Hokies served as the perfect showcase for a player who transformed from an unheralded three-star prospect into one of college football's most effective interior defenders.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Fires off the ball with exceptional pad level and leverage, turning his lack of height into a genuine advantage when knifing through interior gaps.
- Possesses violent hands that shock blockers at the point of attack – he'll stun guards with his initial punch despite lacking ideal length.
- Works with a boxer's mentality, constantly probing for openings and wearing down opponents with relentless pressure and movement.
- Has developed a silky smooth spin counter that catches interior linemen flat-footed when they overcommit to his initial move.
- Shows rare contact balance for his size, maintaining his center of gravity through traffic and fighting through arm tackles.
- Creates pressure with secondary rush moves when initial path is stalled – never quits on plays and has picked up several "effort sacks."
- Consistently battles his way off single blocks with active feet and hand fighting techniques that belie his experience level.
- Diagnoses screens and misdirection plays with keen awareness, showing discipline to track ball carriers rather than rushing blindly upfield.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Lacks the arm length to consistently control and shed blocks once offensive linemen latch onto his frame.
- Suffers significant effectiveness drop when forced to anchor against double teams in the run game.
- Inconsistent tackling technique leads to whiffs in the backfield and missed opportunities to finish plays he creates.
- Gets overwhelmed by mass and power when facing straight-ahead drive blocks from larger interior linemen.
- Occasionally guesses on snap counts, leading to neutral zone infractions when his timing is off.
Scouting Report: Summary
Peebles enters the league as an interior defender with a clear strength as an interior pass-rusher. When aligned in the three-technique or as a shaded nose, he flashes disruptive potential by working through A and B gaps with sudden quickness. His exceptional production as an interior rusher is evident on film, where he consistently pressures quarterbacks with an array of moves and relentless effort. Defensive systems that emphasize penetration over two-gap responsibility will best utilize his natural skill set.The tape reveals a technically sound player who maximizes his physical tools despite limitations. Peebles compensates for average size with outstanding leverage and hand usage, particularly when slipping between interior offensive linemen. His cerebral approach to rushing the passer stands out, as he sets up blocks and counters throughout games. Against the run, he shows flashes of quality play but lacks the consistency needed for every-down reliability at this stage of his development.
Looking forward, Peebles projects as a rotational interior defensive lineman with specialized pass-rushing value on obvious throwing downs. His tackling issues will limit his immediate impact, but his refined pass-rush skillset provides immediate utility. Defensive schemes that allow him to attack a single gap and penetrate will maximize his strengths while minimizing his vulnerability against double teams. With technical refinement in his run defense and tackling, Peebles could develop into more than just a situational player, though his physical limitations create a defined ceiling to his projection.
Written By:
Felix Green (ACC)
Aeneas Peebles percentiles vs other Defensive Lines (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Aeneas Peebles (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
115.3
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
35.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.