Cole Sullivan LB Oklahoma |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #23 PLAY STYLE: MULI-ROLE LB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.60 seconds (79%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #23 | |
| PLAY STYLE: MULI-ROLE LB | |
| Last Updated: 08/03/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.60 seconds (79%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
77.5 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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76% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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75% |
| Pass Rush: |
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69% |
| Run Defense: |
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70% |
| Coverage: |
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50% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
7th
Overall Rank:
#243
Position rank:
#26 (LB)
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| College Games: 13 College Snaps: 345 | ||
ESPN RATING: 79/100
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247 RATING: 87/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jaiden Ausberry - Notre Dame |
|
87% |
| Jaden Dugger - Louisiana |
|
85% |
| Francisco Mauigoa - Miami |
|
83% |
Draft Profile: Bio
A three-star out of Central Catholic in Pittsburgh, Sullivan picked Michigan over sixteen offers, including Notre Dame, Duke, Stanford and Wisconsin, drawing buzz for eye-popping athleticism that earned him a freak-show label inside the program. He played in twelve games as a true freshman in 2024 with four tackles, then stepped in for departed star Jaishawn Barham in 2025.Sullivan opened the season with five tackles, a sack and an interception against New Mexico and never slowed, finishing with 32 tackles, three interceptions, two sacks and eighteen run stops across eleven games. The real ball production and plus timed speed showed up all year, and he entered the transfer portal afterward and committed to Oklahoma as an ascending, around-the-ball defender. The three interceptions and a pair of sacks added splash to his first year as a starter, and the eye-popping athleticism carried his profile to a high-major transfer.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Ballhawk instincts, picking off three passes with the nose for the ball
- Intercepted New Mexico and Nebraska while flashing range
- Good timed speed to close on the ball in space
- Three-time defensive player of the week as a breakout sophomore
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Coverage is a liability despite the interception total
- Gave up too many yards in coverage when targeted
- Missed seven tackles on a rotation snap count
- Plays at 230 pounds, light against downhill power inside
- Middling against the run for an every-down projection
Scouting Report: Summary
Sullivan is a ballhawk off-ball linebacker whose three interceptions and nose for the ball are the headline, a breakout sophomore who picked off New Mexico and Nebraska and earned three defensive-player-of-the-week nods. He brings good timed speed to close in space, and the takeaway production flashes a player with real instincts for finding the football. The playmaking is the reason he is on the radar despite a smaller role.The coverage profile is more complicated than the picks suggest. His gives up too much in coverage despite the interception total, he gave up too many yards when targeted, and he missed seven tackles on a rotation snap count. At 230 pounds he is light against downhill power inside, and his run defense is ordinary for an every-down projection. He is a boom-or-bust cover player whose consistency has to catch up to the splash plays.
He works as a sub-package coverage linebacker whose takeaway instincts give him a role while he tightens the coverage consistency and adds run-game strength. The shaky coverage and the light frame cap the projection, but the ball production is a real, if volatile, trait. He grades as a Day 3 linebacker on playmaking upside, now at a new program with a chance to expand the role.
How other scouting services rate Cole Sullivan (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
155.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
17.0
*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.