Jalen McLeod LB/EDGE Auburn | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Jalen McLeod LB/EDGE Auburn
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| PLAY STYLE: EDGE OLB | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 02/14/2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.64 seconds (70%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| PLAY STYLE: EDGE OLB | |
| Last Updated: 02/14/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.64 seconds (70%*) | |
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 82.4 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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79% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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71% |
| Pass Rush: |
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99% |
| Run Defense: |
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92% |
| Coverage: |
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79% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#186
Position rank:
#17
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| College Games: 54 College Snaps: 1913 | ||
ESPN RATING: 72/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 83/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.2 (85%)
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Draft Profile: Bio
Born into the unforgiving streets of Washington D.C., Jalen McLeod's journey to the NFL draft began at Friendship Collegiate Academy, where he emerged as a defensive force for the Knights' back-to-back state championship runs. His senior campaign showcased the versatility that would become his calling card - 60 tackles, 10 sacks, and a remarkable four interceptions, demonstrating an innate feel for the game that transcended traditional position constraints.After starting his collegiate career at Appalachian State, McLeod transferred to Auburn and immediately proved he could hang in the SEC. His first season with the Tigers saw him rack up 50 tackles and 5.5 sacks, but it was his performance against Arkansas - a nine-tackle, three-sack masterpiece - that announced his arrival as a legitimate NFL prospect. The Bednarik Award player of the week honor that followed merely confirmed what the tape already showed.
His final season at Auburn saw McLeod take his game to another level, posting career highs across the board with 57 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and 8.0 sacks. The numbers tell only part of the story - it was his ability to line up anywhere from edge rusher to stack linebacker that had NFL scouts rewinding the tape, particularly after his dominant performances against Texas A&M and Alabama.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Exhibits rare positional flexibility - can rush off the edge with his hand in the dirt or drop into coverage from a two-point stance with equal effectiveness
- Natural leverage player who consistently gets under offensive tackles' pads, using his compact frame to establish a powerful anchor against the run
- Possesses an explosive first step off the edge that catches tackles off guard, particularly devastating when utilized in twist and stunt packages
- Shows advanced processing speed when reading blocking schemes, rarely takes false steps and maintains proper gap discipline
- Brings controlled violence as a tackler, consistently wraps and drives through contact with excellent finishing power in the box
- Demonstrates impressive spatial awareness in zone coverage, understanding route combinations and carrying receivers through his zone
- Relentless motor that never quits - fourth quarter production matches first quarter intensity, especially as a pass rusher
- Quick-twitch athlete who can redirect in space, showing excellent change of direction skills when working through traffic
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Undersized frame raises concerns about holding up against NFL offensive linemen, particularly when working against double teams in the run game
- Can get engulfed by longer-armed tackles who catch him cleanly, needs to develop better counter moves when initial rush is stalled
- Shows some hesitation when diagnosing complex run schemes, occasionally getting caught in no man's land against RPO concepts
- Tackling technique in space needs refinement - tends to duck head and lunge rather than breaking down and securing form tackles
- Pass rush arsenal still developing - relies heavily on speed and effort rather than refined hand usage and technical sophistication
Scouting Report: Summary
After breaking down McLeod's tape, I'm convinced he's going to make defensive coordinators very happy at the next level. The film against Texas A&M and Alabama showed exactly what makes him special - the explosive first step off the edge that gave five-star tackles fits, combined with the spatial awareness to drop into coverage and take away crossing routes. That's not something you see every day from a 236-pound defender.The Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles immediately come to mind as perfect landing spots. Both defenses love to create chaos with pre-snap movement and hybrid players, and McLeod's film screams scheme versatility. Watch his game against Arkansas - three sacks coming from three different alignments. That's the kind of flexibility that turns good defenses into nightmares for opposing offenses. His ability to win with speed off the edge while also having the hip fluidity to cover in space gives him intriguing developmental upside.
While his size limitations and tweener status might push him down draft boards, I see McLeod as a day three gem waiting to happen - likely in the fifth-round range. The production against SEC competition (8 sacks, 13.5 TFL in 2024) proves he can hang with elite competition, and his versatility makes him an ideal special teams contributor from day one with the potential to develop into a valuable defensive piece. Some size-obsessed teams might overlook him entirely, but in the right system, he has the tools to outplay his draft position significantly.
Jalen McLeod percentiles vs other Linebackers (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Jalen McLeod (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
227.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
27.0
*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.