E.J. Lightsey LB Georgia Tech |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #2 PLAY STYLE: MULI-ROLE LB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 10/07/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.65 seconds (67%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #2 | |
| PLAY STYLE: MULI-ROLE LB | |
| Last Updated: 10/07/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.65 seconds (67%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
80.1 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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73% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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79% |
| Pass Rush: |
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54% |
| Run Defense: |
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79% |
| Coverage: |
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64% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
7th
Overall Rank:
#216
Position rank:
#29 (LB)
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| College Games: 29 College Snaps: 1098 | ||
ESPN RATING: 78/100
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247 RATING: 89/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.7 (93%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jimmy Rolder - Michigan |
|
80% |
| Wesley Bissainthe - Miami |
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80% |
| Tommy Eichenberg - Ohio State |
|
79% |
Draft Profile: Bio
E.J. Lightsey was named the top defensive player in Georgia's Class 2A and a first-team all-state pick for a state championship team at Fitzgerald High School, and he signed with his home-state Georgia Bulldogs as a three-star linebacker. He redshirted in 2022 and missed the 2023 season with an injury before transferring to Georgia Tech.Lightsey made an early mark with the Yellow Jackets, returning an interception 21 yards for a touchdown in a 30-29 win over NC State in 2024. He moved into the starting lineup for good in 2025, starting all 13 games and finishing second on the team with 76 tackles, including a career-high 12 against No. 4 Georgia.
Now a fifth-year senior and a Senior Bowl Top 300 selection, Lightsey has played every game in the middle of Georgia Tech's defense this fall, with 11 tackles in the 45-24 loss to Tennessee.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Run defense leads his game: triggers fast, fills his gap and finishes near the line
- Strong tackler this fall, with one miss in four games
- Twelve tackles against No. 4 Georgia in 2025, his best game as a starter
- Steady first year in the lineup, with 76 tackles in 2025
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Drops into coverage are a liability, with 22 catches allowed on 33 targets in 2025
- Little impact as a blitzer, without a sack in the last two seasons
- Missed 11 tackles in 2025, four of them at NC State
- Injury history includes a lost 2023 and four missed games in 2024
- Short on splash plays, with one pass breakup and no takeaways since 2024
Scouting Report: Summary
Lightsey has taken the long road to a starting job, from a redshirt and a lost season at Georgia to a touchdown-scoring reserve and finally a full-time starter at Georgia Tech. His best work comes against the run. He reads his keys, fills his gap with purpose and finishes tackles close to the line, and he played his best game of 2025 against his former team, piling up 12 tackles against a Georgia offense loaded with NFL talent. He has also cleaned up his tackling this fall, with only one miss in four games.However, he is a two-down linebacker on tape. Opponents targeted him regularly in coverage last season, completing 22 of 33 passes, and he has not produced a sack in two seasons or a turnover since 2024. The 11 missed tackles in 2025 were a concern, and his injury history adds another layer of risk for a player who will be a fifth-year senior.
Overall, Lightsey is a tough, instinctive run defender whose path to the NFL runs through special teams. He projects as a seventh-round linebacker whose job will be won or lost on the kick coverage units in August.
How other scouting services rate E.J. Lightsey (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
174.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
23.0
*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.