Fadil Diggs DL/EDGE Syracuse | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Fadil Diggs DL/EDGE Syracuse
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| SUB-POSITION: EDGE RUSHER | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 02/15/2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.75 seconds (84%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Shrine Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| SUB-POSITION: EDGE RUSHER | |
| Last Updated: 02/15/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.75 seconds (84%*) | |
| Bowl Invite: Shrine Bowl | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 82.0 / 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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59% |
| Pass Rush: |
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84% |
| Run Defense: |
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71% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
7th
Overall Rank:
#222
Position rank:
#49
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| College Games: 39 College Snaps: 1662 | ||
ESPN RATING: 83/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 93/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.8 (95%)
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Draft Profile: Bio
The journey of Fadil Diggs from Camden's Woodrow Wilson High School to the doorstep of the NFL reflects the evolution of a modern defensive weapon. After earning New Jersey's Gatorade Player of the Year honors and showing his athletic versatility with over 1,000 receiving yards alongside his defensive dominance, Diggs took his talents to College Station. His time at Texas A&M saw him develop from a raw freshman into a two-time team captain, before a graduate transfer to Syracuse unlocked his most productive season yet.The 6'5", 261-pound edge defender's final collegiate campaign with the Orange showcased the culmination of his development, as he terrorized offensive backfields to the tune of 14 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. His signature moment came in the overtime victory against UNLV, where his clutch sack set up Syracuse's game-winning drive. That knack for timely playmaking carried through to his momentum-shifting fumble recovery in overtime against Virginia Tech.
Across his career at both programs, Diggs accumulated 120 tackles, 32.5 tackles for loss, and 15.5 sacks while earning the trust of multiple coaching staffs as a three-time team captain. His senior season peaked with an upset victory over #6 Miami, where he recorded his third consecutive game with a sack while disrupting the Hurricanes' offense from multiple alignments.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Natural feel in space when dropping into coverage, displaying fluid hip transitions and awareness to disrupt passing lanes while maintaining quarterback vision
- Violent hands at the point of attack allow him to stack and shed effectively, particularly when setting the edge against tight ends in the run game
- High-level mental processing shows up in his quick recognition of screen plays and ability to sniff out misdirection without losing containment
- Versatile alignment flexibility enables defensive coordinators to deploy him from both 2-point and 3-point stances across multiple fronts
- Exceptional closing burst to the quarterback once he creates separation, showing the ability to flatten and accelerate through contact
- Natural leadership qualities validated by being named team captain at two different programs speak to his locker room impact
- Disciplined edge setting against the run, consistently maintaining outside leverage while working to squeeze plays back inside
- Explosive first-step quickness off the edge shows up consistently on tape, particularly when attacking from wide alignments where his 4.75 speed creates immediate pressure
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Still developing a complete pass rush plan, too often relying on pure athleticism rather than setting up tackles with coordinated hand-fighting sequences
- Anchor strength against double teams needs refinement, occasionally getting displaced laterally when teams run directly at him
- Limited variety in pass rush counters when initial move is stalled, primarily defaulting to a speed-to-power rush without sophisticated alternatives
- Tendency to play with high pad level in run defense reduces his natural leverage advantage and allows offensive linemen to get under his pads
- Inconsistent hand placement when engaging blockers leads to some missed opportunities to disengage quickly in pursuit situations
Scouting Report: Summary
The tape shows a pass rush specialist whose game has clear strengths and defined limitations. Diggs' ability to get after the quarterback jumps off the film - he's got the explosive first step and natural pass rush instincts that translate to the next level. When he's freed up to attack in obvious passing situations, like we saw against Miami and UNLV, he can be a legitimate problem for offensive tackles.His tackling is a concern - he too often fails to finish plays he's in position to make. The run defense shows flashes but lacks consistency, and when teams run directly at him, he can get swallowed up. A team like Baltimore could maximize his pass-rush ability in specific packages while their veteran defensive infrastructure helps mask his weaknesses.
This is a day three prospect who needs to be deployed strategically to succeed. His pass-rushing upside will get him drafted, but the tackling and run defense limitations mean he's likely ticketed for a specialized role rather than every-down duties. Smart defensive coordinators will deploy him in pass-rushing situations and on special teams while developing his all-around game. If he can improve his tackling fundamentals and strengthen his anchor, there's rotational value here - but expecting more would be overselling his tape.
Fadil Diggs percentiles vs other Defensive Lines (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Fadil Diggs (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
208.7
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
56.0
*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.