Yhonzae Pierre LB/EDGE Alabama |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #42 PLAY STYLE: EDGE OLB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 09/16/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.60 seconds (79%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 21.11 DOB: 10/13/2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #42 | |
| PLAY STYLE: EDGE OLB | |
| Last Updated: 09/16/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 4.60 seconds (79%*) | |
| Age: 21.11 DOB: 10/13/2004 | |
| Overall Rating: |
87.3 / 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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50% |
| Pass Rush: |
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74% |
| Run Defense: |
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76% |
| Coverage: |
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75% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
1st - Mid
Overall Rank:
#17
Position rank:
#4 (LB)
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| College Games: 28 College Snaps: 805 | ||
ESPN RATING: 86/100
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247 RATING: 98/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.1 (100%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Drew Sanders - Arkansas |
|
81% |
| Trey Moore - Texas |
|
77% |
| Jaishawn Barham - Michigan |
|
72% |
Draft Profile: Bio
A five-star out of Eufaula, Alabama, and a cousin of former Crimson Tide linebacker Courtney Upshaw, Pierre was the No. 28 overall prospect and the No. 2 player in his state in the 2023 class, earning an All-American Bowl invite.He played sparingly behind a deep Alabama front before breaking out as a redshirt freshman in 2025. Working off the edge, Pierre led the Tide's young rushers with nine sacks and 45 pressures, adding 34 run stops and forcing three fumbles.
His loudest game came against Tennessee, where he posted two sacks and six pressures, and he forced two more fumbles in a separate outing against Missouri. The nine-sack jump was sudden for a player who had spent two years waiting his turn behind veterans. He finished with 38 tackles across fifteen games while rotating into a heavier role down the stretch.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Productive pass rusher, generating forty-five pressures and nine sacks
- Beat Tennessee for two sacks and six total pressures
- Among the SEC's most disruptive edges, a high-volume presence
- Holds the edge against the run with thirty-four stops
- Pressured South Carolina seven times while logging five run stops
- Stripped three fumbles, converting pass-rush wins into takeaways
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Tackling is a real flaw, with thirteen misses on the year
- Dips in coverage when dropped into space off the edge
- Pass rush trails the sack production, suggesting some splash
- Pad level climbs late, costing him the corner on long rushes
Scouting Report: Summary
Pierre is a high-motor rusher with a quick get-off who turned a productive breakout into nine sacks and strip-sacks, and he sets a firm edge against the run with thirty-four stops, so the projection is broader than a pure speed rusher. However, he missed thirteen tackles, his coverage dips when dropped into space, and the disruption outruns the sack count at times, which points to some boom-or-bust rather than week-to-week steadiness.Overall, Pierre is a disruptive presence who plays with a relentless motor, but the tackle finish has to tighten to hold up every down. He projects as a three-down starter who kicks inside as a sub-package rusher, with the ceiling of a high-end starter if the finishing cleans up.
How other scouting services rate Yhonzae Pierre (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
21.1
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
3.0
*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.