Rookie report continues with the first third round pick of the 2016 NFL draft for the Ravens, Bronson Kaufusi.
Coming into the third addition of Rookie Report, we take a look at the third round pick for the Baltimore Ravens. After taking Ronnie Stanley in the first round, they went back to back with defensive players in Kamalei Correa and Bronson Kaufusi.
The first thing about Kaufusi that stands out is his size. He is absolutely ginormous at 6’6″ and 285 pounds. At that frame, he dominated during his time at BYU. He was able to play behind and learn from teammate Ezekiel Ansash, who went on to be a top ten pick in the 2013 draft. In his senior year, Kaufusi finished the season with a 10 sacks and a whopping 19.5 tackles for loss. At 24 years old, he was one of the older prospects coming in his draft class. This was because of a two year church mission trip he took after high school.
When he was drafted: 70th overall (3rd round)
What was said about Kaufusi going into the draft:
"Strengths: Plays with the motor expected from a coach’s son. Quality hand work and is able to redirect with them. Good backside presence in running game and charges hard down the line of scrimmage. Comes out of his stance and into his pass rush with good pad level and forward lean. Never quits on plays and will pursue way down the field. Has a long frame that may be able to carry more muscle.Weaknesses: Too easily caved in and washed down when blocked on angles. Tries to bend but pad level still ends up higher than he would like thanks to his height. Play strength is an area of concern. Thin legs lose their base when he is redirected with power. Tight-hipped pass rusher that has a prolonged corner turn to the quarterback — even on wins. Much of sack production came on extended plays or with effort over skill. Unable to generate consistent penetration when slanting into gaps."
One of the forgotten players
Even with the many defensive needs, people forget that Bronson Kaufusi is on the roster. Along with Kamalei Correa, he did not see the game time he wanted, but for a different reason. Kaufusi suffered a broken ankle during training camp which caused him to miss the entire 2016 season. He has now had almost a year to fully recover and should be good to go for the start of training camp. You might have forgotten about him but last season but I label him as a breakout candidate for this season. I think he will be eager to show what he can do on the field this year.
Next: Ravens Draft: Plans A-C For The 1st Round
The defensive end position is an interesting spot for the Ravens right now. They lost Lawrence Guy to the Patriots in free agency and traded away Timmy Jernigan to the Eagles. Other than Brent Urban, there is a lot of unproven talent at the position. With that being said, it speaks volumes to let two starters from last season go. It shows that the coaches and front office are confident with the players on the roster, including Kaufusi. Do not be surprised when you see him reeking havoc in NFL backfields next season. In the Raven’s 3-4 defense, he has the perfect opportunity to use his size to his advantage.