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By Charlie Campbell
Weaknesses:
Summary: Under former head coach Chris Petersen and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake, Washington has been a steady source of defensive talent for the NFL. Despite Lake replacing the retired Petersen, that trend should continue. and Tryon could keep it going in the 2021 NFL Draft. After redshirting in 2017, Tryon was a backup as a redshirt freshman. During his sophomore year. he took over as a starter and broke out for the Huskies. He was one of the top pass-rushers in the Pac-12 in 2019, recording eight sacks with 41 tackles and 12.5 tackles for a loss. Tryon then decided to sit out the 2020 season and enter the 2021 NFL Draft.
The NFL has an insatiable desire for edge defenders who can get after a quarterback, so a player like Tryon should be in demand. As a pass rusher, Tryon has talent for the next level and a good combination of height, length, and speed off the edge. He displays a good get-off, firing off the ball to get upfield.
Tryon shows active hands and is skilled at using his hands and feet at the same time while keeping his eyes on the quarterback. He shows a nice variety in pass-rushing moves as well, using an arm over and a spin move, and he sets up tackles well to cut to the inside or outside. Tryon thrives off of space, and when he gets free, he flashes real pursuit skills with his speed to close quickly. When Tryon gets blockers hands off of him and finds a crease, quarterbacks are in real trouble. Tryon also gives a good second effort and plays with a quality motor.
Tryon needs more refinement for the NFL, but that is understandable considering he has only one year of playing time. He should get better as he gains experience. That being said, Tryon needs to continue to develop his pass-rushing moves and make them more effective. When Tryon breaks free, he eats up space quickly with his speed and closes well on the quarterback, but getting off blocks better is his biggest point of emphasis for the next level.
Tryon needs to improve as a run defender for the NFL. He can get pushed backward in the ground game when offensive linemen get under his pads, as they can and ride him out of the play at times. Like many tall defenders, Tryon gets in trouble when he stands up too high. He needs to play with better leverage and stay lower to make himself more stout as a run defender. Tryon also needs to improve his ability to shed blocks so he can use his pursuit skills to get to the ball-carrier.
Tryon would fit well in the NFL as a 3-4 outside linebacker, and having a five-technique near him to help occupy offensive tackles could make Tryon more effective. Tryon also could be a base end in a 4-3, but he would likely be a better player in a 3-4.
Tyron could get consideration late in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. If he makes it to Friday night of the 2021 NFL Draft, he probably will be a second-round pick.
Player Comparison: Derrick Morgan. Tryon kind of reminds me of Morgan. Both were solid edge rushers with solid skill sets. Morgan (6-4, 261) had more development and a more extensive body of work at Georgia Tech, so that helped him to be a first-round pick of the 2010 NFL Draft. Being a bit more raw and underdeveloped, Tryon should end up as an early-rounder in the 2021 NFL Draft. If he had produced another good year at Washington, he could have been a steady mid- to late first-rounder, like Morgan.
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