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T’Vondre Sweat Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell
Strengths:
- Massive run-stuffing nose tackle
- Strong lateral anchor
- Tough to move at the point of attack
- Holds his gap
- Absorbs double teams
- Eats up blockers
- Very tough; plays violently
- Disruptive run defender
- Strong hands
- Uses hands and feet at same time
- Athletic & quick for his size
- Can get a push working upfield
- Superb at batting passes
Weaknesses:
- Not a dynamic interior pass rusher
- May not have a role in the sub package
- Could be limited to being a two-down defender
- Poor work ethic
- Sub-par conditioning habits
- Needs to keep his weight in check
Prospect Summary:
Over the past four seasons, Sweat flashed for the Longhorns while being a massive interior run plugger. In 2019 as a freshman, he recorded a sack and nine tackles. He then totaled 22 tackles and a sack per year in both 2020 and 2021. In 2022, Sweat played better than the numbers illustrate while putting up 29 tackles and four passes batted. Over the previous three years for comparison, he had recorded just six passes blocked. As a senior, Sweat totaled 45 tackles, two sacks and five passes batted.
Sweat is a tough defender in the ground game, where he is very stout at the point of attack. When runs come downhill at him, Sweat is able to anchor and hold his ground. He also shows the strength to shed and tackle. Sweat can push his way into the backfield to disrupt runs and will reset the line of scrimmage. His lateral anchor was advanced for a college player, so he was tough to move at the point of attack. Sweat is very strong, allowing him take on double-team bump blocks and hold his ground when getting hit from the side. Sweat is a very good run defender entering the next level, and as a prom he will be an asset to defend short-yardage and goal-line situations.
As a pass rusher, Sweat has some ability to get a push into the backfield with his power, but after gaining some ground upfield, Sweat struggles to finish the play by getting to the quarterback. Sweat is limited from the speed and athleticism perspectives to be a dangerous pass rusher in the NFL. However, Sweat shows nice awareness to get his hands up and block passes. As a pro, he probably will be rotated out of the game in many sub packages, but he can help contribute to a rush by clogging the middle to limit space for a quarterback to step up.
Off the field, team sources say Sweat is a good kid overall, but has some issues with a poor work ethic and likes to party. Sweat is going to have to work much harder in the NFL and definitely will have to keep his weight in check.
Sweat faces a wide range in which could come off the board during the 2024 NFL Draft. He could go on Day 2 and probably won’t slide out of the early rounds of Day 3.
Prospect Comparison:
D.J. Reader. When Sweat is playing well, he reminds me of Reader. Reader has been a fantastic nose tackle for the Texans and the Bengals. Reader has an ability to stuff runs while also creating a push in the pass rush to prevent quarterbacks from stepping up in the pocket. If Sweat works hard to maximize his talent, he could be a pro player similar to Reader. However, if Sweat is lazy and too heavy, those things could lead to him not panning out in the NFL.
RELATED LINKS:
2024 NFL Mock Draft - April 23
NFL Power Rankings - Feb. 22
Fantasy Football Rankings - Feb. 19
NFL Picks - Feb. 12
