2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Maurice Hurst

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Maurice Hurst, 6-1/292 Defensive Tackle Michigan

Maurice Hurst Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Very fast at the point of attack

Excellent get-off

Good closing speed

Disruptive to fire his gap and create penetration

Active hands

Has some variety in pass-rushing moves

Very quick and agile to rush by offensive linemen

Natural pad level

Athletic upside

Weaknesses:

Undersized

Needs to add weight for the NFL

Lacks length

Lacks pro strength

Has issues defending downhill runs straight at him

Could have issues getting off blocks in the NFL

Struggles with powerful offensive linemen

Struggles with length

Doesn’t get a push via power at the point of attack

Could be a liability in short-yardage situations

Limited to being a three-technique

Summary: Over the past three seasons, Hurst was a steady interior pass-rusher for Michigan. Finding defensive tackles who are capable of putting consistent heat on the quarterback is a tough task for NFL teams, so Hurst should have plenty of organizations hoping to take him in the 2018 NFL Draft. Because of his ability to get after the quarterback, Hurst could be an early-round pick and may easily go in the second round.

As a sophomore, Hurst made an impact for the Wolverines with 35 tackles with 6.5 tackles for a loss and three sacks. He improved as a junior with 34 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for a loss and one forced fumble. As a senior, Hurst has played well for Michigan, continuing to put heat on the signal-caller. In 2017, Hurst totaled 56 tackles with 12.5 tackles for a loss, one forced fumble, one pass broken up and five sacks. He was sent home from the combine because of a heart concern that was detected. Hurst has since been cleared to play.



Clearly, Hurst is at his best when he is using his speed to fire his gap and cause disruption in the backfield. He is very fast at the point of attack with an excellent get-off that catches offensive linemen by surprise. He can fire into the backfield and has a burst to close on the quarterback. With active hands and a variety of moves, Hurst is a dangerous interior pass-rusher who can get sacks on his own and create them for his teammates. In the NFL, Hurst should be an asset as a weapon in the middle.

Hurst is the most effective in the ground game when he uses speed to fire into the backfield and cause havoc there. Otherwise, his run defense could be problematic in the NFL given that he struggles with powerful offensive linemen and linemen with length. He has a hard time getting off their blocks in runs that come downhill straight at him. Hurst’s lack of size shows up against downhill rushing attacks. Against those kinds of teams and in those situations, his run defense was better when he lined up at defensive end. However, he lacks length to play end in the NFL.

For the next level, Hurst would be best as a three-technique disruptor in a 4-3 defense. That is really the only position where he could become an every-down player. He doesn’t have the size to play nose tackle. Hurst could be a situational and rotational player in a 3-4 defense for a team that could use an interior pass-rusher, but Hurst’s body type is not a good fit for the 3-4. To start out his NFL career, Hurst could be a rotational player and a situational pass-rusher. Over time, he could improve to being a three-down starter, but his run defense will need work before he gets there.





Player Comparison: Grady Jarrett. Hurst reminds me of Grady Jarrett coming out of Clemson. Both are interior pass-rushers who have size limitations for the NFL. On the other hand, they are fast at the point of attack with an ability to get after the quarterback. Because of size, Jarrett slipped to the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft even though some had hyped him as an early-rounder. Hurst has gotten some media hype as well. He could go on the second day of the 2018 NFL Draft, and him sliding because of the size concerns is possible. Still, Jarrett is a good interior pass-rusher in the NFL, and I think Hurst could be similar for his pro team.

NFL Matches: Cleveland, Tampa Bay, Washington, Arizona, Oakland, Los Angeles Chargers, Detroit, Buffalo, Atlanta and New England

There are a lot of teams that could target Hurst in the early rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft. With his ability to contribute as an interior pass-rusher, Hurst should have a number of teams hoping to draft him. Perhaps the highest he could hope to go would be to the Browns’ second-round pick to lead off Day 2. They could consider an interior pass-rusher to go next Myles Garrett.

Tampa Bay needs to improve its line play on both sides of the ball. Hurst could form a tough tandem next to Gerald McCoy. The Redskins need more talent in their front seven, and Hurst could give them an interior rusher to go with Jonathan Allen. Arizona missed Calais Campbell last season, and Hurst could receive consideration from the Cardinals.

Oakland badly needs more interior defensive line talent. Hurst could be a fit for the Raiders to give them an inside pass rush. Staying in the AFC West, Hurst would make sense for the Chargers, as they could use an upgrade over the declining Corey Liuget. Hurst would give them a speed-rushing three-technique to play on the inside of Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa. That could form a very dangerous front in obvious passing situations.

The Lions need an interior pass-rusher to go with A’Shawn Robinson. Hurst would be a great fit in Detroit. Atlanta also could use more interior defensive line talent, and Hurst could be a nice value for the Falcons on Day 2 of the 2018 NFL Draft.

New England could use more young talent in its defensive front seven. Hurst could give the Patriots an interior rusher, and they have two second-round picks to give him consideration. Staying in the AFC East, Buffalo could use an interior defender to replace Marcell Dareus, and Hurst would fit the Bills’ defensive scheme well.

2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Choose Player 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Home Adonis Alexander, CB, Virginia Tech Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming Mark Andrews, TE, Oklahoma Dorance Armstrong, DE, Kansas Marcel Ateman, WR, Oklahoma State Anthony Averett, CB, Alabama Kalen Ballage, RB, Arizona State Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State Sam Beal, CB, Western Michigan Andrew Brown, DE, Virginia Orlando Brown, OT, Oklahoma Taven Bryan, DT, Florida Lorenzo Carter, LB, Georgia D.J. Chark, WR, LSU Geron Christian, OT, Louisville Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia Simmie Cobbs, WR, Indiana Tyrell Crosby, OT, Oregon James Daniels, C, Iowa Sam Darnold, QB, USC Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA Carlton Davis, CB, Auburn Duke Dawson, CB, Florida Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech Duke Ejiofor, DE, Wake Forest Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama Luke Falk, QB, Washington State Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, Alabama Mike Gesicki, TE, Penn State Dallas Goedert, TE, South Dakota State Rasheem Green, DT, USC Derrius Guice, RB, LSU DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Penn State Da'Shawn Hand, DE, Alabama Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama Will Hernandez, G, UTEP Sam Hubbard, DE, Ohio State Mike Hughes, CB, Central Florida Hayden Hurst, TE, South Carolina Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan Donte Jackson, CB, LSU Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville Joshua Jackson, CB, Iowa Derwin James, S, Florida State Malik Jefferson, LB, Texas Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn Ronald Jones, RB, USC Arden Key, DE, LSU Christian Kirk, WR, Texas A&M Micah Kiser, LB, Virginia Harold Landry, DE, Boston College Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State Iman Marshall, CB, USC Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma Tarvarus McFadden, CB, Florida State Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame Sony Michel, RB, Georgia Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA D.J. Moore, WR, Maryland Nick Nelson, CB, Wisconsin Quenton Nelson, G, Notre Dame Isaiah Oliver, CB, Colorado Brian O'Neill, OT, Pittsburgh Da'Ron Payne, DT, Alabama Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford Billy Price, C, Ohio State Frank Ragnow, C, Arkansas Martinas Rankin, OT, Mississippi State Justin Reid, S, Stanford Calvin Ridley, WR, Alabama Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State Jaylen Samuels, RB, N.C. State Tim Settle, DT, Virginia Tech Braden Smith, G, Auburn Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia Equanimeous St. Brown, WR, Notre Dame Courtland Sutton, WR, SMU Chad Thomas, DE, Miami Trenton Thompson, DT, Georgia Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State Vita Vea, DT, Washington Akrum Wadley, RB, Iowa Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson Connor Williams, OT, Texas Isaiah Wynn, G, Georgia

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