2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Micheal Clemons

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Micheal Clemons, 6-5/270 Defensive End Texas A&M

Micheal Clemons Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Good size

Plays tough

Strong to set the edge

Upper body strength

Quick for his size

Showed improvement as he gained experience

Has some upside

Puts quarterbacks down hard

Quick off the ball

Closing burst

Active hands

Long frame

Heavy hands

Holds up against runs coming straight at him

Can serve as a two-gap defender

Can hold his ground in run defense

Strength mismatch with finesse OTs

Uses power and length to push around finesse OTs

Tough base end in a 4-3

Weaknesses:

Has some stiffness

Gets in trouble when he stands up too high

Needs to develop more pass-rushing moves

Has some lower body tightness

Probably won’t be a big sack producer in the NFL

Summary: In 2021, Texas A&M fielded one of the best defenses in college football. Injuries and youth at quarterback kept the Aggie from being a playoff contender, but as their win over Alabama illustrated, their defense was for real, and Clemons was key cog in that machine. On the year, Clemons collected 32 tackles, seven sacks, one forced fumble and two passes defended. He recorded four sacks and 14 tackles in 2020 after recording 47 tackles and 1.5 sacks over the previous two seasons.

Clemons is still improving as a pass rusher and has the potential to grow in the NFL. He has the strength to fight with offensive tackles and uses his power and length to push around finesse offensive tackles. With a surprising burst, Clemons can close on the quarterback once he gets free, and when he arrives at the signal-caller, he mauls them. Clemons is a tough fighter who possesses good size and physicality.



Clemons may never be a big sack producer in the NFL because he has some stiffness and lacks pass-rushing moves. He could struggle to shed blocks from bigger offensive tackles who won’t be overwhelmed by his strength. Improving his pass-rushing moves, like assing a club and rip move to the inside would make him more dangerous.

In the ground game Clemons is solid thanks to having the size and strength to set the edge. He can get in trouble when he stands up too high, but when he maintains his leverage, he is tough to move and will maintain his gap integrity. Staying low to play with better leverage is always going to be a point of emphasis for him. After getting some pro coaching and provided he improves in leverage, he should be a good run defender to set the edge in either a 4-3 or a 3-4 defense.

Team sources say they think Clemons could be a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. They feel that he could start out as a backup and develop into being a solid starter.



Player Comparison: Tyrone Crawford. Clemons reminds me of Crawford coming out of Boise State. Both are physical, tough defenders with quality size. Crawford contributed somewhat to the edge rush, but was never a prolific pass rusher in the NFL. Clemons could be a similar pro. Crawford was a third-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, and Clemons could end up a third-round choice this year in the 2022 NFL Draft.

2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Adam Anderson, OLB, Georgia Calvin Austin, WR, Memphis Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri Amaré Barno, OLB, Virginia Tech Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson David Bell, WR, Purdue Nik Bonitto, OLB, Oklahoma Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas Zachary Carter, DE, Florida Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin Lewis Cine, S, Georgia Damone Clark, LB, LSU Micheal Clemons, DE, Texas A&M Bryan Cook, S, Cincinnati James Cook, RB, Georgia Yusuf Corker, S, Kentucky Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State Nick Cross, S, Maryland Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA Arnold Ebiketie, DE, Penn State Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida Ikem Ekwonu, OT, N.C. State Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota Luke Fortner, C, Kentucky Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner, CB, Cincinnati Luke Goedeke, G, Central Michigan Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State Logan Hall, DE, Houston Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame Christian Harris, LB, Alabama Daxton Hill, S, Michigan Chasen Hines, G, LSU Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan Ed Ingram, G, LSU Drake Jackson, DE, USC Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State Zion Johnson, G, Boston College Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah Drake London, WR, USC Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington Verone McKinley, S, Oregon John Metchie, WR, Alabama Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming David Ojabo, DE, Michigan Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State Cade Otton, TE, Washington Evan Neal, OT, Alabama Josh Paschal, DE, Kentucky Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa Nick Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State George Pickens, WR, Georgia Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas Brian Robinson, RB, Alabama Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State Jamaree Salyer, G, Georgia Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M Derek Stingley, CB, LSU Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon Cameron Thomas, DE, San Diego State Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan State Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State Quay Walker, LB, Georgia Travon Walker, DE, Georgia Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State Zamir White, RB, Georgia Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama Malik Willis, QB, Liberty Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M

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