2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Micah Baskerville





  • Micah Baskerville, 6-1/221

  • Linebacker

  • LSU


  • Micah Baskerville Scouting Report
    By Charlie Campbell

    Strengths:
  • Good speed
  • Quick, sideline-to-sideline defender
  • Flies around the field
  • Ability to work through trash
  • Flashes instincts
  • Has potential to develop good read-and-react skills
  • Athletic
  • Smooth mover
  • Good in space
  • Agile
  • Not stiff
  • Pass-coverage asset
  • Good ball skills
  • Advanced in zone coverage
  • Could be a special teams contributor
  • Upside




  • Weaknesses:
  • Undersized
  • Underweight
  • Needs to get stronger
  • Struggles in man coverage on backs
  • Will have to get better at defending downhill runs
  • Needs to get stronger to shed blocks
  • Can get tied up by blockers
  • Has to improve ability to break sustained blocks


  • Summary: LSU has produced a lot of good NFL linebacker talent in recent years including the likes of Deion Jones, Devin White, Patrick Queen, Gabriel Cox, Damone Clark and more. Baskerville took some time to get going, but turned into a solid defender for the Tigers. After making 55 tackles in 2020, Baskerville played better in 2021 while Clark had a massive season next to him. In 2021 Baskerville totaled 83 tackles, two sacks, an interception and three passes broken up. As a senior he recorded 89 tackles, a sack, eight passes broken up and an interception.

    Baskerville is a mixed bag against the pass. He is fast and covers a lot of ground, but he can struggle in man coverage on running backs. Baskerville is better in zone coverage, where he shows an ability to read routes and follow the eyes of the quarterback. Baskerville has a nice ability to break up passes and possesses above-average ball skills for a linebacker. After some additional development, Baskerville could be a solid coverage linebacker in the NFL.



    In run defense, Baskerville is a missile who defends sideline-to-sideline with the quickness to track down ball-carriers. Baskerville has good instincts and is adept at reading his keys to explode through the scrum to take down a back. However, Baskerville lacks size and strength for taking on blocks as a downhill run defender. In terms of getting off blocks, he could always have issues with that in the NFL.

    Baskerville’s best fit at the next level could come as a Will – weakside – linebacker in a 4-3 defense. In a 3-4, he could use a heavy and tough Mike linebacker next to him. Baskerville could end up as a mid-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and receive some consideration on Day 2.



    Player Comparison: Deion Jones. Baskerville could be a similar NFL player to Jones. Jones (6-1, 222) and Baskerville are almost identical in size and possess great speed and athleticism. Jones was a second-round pick out of LSU in 2016, and Baskerville could receive second-day consideration in the 2023 NFL Draft.






    RELATED LINKS:


    2023 NFL Mock Draft: Charlie’s | Walt’s


    2023 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings


    2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports








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