Why the Slide?: Josh Sweat, DE/OLB, Florida State
By Charlie Campbell, @draftcampbell
Four years ago, we started a series of articles on why certain prospects went undrafted. In that series, I reach out to sources with NFL teams to find out why their organizations passed on drafting a given player, and/or, what were the reasons for other teams to pass on that prospect. We got a lot of positive reader feedback about the series, so we decided to expand in the genre to investigate why some prospects slid in the draft. Three years ago, we started the Why the Slide? series, and this year it is back. Feel free to email me requests for Why the Slide? and Why Undrafted? at [email protected]. I can’t promise to get to all of them, but I will do my best and definitely will respond to the email.
Florida State edge defender Josh Sweat was one of the top recruits in nation coming out of high school, and he had a strong sophomore season to put himself on the NFL radar. In 2016, Sweat recorded seven sacks, 11.5 tackles for a loss, 41 tackles and one forced fumble on the year. However in August of 2017, I wrote in the Hot Press that medical and durability concerns were a big issue for Sweat with scouts. Sweat had a solid junior year, totaling 56 tackles with 12.5 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks and three passes batted. One positive for Sweat was staying on the field and avoiding injury, but Florida State did hold him out of practices because of health concerns. Staying healthy after two years as a starter led to Sweat declaring early for the 2018 NFL Draft.
Sweat had a good combine workout and became a late riser. Some in the media even projected Sweat as a late first-round or second-round pick. However, he slipped to the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
In speaking to multiple team sources the reason for that was the medical issue. I can refer back to what I wrote last August for the explanation. “[In 2016], Sweat was showing limitations from a knee injury that he sustained early in his senior year of high school. Team sources say that Florida State has tried a variety of rehab techniques but Sweat’s knee instability has persisted. Sources have said it was evident on tape and watching practice that Sweat still favors the knee. Some team sources believe that the knee has multiple problems and will never heal completely. Thus, many are viewing Sweat as a one contract player in the NFL.” Teams were never as high on Sweat as the media was after his excellent combine workout.
The Philadelphia Eagles ended Sweat’s fall, and that is a better landing spot for him than one would initially think. Philadelphia has veteran Brandon Graham, 2017 first-round pick Derek Barnett, and traded for former Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett. Thus, one would think that Sweat won’t see the field. However, Graham is 30 years old and in the last year of his contract. Bennett turns 33 next season and is a declining player who brings distractions with him. Thus, Graham and Bennett may only be short-term players for the Eagles.
Sweat could sit behind those veterans and rotate in as a backup over the first year or two of his career, and if he plays well, he could put himself in position to be a starter with Barnett in time. The other benefit to being a rotational backup for Sweat is he stands a better chance of getting to a second contract by avoiding injury and wear-and-tear on his knee. He also could be afforded more time to develop his functional strength and pass-rushing moves for taking on NFL offensive tackles. While Sweat was probably expecting to go on the second day of the 2018 NFL Draft, it could be a huge blessing in disguise for him to have slipped to the Eagles on Day 3.
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