Chris Long, 2008 NFL Draft Prospect
 | Defensive End/Outside Linebacker Height: 6' 4" Weight: 280 Virginia Senior Scouting Report by Daryl Breault |
I think it’s safe to say that Chris Long has come out of his shell a little bit on the field. Case in point: 7.5 sacks in 2004 to 2006; 14 in 2007, tied for 3rd best in Cavaliers history.
The senior defensive end was unanimously named All-America, chosen as the ACC defensive player of the year and also the winner of the Ted Hendricks Award for outstanding defensive end. Oh, and he won the Dudley Award as the top player in the state of Virginia. Those are just the awards he won: Long was a finalist for the Lombardi, Nargurski and Lott Awards and finished 10th in Heisman voting. Suffice to say, Long may have turned in one of the best seasons ever by a defensive end in college football history. The University of Virginia knows it too; Long’s jersey was retired before the Cavaliers last home game. He finished with 79 tackles, 19 TFL and his 14 sacks led the nation. His average of 6.25 tackles per game was 4th among defensive lineman.
The oldest of 3 boys, Chris is a chip off the ol’ block (Sorry, couldn’t resist). His Dad, Howie Long, was a Raiders defensive end for 13 seasons and retired a Raider in 1993. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2000. At 6-5, 275 lbs, the elder Long was a terror that recorded 93 sacks for his career. Chris is a bit bigger and far stronger, but he lacks his Dad’s athleticism. One trait he seems to have definitely acquired is his Dad’s instincts. Coupled with a non-stop motor, incredible vision and leadership abilities well beyond his years, there are few players in football who have the character of Chris Long.
In strictly a football sense, his technique and footwork are quite advanced at this stage of career. Chris also will enter the NFL with a solid foundation of moves, something obviously gleaned from Dad. Long can practically snap a lineman’s arm in half with his club. He rarely loses balance and never stops moving his feet. Offensive lineman rarely catch him standing still and never moving backward. Long possesses the straight-line speed to chase the ball to the sideline and get down the line in pursuit. His Dad taught him a thing or two about watching for and fighting off blocks as well. Needless to say, Long had a fine teacher at the finer points of the defensive end position. Long knows his limits athletically, and that makes his intangibles all the more dangerous.
Long has played in a 3-4 system at Virginia and has the size and strength to play that position in the pros. It is incredible how many plays he made despite playing a mostly run stopping position. He can be an impact lineman in either system, but he may slide due to the presence of Glenn Dorsey and need. It’s early to say what any team might do, but it seems relatively sure that Long will be there for the Jets at the 6th spot. The Jets need a stud lineman to further the switch to Eric Mangini’s 3-4 system. The Jets lack players that are suited to the style, but Long would be a great building block for them. Oakland or St. Louis could nab him as well. It would be tough for two defenses that utilize the 3-4 to pass on him in New England and Baltimore. Long would look pretty darn good across from Haloti Ngata on the Ravens defensive line.
No matter where Chris Long goes, you can bet that he will make an impact. His size, strength, skills, technique and mentality will allow him to be one of the most versatile linemen in the NFL. One minute he could be a 3-4 end, the next minute sliding over to tackle and then back outside in a 4-3. Versatility like that could serve any system and will make Long a Top-10 pick in April.