2020 Raiders Draft Prospect Profile
Name: Evan Weaver
Position: MLB
School: The University of California at Berkeley
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 245 pounds
Stats
Tackling
Nothing stands out better for Weaver than his ability to halt opponents. Weaver’s strength pops in film study. If he gets a hand on a ballcarrier, he makes the play. More importantly, Weaver immediately squares up in space and secures the stop. With his frame, Weaver makes opponents feel it, but still wraps and drags through the target.
Speed
In prototypical big middle linebacker pace, Weaver will not set stopwatches ablaze. However, what he does do is use timing to make himself appear much faster than you’d think. That is to say, sharper pursuit routes that don’t veer too far. Weaver stays within his athletic makeup and won’t try to play hero ball by overpursuit. In contrast, Weaver profiles as a decent blitzer through the A gaps.
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Coverage
At the next level, Weaver will cover in shorter drops, keeping opponents in front. Again, he can stay hp to hip in the shadow of the line of scrimmage. Additionally, on flat routes, Weaver will meet the back at the point of catch. During the screen game, look for him to slip blocks and snuff out the play.
Awareness
Before the ball is snapped, Weaver processes well. After, you could say that he makes tackles first with his eyes. For example, he reads linemen splits, quarterback’s eyes and the tells of sloppy plays. When he chooses the game in the run game, Weaver possesses the power to defeat linemen blockers with good leverage and power. He meets force with force.
Raiders Fit
While he may not be a top pick, Weaver fits in with this group of Raiders. For Paul Guenther, the downhill, smashmouth linebacker that he thought Vontaze Burfict would be in Oakland. Weaver plays a sudden style without the worry of impending penalties. Weaver shows the ability to cover wideouts in short space across his face. In addition, Weaver presents the instinct to pick the right gap and knife through. In drafting Weaver, Oakland could boast a middle linebacker with rush skills. That, in itself, is a rarity. Given these points, Weaver does not miss tackles and accumulates them in bunches. Sound tackles. The Raiders need better linebacker play and currently do not employ a player with the ability to make consistent stops like Weaver. Where he could catch the Raiders’ eye is his attitude and throwback nature. Evan Weaver is a football player, not an athlete.
