The NFL Draft will begin on April 25, 2024. We take a look at Chris Braswell, an electrifying edge rusher from Alabama.
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Coming out of high school, Chris Braswell was highly touted, receiving offers from the likes of Georgia, Ohio State, and Alabama. Ultimately, he committed to Alabama where he spent the next four years and started 41 games. In those games, he racked up 10.5 sacks, 15.5 tackles for loss and 75 tackles. His breakout campaign in 2023 earned him Second-Team All-SEC and honors and skyrocketed his draft stock.
Chris Braswell, Edge Rusher, Alabama
Name: Chris Braswell
Jersey: No. 41
Position: Edge Rusher
School: Alabama
Class: Senior
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 255 lbs.
Chris Braswell is one of my favorite edges in the draft. He has so many ways to win and this is his go-to: pic.twitter.com/NvXuOxR3OZ
— Breaking Fantasy Football (@Breaking_FF) January 5, 2024
Chris Braswell’s Strengths
Braswell possesses rare athletic gifts, displays fluid movement, and can seamlessly change directions or chase players in pursuit. He weaponizes this athleticism well, excelling at winning on the outside shoulder. His go-to move is the cross chop into a rip. Braswell isn’t just a one-trick pony, though. He boasts a vast arsenal of pass-rushing moves.
The key to Braswell having such a diverse package in terms of pass-rushing moves is his hand placement. That extends to other aspects of the game, including run defense. Braswell’s prowess at the point of contact elevates him to a plus run defender. His hand placement at the point of contact allows him to consistently win the leverage battle.
Chris Braswell’s Weaknesses
Braswell’s electrifying speed is great, but he can’t convert that speed to power. In fact, there are various concerns involving power. He’s undersized for an edge rusher and will need to bulk up at the next level. While effective in passing situations, his limitations in size and stoutness raise questions about his playing time at the next level. Without a fix, he could be relegated to a pure passing-down role. The lack of power doesn’t just hurt his run game ability, either. His pass rushing is hampered, too, since he lacks violence in his punches.
Additionally, Braswell isn’t all that great when put in conflict. Whether it’s a read option or play action, Braswell will occasionally identify the wrong target. Even when it’s a clear handoff, he’ll lose track of the ball. This leads to him occasionally mistiming when he disengages from his blocker.
Pro Comparison: Haason Reddick
Although Braswell is bigger than Reddick, they have their similarities. They’re both athletically gifted with size concerns. They are accomplished pass rushers with a variety of moves at their disposal. The idea of them occasionally playing coverage has also been tossed around.
Draft Projection: Late First Round
Braswell is currently projected as a late first- or early second-round pick. I’m higher on him than consensus with a mid to late first-round grade on him, so we’ll meet in the middle. The likes of the Cardinals, Texans, and Buccaneers would all benefit from the addition of Braswell. He bolsters an edge rusher room that definitely needs it.
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