College: Virginia Tech

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 259 pounds

Strengths

Athleticism: Gayle has the ability to stand up in a 3-4 defense and drop into coverage. Gayle wasn’t asked to do this much in college, but when it did happen it was evident that he had the ability. He isn’t the most fluid player in coverage, but in 2013 he went stride for stride locked up with Eric Ebron on what would be a dropped pass by Ebron. Gayle has the ability to be a down lineman in a 4-3 and he can excel in both spots because of how athletic he is.

Pass Rushing: Gayle doesn’t have the sack numbers to give him the attention that other players get, but rushing the passer is his strength. Gayle finished his four year career with just 22 sacks, but he saw a lot of double teams and missed some games early in his career. Gayle uses his speed and quickness off the snap to outrun offensive tackles and his ability to bend lets him drive through and get to the quarterback.

Strength: Shown off at the combine, with 26 reps on the bench press, it also shows up on film. Often Gayle is rushing the outside of the tackle with his speed and bend, so his strength doesn’t show up often, but when it does it’s a sight to see. Gayle has the ability to stand up guards/tackles and to drive through them, he just needs to use it more.

Weaknesses

Pass Rush Arsenal: Although pass rushing is one of his strengths, he lacks an arsenal of moves. Gayle predominantly just speed rushes the tackles to get around them, at the next level you’ll need more than that. Gayle shows on tape that he can occasionally use a spin move, but it’s fairly sloppy and ineffective. Adding some more moves to his game will keep him from being predictable and this will give him an upper hand.

NFL Comparison, Ahmad Brooks, San Francisco 49ers

Although I think Brooks is stronger at the point of attack, Brooks and Gayle are pretty similar. Brooks has more to his pass rushing arsenal, but eight years in the NFL will give you that experience. Gayle is more fluid in coverage, but as a pass rusher, his ultimate goal is to get to the quarterback. Gayle and Brooks are almost the exact same size, same weight, Gayle is just taller by an inch.

Draft Outlook

There is a big discrepancy on Gayle, not sure if it’s a lack of exposure or something else. Gayle could see himself go anywhere from the first round to the fourth round depending who you ask. Pass rushers are a premium in the NFL these days and Gayle could easily go in the first round with his upside. If Gayle falls out of the second round, he could easily be one of the steals of the draft in two-three years.

Best Fits

Depending on how teams view him, Gayle could easily be a pass rusher standing up or with his hand in the dirt. The Jets (3-4 defense) lack a pass rush from the outside and Gayle could fix that quickly, especially with the defensive front they already have. The Jaguars or the Bears (both 4-3 defenses) could really use someone of Gayle’s skills to rush the passer as all three teams finished in the bottom four for sacks in the regular season last year.