Name: Dante Fowler Jr

College: Florida

Class: Junior

Position: Defensive End/Linebacker

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 277

It doesn't show a ton of leadership to take to social media and announce you are declaring for the NFL draft just a day after your head coach announced his resignation. While that might have been solely based on passion for Will Muschamp, who was Fowler's primary motivation for choosing Florida, you can bet NFL front offices will look at that. 

Fowler has experience playing with both his hands up and from a down line position, which means he could fit in a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme at the next level. There are no real off-field issues to speak of, so the vetting process should be rather kind to Fowler heading into the 2015 NFL draft. He's also not been subject to any major injuries during his college football career...another plus. Final Grade: 7.05 

This is where Fowler Jr. jumps out to those who study his tape. Athletically speaking, he's a freak in the mold of an Aldon Smith. He boasts the speed to get around the edge, the power to bull rush and an uncanny ability to change direction on a consistent basis. He might get thrown off the point of contact by getting too high at engagement, but that's something that can be learned moving forward. At 6'3" and 277 Fowler Jr. is an absolute freak of nature with an near unlimited ceiling: Final Grade: 9.0

A mixed bag here. Fowler Jr. does show some natural football instincts and boasts one of the best first steps of any defensive prospect in the draft. The issues here, however, are that there are some questions about him taking plays off during the game and he is seen riding the bench more often than teams would want from a top-10 pick. Fowler Jr. also has some tackling technique issues. He does not wrap up on a consistent basis, and again, needs to refrain from getting too high at the point of contact. Final Grade: 7.3

Fowler is a darn good run stuffer for someone that's still learning to play football. He does struggle a great deal with tackling, which should be cause for alarm. But Fowler the Florida prospect does have the ability to shed blocks and engage one-on-one with opposing offensive linemen. He will, however, be taken off his spot when faced with a rare double team. Final Grade: 7.3

Pass-rushing is obviously where Fowler Jr. is going to earn his keep. He has the athleticism, size and natural ability to be absolutely dominating in this category. What makes Fowler Jr. such a beast here is that he doesn't just rely on his quickness or bull-rushing ability to get to the quarterback. For a young player at this position, he seems to have a nice variety of pass-rush moves. That will be big for his potential moving forward. Final Grade: 8.2

Final Analysis

Based on pure upside, Fowler Jr. is a top-10 pick. The issue that many have with the young pass-rush threat is that he doesn't seem to give it 100 percent all the time and struggles when tasked with tackling in space. He has major technique issues that need to be resolved before he can be a three-down player at the next level. 

That's a tad worrisome for teams selecting in the first half of Day 1, as they expect an immediate three-down producer from the first day of camp. This likely won't be the case with Fowler Jr, and could very well cause a drop to the bottom half of the first round.