Atlanta Falcons: Potential First Round Pick Montez Sweat

Strengths and Weaknesses

The biggest strength Montez Sweat posses, is the fact that he has a rare combination of size and speed for the position. His speed and long strides allow him to get around the edge quickly. The speed also allows him to be elite at pursing ball carriers. He also has great length to help provide separation from opposing blockers. Despite not being exceptionally strong, Sweat is able to deliver a powerful blow to offensive linemen attempting to protect their quarterback.

Sweat has a great motor and gives a consistent energy and effort. He nearly always keeps his hands moving, making it tough for offensive tackles to corral him at the point of attack. He is far from a one trick pony, possessing multiple pass rush moves. He has the ability to counter many of those moves, in order to work back inside of the offensive tackle. In addition to physical skills, Montez Sweat also has very good awareness and play recognition. He is typically able to quickly diagnose the offensive play being ran and uses his speed to react quickly.

The Biggest weakness that Montez Sweat has, is lack of flexibility. His height makes it more difficult for him to change directions in the open field. He sometimes seems deliberate and robotic when rushing the passer. He doesn’t have great bend, meaning that it is best for him to totally disengage from the blocker in order to make a sack. If he does not, he is a risk of being redirected past the quarterback.

Montez Sweat has fairly tight hips, that limit his ability to drop back into coverage. This is concerning because it is similar to current Atlanta Falcons edge rusher Vic Beasley, who has struggled recently. Getting a good jump at the snap will be important for Sweat. He definitely needs to increase his lower body strength. Agility training to improve his fluidity, will also be key to his development.

Analyst Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compares Montez Sweat to defensive end Danielle Hunter of the Minnesota Vikings. Hunter was a Pro Bowl player last season, who logged 14.5 sacks. Zierlein gives a comprehensive breakdown of Montez Sweat in this article. Jon Ledyard, Joe Marino and Kyle Crabbs, analysts for The Draft Network, each give their comprehensive opinion on Montez Sweat in this writing.