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PFF scouting report: Chunky Clements, Edge, Illinois

CHAMPAIGN, IL - OCTOBER 29: Chunky Clements #11 of the Illinois Fighting Illini looks on against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the game at Memorial Stadium on October 29, 2016 in Champaign, Illinois. Minnesota defeated Illinois 40-17. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Name: Jarrod “Chunky” Clements

School: Illinois

Position fit: 3-technique

Stats to know: 50 total QB pressures and six batted passes in the last three seasons.

What he does best:

  • Penetrates into the backfield from a 3-technique alignment.
  • Wins with his quickness into gaps.
  • Disrupts the back side of runs well.
  • Better as a pursuit defender than a take-on defender.
  • Stays involved in plays and will look to chase plays down.
  • Effective swim move from the 3-technique alignment.
  • He can win with a bull rush even though he normally relies on quickness.

Biggest concern:

  • Only played 56.5 percent of defensive snaps in 2016.
  • Gets sealed off on the backside of runs too often.
  • Ends up on the turf far too often. Poor balance ratio.
  • Gets moved to the second level by double teams.
  • Struggled to hold up when aligned at the 1-tech.
  • Can take himself out of plays by getting too deep in the backfield.
  • Had four games in which he did not record a pressure.

Bottom line: Clements largely played the 3-technique defensive tackle — lined up over the guard’s outside shoulder — for the Illini. Clements measured 6-foot-2 and weighed 300 pounds at the combine but he plays even smaller than that. Clements also played further inside at the 1-technique but his penetrating style plus his lack of ideal nose tackle size make him better suited to playing the 3-technique position in the NFL. Clements is a pursuit defender who is better on the back-side of runs where he can use his quickness to make plays. Clements can provide back-up snaps in a defense that values an undersized and quick penetrating defensive tackle, but he has not produced at a high level in our three years of grading and his work against better offensive linemen in the run game is worrisome.


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