Tyler Lancaster NFL Draft scouting report

Tyler Lancaster may not have been invited to the NFL combine, but his Northwestern Pro Day stats line up pretty well with the defensive lineman who did attend. Throughout his career at Northwestern, Lancaster has overcome massive obstacles and proved himself to be a team leader, an incredibly hard worker and a force for running backs and quarterbacks to reckon with.

Measureables:

Here’s a look at Lancaster’s Northwestern Pro Day numbers.

Lancaster’s 36 bench press reps would have put him right in the top five at the combine at fourth. Potentially most impressive, however, was his 4.96 40 yard dash. Sure, if you’re talking running backs or safeties, that’s not that exciting. But Lancaster is 6-foot-3, 313 pounds. So that is fast.

Strengths:

Lancaster has elite strength and leverage to his game, which makes it nearly impossible for offensive linemen to move him. He often draws double-teams and shifted protections, which creates space for other rushers to attack the quarterback.

Check out some highlights:

Lancaster certainly has the strength, power and agility to be a solid NFL defensive lineman if he gets the chance. Unfortunately, although his stats stack up well, the Romeoville, Illinois native did not have enough exposure to catch NFL scouts’ eyes as a key prospect and his chances remain uncertain.

Weaknesses:

• Lancaster’s a beast when it comes to stopping the run game, but his pass rush abilities are not as strong which makes him less dynamic and less appealing to NFL scouts. He doesn’t have an elite first step or superb quickness, which is a must in the NFL.
• Nosetackles are a dying breed in today’s NFL. It’s unclear where Lancaster fits in, given that he probably isn’t enough of a pass-rush threat to slot in as a 4-3 tackle.

Career Stats:

Projections:

Lancaster won’t go in the draft, but could have a shot at training camp. If he makes it there, he’s got a good shot of proving what he can do and impressing the coaches with his work ethic, dedication and overall talent.

Outlook:

Lancaster’s future is murky. Will he go to training camp? Will he impress the scouts and coaches? Will there be D-Line spots to fill? I don’t know. His capabilities are without question promising, but it’s a longshot for Northwestern’s No. 1 to make an NFL roster.