The UCLA Football program has produced a number of NFL Draft prospects in the past few seasons. Last year Kenny Clark declared early, was selected in the first round and went on to have an outstanding first season for the Green Bay Packers. This season his running mate Eddie Vanderdoes will prove he’s up to the task.
A stalwart on the defensive line for four seasons for the UCLA Football team, Eddie Vanderdoes came to UCLA under some scrutiny and a ton of hype. Built like a Mack truck with the quickness of someone 30 lbs. lighter, Vanderdoes started seven games as a freshman in the middle of a UCLA defense that needed his strength and size.
He has struggled, mostly in the offseason, to stay healthy and didn’t have a full healthy offseason until 2015 and looked great in fall camp only to tear his ACL in the season opener.
2016 was a huge rebound year and he came back with 27 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks despite seeing constant double teams and playing quick pass games that were designed to negate pass rushers.
Vanderdoes has the size, base and strength to be a force in the run game and has some sneaky pass rush ability and would immediately become a three down player for a defense looking to shore up their run game and interior pass rush.
Positives
Violent hands? Check. Stout against the run? Check. A deadly spin move that can shock interior linemen? Check Check.
Vanderdoes is everything you’d hope to have in an interior defensive lineman. He’s stout inside against the run, constantly working to defeat and shed his blocks to get to the ball carrier. He can penetrate into the backfield gaining either a tackle for loss or forcing ball carriers to bounce it outside leading to TFL’s.
Measuring in at 6’3, 320 lbs., Vanderdoes has the prototypical NT build and has the ability to two-gap or occupy two gaps and thus two offensive linemen. He also has the strength to handle these kinds of duties which is rare amongst college defensive tackles.
Vanderdoes also possesses the ability to collapse the pocket from the interior which only increases his value to NFL teams. A defensive tackle that can hold his own in the run game is one thing, to have him be able to push the pocket and potentially create sacks or turnovers is the best sugar you’ve ever had in your life on top.
Against Stanford, Vanderdoes made life hell for senior offensive guard Johnny Caspers by jacking him up with violent hands and walking him into the backfield on multiple occasions. This helped the UCLA defense do all they could to contain Christian McCaffrey.
Vanderdoes flashed his great potential in 2015 against Virginia but that season was lost to injury. If he can get back to that health level and technique, his ability to impact games will be at a premium.
Negatives
Injury concerns are abound. Besides his ACL tear in 2015, Vanderdoes struggled to come into any season at UCLA healthy. Listed at 320 lbs., Vanderdoes will be better served playing around the 305 lbs. mark.
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Whether it be an ankle injury or knee that just needed to recover after a tweak, he was constantly out of shape when the season began and would work himself into shape as the season progressed. Clearly not ideal for an NFL team.
Also Vanderdoes can get your head spinning. Quite literally.
He favors the spin move almost to a fault. It seems to be one of his two pass rush moves, the other being a rip, and this is usually easily countered by more experienced offensive lines.
He could be used in stunts due to his athletic ability but as long as he has the instinctual desire to spin, his pass rush will be largely negated.
Final Analysis and Prediction
Strong and agile, Vanderdoes is the dream of most defensive coordinators. He has the size to handle the run game but also the athletic ability to create havoc on third down against the passing game.
He can play across a variety of schemes but the 4-3 would be the best fit for him as constantly two gapping would only wear him down and 320 lbs. isn’t a natural fit for his body. He’s not a penetrating three technique like Warren Sapp but plays the game more like Ndumakong Suh where one on one he’s a nightmare and can handle himself against double teams.
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Vanderdoes has the potential to be a blue chip player but needs to work on getting into better physical condition. If he can do that he will allow his natural athleticism to shine through.
Projected Team Pick-Cincinnati Bengals