Continuing on my series of the Top 5 draft prospects in the Mountain West Conference for the 2021 NFL Draft (in no particular order), we have Justin Rice, Linebacker out of Fresno State. Weighing in at 6’2″ 225 lbs, he is a versatile Linebacker that could potentially play ILB or 4-3 OLB at the next level. The film I watched to scout Rice was @New Mexico State (2019), vs.Utah State (2019), and @UNLV (2019).
*It should be noted that I wrote this scouting report before Justin Rice announced his entry into the transfer portal and thus I have decided to leave him in my Top 5 Mountain West Players*
Pros:
The best parts of Rice’s game are his tackling ability and his coverage ability. He does a great job at wrapping up ball carries and bringing them down by himself. He is also strong in zone coverage but can hold his own in man coverage as he has the speed to be able to keep up with RBs and TEs. When he does shoot the hole at the right time, he does do a great job getting there and making a stop. He also displays solid ability to close of ball carries when he takes the correct angle. He is versatile enough to play ILB or a 4-3 OLB, and he led the team in tackle in his first full year playing Defense.
Cons:
The main weaknesses of Rice’s game that I saw on film were his bad pursuit angles, his ability to shed blocks, his occasional lack of awareness, and his occasional laziness. When in pursuit he often takes angles that result in him trailing the ball carrier rather than him meeting the ball carrier at a 45-degree angle. He also has troubles when engaged with blockers as he lacks a block shed move or the hand fighting ability to disengage which often results in him getting washed from the play. His lapse in awareness sometimes result in easier yards for the opponent as he isn’t in position to make a play. Rice also occasionally seems lazy on film as he will watch his teammates make solo tackles rather than running to help clean up and finish the play.
Bottom Line:
Bottom line is that Justin Rice is a raw prospect that has a high ceiling in my eyes. He was the team leader on defense in his first full season on defense, which tells me things will only go up with more practice and experience playing the position. The good thing about Rice as a prospect is, he doesn’t have glaring issues that can’t be fixed with good coaching. If he gets a coach that will teach him pursuit angles and block shedding his game will improve vastly. At the end of the day he is a solid coverage backer that can play either ILB or a 4-3 Sam, and he would do well in a Tampa 2 scheme. His willingness to play special teams will also go a long way as combined with his great tackling ability will help him earn a spot on an NFL roster. To finalize my scouting report, I have gave Justin Rice a prospect rating of 5.8, which translates to a 4th round grade.
