One prospect whom the Philadelphia Eagles met with at both the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine remains a polarizing yet promising talent for Eagles fans to monitor.
Western Michigan edge Nadame Tucker has undeniable upside, but there are questions surrounding the long-term prospects of the pass rusher at the next level. The 6-foot-3, 247-pound New York, NY native didn't start playing football until his senior year in high school. First suiting up at the JUCO level, he eventually enrolled at the University of Houston, but three turbulent campaigns in the Lone Star State saw the raw pass rusher fail to register a single sack.
For his collegiate swan song, though, Tucker moved on to Western Michigan, where it all came together for him in the form of MAC defensive player of the year honors. Tabbed as the recipient of the Vern Smith leadership award, he was celebrated as the top overall performer in MAC conference action. Tucker racked up 14.5 sacks, along with an astounding 22 tackles for loss and 51 pressures.
Eagles might have to take a look at Nadame Tucker
NFLDraftBuzz shared the following take on the reigning MAC Defensive player of the Year.
"The tape from Western Michigan is genuinely exciting. When Tucker gets a runway to the edge and his first step fires clean, he can embarrass offensive tackles. His hand timing, bend, and ability to convert speed to power through the arc of his rush are real traits, not MAC-inflated noise. That Week 1 demolition of Michigan State's offensive line, featuring three sacks against a first-team All-Big Ten tackle, was a statement that this wasn't just a small-school mirage.
The Senior Bowl only reinforced it. The pass rush ability is legitimate, and in a league that is always starving for guys who can collapse the pocket, that alone keeps you on a roster."
The resounding production in his lone season at Western Michigan resulted in PFF grading Tucker with an overall score of 90.6, good for 11th among 852 edge defenders, and a pass-rush mark of 92.7, good for 4th in the entire nation. At the same time, his PFF run-defense grade left much to be desired (73.2, 268th overall), and he's already 25 years old, so the age concern should be factored in, similar to that of another higher-rated potential Eagles target, Hurricanes standout Akheem Mesidor.
Read more: Receiver talent will be ripe for Howie Roseman's taking in mid-rounds for Eagles
We did see Howie Roseman strike gold with the raw but ultra-productive Jalyx Hunt just a few drafts back, so Tucker should not be forgotten by Eagles fans as the draft draws near. Currently projected in the 5th or 6th round neighborhood, with the right drive and development under renowned D-Line Coach Clint Hurtt, Tucker could shine once again on Sundays.
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