Dax Hollifield is going to offer some serious versatility to a team, and he can also long snap. He wants to get down to 235 so he can play faster. Weighed in at 242 at the Tropical Bowl but really looks a step faster there. Ended his career with 48 starts and five seasons as a starter. He’s a leader, a versatile player, and has some upside to becoming a better player. 

How much more upside is left in his game? I suppose there’s a bit in the cards for Dax Hollifield. His ability to play strong through the whistle is exemplary, and his positioning is good in coverage, but he needs to develop the ball skills to create turnover opportunities or disrupt catches. His projection is low because of the lack of urgency many teams have with modern linebackers – he will outperform his drafted position.

The part of the game that pops off tape with Dax Hollifield is his remarkable instincts. The dude freaking balls out. He maneuvers through traffic well and makes stellar tackles. He does this kind of stuff all of the time.

I’m a big fan of his game. pic.twitter.com/vsOdqhz4RD

— John “Draft” Vogel (@DraftVogel) January 23, 2023

Hollifield has stayed healthy his entire career.

Dax Hollifield’s scouting report

Athletic Ability (30)

Speed/Athleticism: 20 

• Speed (6/8) – Surprisingly rangy. Doesn’t look like he has the best overall speed, but he is good enough. Looked like he had gained a step in the Tropical Bowl. 
• Lateral Quickness (5.5/7) – Solid lateral quickness. Moves very well in zone, stays with the play. Very mobile laterally and covers ground quickly. 
• Body Control (3/5) – Has good body control, not great. Looks tight sometimes and can lose his balance, but when changing directions he really has issues. 

Strength/Power: 10

• Upper Body Strength (2.5/3) – Strong upper body, shows it in his wrap up very well. Gets off of blocks well. 
• Lower Body Strength (2/3) – Decent lower body. 
• Brute Power (2.5/4) – Not so much of a brute, but plays downhill well and has a good, crushing tackle. 

Defending Ability (40)

Tackling/Pursuit: 15

• Tackling Ability (7/9) – Decent tackler. Wraps up well and has good upper body strength to bring down the ball carrier. Wants to drive through the ball carrier. 
• Pursuit Angles (4.5/6) – A little bit slow in pursuit but will make plays from time to time. Usually finds himself behind the runner in pursuit. Does a good job playing between all of the techs. Box linebacker. Has shown solid improvement in his game.  

Blitz Ability: 5

• Blitz Timing (2.5/5) – Not a great blitz timer, but can impact passing lanes and work off of blocks. 

Coverage Ability: 20

• Space Defending (7/10) – Fairly consistent space defender, relatively reliable in space. Balance could be better at times, but that’s about the only critique I have there. 
• Man Coverage (2/5) – Has limited man coverage ability just due to his lack of twitch. 
• Zone Coverage (3.5/5) – Has the ability to position really well in zone coverage, Needs to attack and swipe through the catch point. 

Intel/Instincts (25)

Football IQ: 10

• Play Recognition (4/5) – Very quick to pick up on concepts and play to them. Very intelligent player, excellent IQ. 
• Understanding of Concepts (4/5) – Seems to understand concepts quickly and his role within them. Allows him to play free and read quickly. 

Instincts: 15 

• Natural Instincts (8/10) – Flashes solid instincts from time to time. Looked very good in 2022, reading concepts and making big plays routinely. 
• Consistency (3.5/5) – The instincts aren’t as consistent as some players, but they are still good. 

Overall: (80) – 3rd/4th round pick