By Nolan Nawrocki
Jan. 25, 2008

Penn State LB Dan Connor

LB Dan Connor
Penn State senior
Ht: 6-2 5/8; Wt: 233; 40-time: 4.7 (est.)
Arms: 31½ in.; Hands: 8 1/8 in.

Upside: Good instincts — quick to sniff out screens and draws. Physical tackler. Gets downhill and hits on the rise. Plays smart and understands the game. Uses his hands well to jam receivers. Plays hard and gives good effort and pursuit. Shows good awareness in zones, keeps his eyes on his swivel, sees underneath crossers and reacts quickly to the thrown ball. Very hardworking and competitive. Team captain. Vocal leader. Superproductive — finished career as Penn State’s all-time career-leading tackler.

Downside: Not a great athlete and lacks foot speed and short-area burst to always reach the perimeter. Lacks great size and strength and can be late to disengage and get off blocks. Could do a better job timing up the blitz, making himself small and hitting gaps. Shows some tightness in his movement. Mischievousness has got him in some trouble off the field, and he could stand to mature.

The way we see it: Moved from the outside to the inside as a senior and showed the toughness desired to play in the middle. Comes in a very similar mold as Bills 2007 second-round pick Paul Posluszny. He is not quite as fast or athletic as Posluszny, but he plays more physical and is better taking on blocks. Has versatility to play inside or outside and could be an interchangeable, three-position linebacker.

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