With NFL draft season now in full swing following the end of the Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl, it’s time to fire up the prospect profiles for players the Lions figure to have at least some interest in during the 2025 NFL Draft.
First up is a pass rusher who may or may not be available to Detroit with their first pick at No. 28 overall.
Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
- Listed by the Aggies at 6-foot-4, 285 pounds
- 14.5 TFLs, 5 sacks in 2024 and was voted Texas A&M’s defensive MVP
- Transferred from Purdue after two seasons, where he led the Big Ten in sacks in 2023 with 10
- 20 years old (turns 21 in August)
Scourton went back home to Texas A&M (he’s from neighboring Bryan, TX) after two productive years in the Big Ten at Purdue. He’s a large defensive end who played a fair amount at both schools from a stand-up OLB role as well as with a hand in the turf. He’s one of the youngest prospects in the draft.
Games watched: Texas, Arkansas, Notre Dame, LSU, South Carolina, Missouri, Michigan 2023 (in person), Iowa 2023
Positives
- Definite “crush the can” pass rush style, power-to-speed off an impressive bull rush
- Good use of his length and a violent initial jab on the pass rush
- Has a nasty inside rip move and a quick (for his size) spin that can go inside or outside
- Finishes with power and uses his length to corral well
- Backside chase-down and contain effort is strong and kept improving
- Gets good depth on his initial coverage drops from a stand-up start
- Motor runs hot all the time
Negatives
- Stiffer-than-expected lower body with poor bend around the edge
- Consistently plays too high and narrow in the run game, especially from a 2-pt stance
- Frequently the last lineman moving off the snap, even if it’s a half-count; the opposite of a snap-jumper
- Chases the cheese on play-fakes and screens/swings too often
- Will miss tackle opportunities by approaching too high
Overall
Scourton is a size/strength defensive end prospect who definitely fits the profile the Lions have looked for at EDGE. He’s a power-to-speed line anchor with pretty impressive power and a couple of nice pass-rush moves. Scourton plays hard and exudes energy, and he’s capable of playing on either side of the formation.
I have some concerns about his overall athleticism. Scourton is fast for his size but didn’t show a lot of flexibility or suddenness as a pass rusher, especially when starting from a 2-point stance. He’s going to need to play with better pad level more consistently and innately; Scourton flashed the ability to get low and anchor on the edge, but it wasn’t consistent. Other than a couple of splashy exceptions, Scourton was largely ineffective against top-50 offensive tackles like Armand Membou, Will Campbell and Kelvin Banks.
The upshot is that he doesn’t turn 21 until August and appeared to shed some bulk as his Aggies season progressed. That’s good, because at his listed 285 pounds he’s almost too big/sluggish for the position. The technical prowess of his game showed progress, but still needs more variety and a better sense of setting up moves.
I’ll be very interested in his official weight and his NFL Scouting Combine agility testing and the 10-yard split on his 40-yard dash. Scourton is currently my No. 44 overall player, but you’ll find many draft analysts have him as a top-20 prospect.