Derick Hall, EDGE Auburn: Offseason 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Hall was a four-star recruit from Gulfport High School in Gulfport, Miss. in the class of 2019

The Auburn Tigers have a trio of pass rushers who could go in the 2023 NFL Draft, but none stands out as much as Derick Hall. The rising senior came close to posting double-digit sacks in 2021 and has many of the physical traits NFL teams look for in sack artists. Let’s check out Hall’s 2023 offseason prospect profile.

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Derick Hall, EDGE Auburn: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Senior outside linebacker from Gulfport, Miss.

Background: Hall was a four-star recruit from Gulfport High School in Gulfport, Miss. in the class of 2019. He was the No. 148 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 180 for Rivals, and No. 163 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 140th in the nation with an 83 grade out of 100. As a high school senior, Hall recorded 83 tackles. He was selected for the Under Armour All-American Game. Hall is a well-rounded athlete who started on the basketball team and was a state finalist in the 200-meter event in track. According to MaxPreps, he averaged 12.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game across 23 basketball games during the 2017 season. MaxPreps also credits Hall with six tackles for loss and four sacks during his senior football season. Hall has a younger sister named R'hana, and his birthday is March 19.

2021 Production: 13 games, 52 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 43 pressures, 9 sacks, 2 forced fumbles

2020 Production: 11 games, 21 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 31 pressures, 4 sacks, 1 forced fumble

2019 Production: 11 games, 13 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 12 pressures

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed two games with a knee injury in 2019

Awards: 2021 Second-Team All-SEC

Pros: Special teams experience on five major units, began dropping into coverage more often in 2021, some experience lining up as an off-ball linebacker, great get-off gives him the chance to get under the tackle’s outside shoulder and bend around the edge, flattens the top of his rush to reach the quarterback, arm length is adequate, excellent combination of bend, burst, linear speed, and power, pursues wide receiver screens to the near sideline, relentlessly pursues the quarterback, good closing speed to meet the quarterback, dips and pulls himself around the tackle’s outside shoulder, makes plays in pursuit as the backside run defender, terrific linear burst, able to push linemen back with a bull rush and then redirect to the quarterback, flashes of converting speed to power

Cons: Double-digit missed tackles in 2021, limited experience dropping into coverage, committed seven penalties over the past two years, gets displaced or sealed too often against the run and struggles to disengage from blockers, doesn’t have a plan to shed blocks in the running game, hand usage is basic and fails to keep Hall clean, doesn’t consistently set a hard edge, power rush stalls quickly against sturdy tackles, wish he attempted to win the inside shoulder more often, allows linemen to crowd his frame, pop in his hands is inconsistent, pad level occasionally rises too high, doesn’t always generate backward movement when clashing with linemen

Overview: Hall is unofficially listed at 6'3", 256 lbs. He produced pressure on 17.8% of his pass rush attempts in 2020 and roughly 13.9% in 2021. The rising senior had several impressive performances throughout 2021, including against Alabama. Hall offers a special combination of bend, burst, and power off the line which he uses well as a speed rusher. He often succeeds at getting under a tackle’s outside shoulder and pulling himself through before flattening his rush to the quarterback. Hall possesses adequate arm length and power throughout his frame, which occasionally helps him displace pass blocking linemen. He’s a high motor player who makes tackles in pursuit and doesn’t quit on the rush. However, Hall’s game is incomplete. He projects best as a penetration style player against the run as he fails to consistently set a hard edge and often finds himself displaced downfield. Hall sometimes gets engulfed and finished to the ground on run plays, and he doesn’t show any signs of having a plan to counter strong run blockers. Part of Hall’s issue is his juvenile hand usage, which fails to help him disengage from blocks or keep his frame clean. These issues translate to his pass rushing plan, which involves few counters or secondary moves once his initial rush fails. Hall lacks a go-to pass rush move outside of his speed rush off the edge and an inconsistent bull rush.

Overall, Hall possesses ideal athletic traits for an NFL pass rusher. His bend and burst are an excellent combination that will offer opportunities for immediate wins at the next level. Hall has impressive power too, but he’s failed to develop his hand usage, counters, and pass rush arsenal to fully take advantage of his gifts.

Role & Scheme Fit: Outside linebacker or designated pass rusher in a 3-4 scheme from a two-point stance

Round Projection: Mid Third to Early Fourth

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 08-21-22