Tommy Eichenberg, LB Ohio State: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Eichenberg was a four-star recruit from Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio in the class of 2019

The linebacker class for the 2024 NFL Draft is deeper than the 2023 class, but there still aren’t many elite prospects. Ohio State’s Tommy Eichenberg won’t compete for a first round selection, but he should still easily lock up a top 100 pick.

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Tommy Eichenberg, LB Ohio State: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Redshirt senior MIKE linebacker from Cleveland, Ohio

Background: Eichenberg was a four-star recruit from Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio in the class of 2019. He was the No. 318 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 213 for Rivals, and No. 368 for On3.com. Eichenberg was an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 78 grade out of 100. He committed to Boston College before flipping to Ohio State. Eichenberg was a First Team All-Ohio selection for the Ohio Prep Sports Writers Association as a high school senior. That season, he produced 126 tackles, including 23 for loss with eight sacks, an interception, five passes defensed, and five forced fumbles. Eichenberg led Saint Ignatius as a junior with 81 tackles and 7.5 sacks. He was a state qualifier for the track and field team in the shot put and finished eighth at the 2018 state championship meet. His brother, Liam, was a 2020 All-American offensive tackle for Notre Dame who went to the Miami Dolphins with the 42nd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Tommy Eichenberg graduated from Ohio State in May of 2023 with his degree in real estate.

Injuries & Off-Field: Possibly played through two broken hands in 2022, missed 2023 spring practices

Awards: 2022 First Team All-Big Ten, 2022 Second Team All-American, 2022 Team Captain, 2023 Team Captain

Pros: Special teams experience on the kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, and field goal block units, good build with room to add weight, long speed and linear athleticism look solid, impressive pre-snap reads and diagnosis, fires through gaps for TFLs, beats offensive linemen to their spots, picks his way through the trash to the ball, foot quickness and bounce to hop around climbing linemen, sideline-to-sideline range in run defense, range showed up in the run game vs. Wisconsin (2022), Braelon Allen couldn’t escape him (2022), high motor in pursuit, sniffs out screens, quick to click and close on underneath throws or throws to the flat, some success carrying tight ends up the seam, wrap up tackler, poised and confident tackler, one penalty in 2021 and 2022 combined

Cons: Good but not great arm length, not a twitchy or sudden mover, doesn’t have elite closing speed, agility falls short of ideal, hips sometimes lock up, too eager to get downhill leading to him filling the wrong gap, run fits were all over the place vs. Georgia (2022), occasionally runs himself out of plays, momentum causes him to miss some tackles, lacks mass to take on offensive linemen, pancaked by Amarius Mims (2022), struggles to separate from blockers, bites on ball fakes, covers empty space more than he covers options in zone, needs to squeeze routes in zone more, seems to be overwhelmed by multiple threats in zone, lacks traits for man coverage, stacked vertically by slot options, doesn’t really have a pass rush plan

Overview: Eichenberg has special teams experience on the kick coverage, punt return, punt coverage, and field goal block units. He has a good build with room to add weight. Eichenberg appears to have good but not great arm length. His long speed and linear athleticism are solid, but he isn’t a twitchy or sudden athlete. Additionally, the All-American doesn’t have elite closing speed or agility, and his hips occasionally lock up. His football IQ and mental approach to the game separate him from other linebackers in the 2024 class. Eichenberg’s pre-snap reads and diagnosis are impressive. He fires through gaps for tackles for loss and beats offensive linemen to their spots. Eichenberg picks his way through the trash to the ball. He appears to be at his best making quick reads and working downhill or horizontally in the run game. He uses his foot quickness to bounce around climbing linemen. Eichenberg has sideline-to-sideline range in run defense, which showed up as he neutralized Braelon Allen in Ohio State’s 2022 match against Wisconsin. Eichenberg’s hustle and high motor plays will impress coaches. He sniffs out screens and is quick to click and close on underneath throws or throws to the flat. The redshirt senior has some success carrying tight ends up the seam. He is a poised and confident tackler who wraps up ball carriers. Despite his processing skills, Eichenberg often defaults to a see-ball, get-ball linebacker. He is too eager to get downhill, which leads to him filling the wrong gap. His run fits cost Ohio State against Georgia (2022). Eichenberg runs himself out of plays, and his momentum causes him to miss some tackles. He lacks the mass to challenge climbing offensive linemen. The Ohio native struggles to separate from blockers. He covers empty space more than he covers receiving options in zone and bites on ball fakes. Eichenberg seems overwhelmed when facing multiple threats in zone. He lacks the athletic traits for man coverage and is stacked vertically by slot options.

Overall, Eichenberg is one of the best processors in the 2024 linebacker class, anticipating and diagnosing plays at a level few other prospects match. His eagerness to get downhill occasionally causes his discipline to break down, leading to busted plays. He’s not an outstanding athlete and is still developing his instincts in coverage.

Role & Scheme Fit: Early down MIKE with limited coverage functions

Round Projection: Third Round

Size: 6'2", 239 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 09-14-23