Noah Spence (Athlon Consensus #4)

The Analysis

PROS: Speed, quickness and burst, for a player of his size, is where Spence’s advantage lies currently. He gets up the field with great burst and can get to the quarterback in a hurry. He displays tremendous closing speed and will deliver the big hit when he arrives. Spence is one of, if not the, best pure pass rusher in this class. He is ideally suited for an outside rush backer in a 3-4 scheme or, with some added bulk, could succeed as a pure end in a 4-3. He has great range, lateral movements and pursuit skills for a player of his size and position. He has a solid collection of pass rushing skills, but needs to work on refining them.

CONS: While his technique should develop, he will need to focus on maintaining his fundamentals at the point of attack against the run. He can be so quick and explosive, that he has a tendency to work around blockers instead of through them. Playing with a consistency is something most young athletes need to focus on and Spence needs to work on delivering more consistent play.

BIO: His father, Gregory Spence, played college football at NC State. He is set to play in the U.S. Army All-American game. He earned Class 3A All-State, All-Conference and All-Region honors as a junior.