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Player name: Deiontrez Mount
H/W: 6'5 249
Position: Defensive End/Outside Linebacker
School/Class: Louisville/Senior
Measureables: 4.66 40, 31" vertical jump, 9'11" broad jump, 4.31 shuttle, 7.09 3 cone, 28 bench press reps
The Tape
Louisville vs Georgia 2014 Belk Bowl (#48)
Louisville vs Florida State (#48)
Pros
- Versatility - Mount played a variety of positions for the Cardinals including inside linebacker, outside linebacker, defensive tackle and defensive end. He's also scheme versatile as Louisville played a 4-3 up until his senior season when they converted to a 3-4 when DC Todd Grantham came over from Georgia. In 2014, he usually lined up opposite linebacker Lorenzo Mauldin. The versatility will also translate well to the Titans as he can sit and learn the system at his primary position of outside linebacker. Came from a fundamentally sound defense that was one of the nation's best his entire career.
- Body/Frame - Possesses long arms to hold blockers at bay to go with above average hand usage. His eyes are good as well, rarely losing sight of the ball, even if he takes a bit to get going to the carrier. Well coached in the art of hand fighting and placement on opposing blockers. Has a good body type for his position.
- Strength/Effort - Above average speed and lateral quickness is a plus. Strength is a consistent tool of his and will be his calling card until techniques are better refined. Rarely quits on a play and plays to the whistle. Pursues well even when not in the play, cleaning up teammate's messes.
Cons
- Athleticism - Mount isn't the quick twitch burst athlete that his 40 time indicates. His first step is very slow and often very predictable, which makes it easy for blockers to push him aside. There's a sense that his lack of required athleticism will relegate him into being only a depth player at best. Hips are very stiff and he cannot bend properly to get leverage.
- Instincts - He has virtually none. Extremely limited in this department and must be coached hard to even resemble an NFL quality backup. Pass rush arsenal needs significant development as well as he has only one to go to. Frequently caught in the wash and cannot disengage the blocker. Has only one speed: slow.
- Experience/Production - Although a four year contributor, he never really got going in his development. Mount wasn't capable of starting even half of his games, being passed up by younger players. A big red flag is that he didn't put up respectable stats with the talent around surrounding him throughout his career. Basically just another body to throw out there on the field.
Additional notes
I really disliked Louisville's (and Addida's) uniform selections this year (particularly against Florida State when they had all gray jerseys with red numbers). It was nearly impossible to tell who was who at times. One trick that I used was that Mount was constantly on the opposite side of Lorenzo Mauldin. He didn't offer much against a talented offensive line like Florida State's and frequently was blocked off. Also wasn't much of a factor against Kentucky's considerably less talented line either. He did, however, flash a bit of talents at times. Mount hails from Fort Walton Beach, Florida and was part of Charlie Strong's recruiting successes in the state of Florida as a result. A 3 star recruit and 131st ranked prospect in the state of Florida.
Final Summary
I'm ambivalent about this pick as it's only a sixth round selection and the depth ahead of him at outside linebacker should allow him to learn at his own pace. Dick LeBeau, Ray Horton, and company have their work cut out with this guy. If Mount has to play anywhere near significant snaps in 2015, the defense will not fare too well. He needs a "redshirt" season to get his stuff together to contribute as a backup in 2016. A classic definition of a "tweener", he needs to settle down in one position and stick with it. On the up side, his experience and scheme versatility will be a plus. Another benefit is that he was coached by defensive guru Charlie Strong early on in his career before Strong left for Texas so LeBeau and Horton should have no issues. It will take some time to break down Todd Grantham's miserable coaching out of him (fortunately, Grantham was only there for Mount's senior season). If coached and developed properly, I can see Mount reaching the level of Bengals ace defensive end/linebacker Michael Johnson.
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