Notre Dame Film Room: 2024 Linebacker Target Chris Cole
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Arguably the most talented linebacker on the board for Notre Dame, 2024 Salem (Va.) High School defender Chris Cole is finally getting the ranking attention that his film and offer list deserves. Cole has become a very intriguing option for the Irish, one who will be taking an official visit to campus in June.
Let’s take a look at what Cole could bring to a prospective team on the next level. The overall potential is legitimate, which he is still barely scratching the surface of.
PROSPECT PROFILE
Hometown/High School: Salem, Va./Salem
Height/Weight: 6-3/210
IB Grade: 4.0 (Top 100 caliber prospect)
Upside Grade: 4.5
Offers: Notre Dame, Georgia, Alabama, Miami, USC, Florida, Penn State, Florida State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Auburn, Nebraska, Arkansas, Stanford, Maryland, Louisville, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Northwestern, West Virginia, Vanderbilt, Cincinnati, Syracuse, Duke
FILM ROOM
Size/Strength/Power - Blessed with a long and athletic frame, Cole is the prototypical second level defender in the modern game. He has the frame where he could maintain and stay as a rover on the college level, while also having the body to fill out to project to either inside linebacker spot down the road. Cole has a well proportioned frame to gain a substantial amount of strength in the upper and lower body. There is some underlying pop on his hands but it is something that Cole still needs more experience at. He does possess the requisite toughness and developmental upside to excel in that area.
Athletic Skills - From a speed and athleticism perspective, you’d be hard pressed to find a more impressive athlete at the linebacker position in 2024. The smoothness he plays with at 6-3 with long arms is incredibly impressive. You will see reps of him playing overhang, on ball and as a safety in the defense. Cole’s downhill burst and explosiveness is impressive. That allows him to make a variety of plays in space and in the backfield even while playing from depth. Cole is a loose athlete who can cover a nice amount of ground laterally and as a pursuit player. His short area quickness allows Cole to even play some man to man coverage in the passing game. The flexibility he plays with allows him to change direction well while staying balanced as a tackler or to stay in phase.
Instincts/Technique - Cole anticipates the game pretty well but it’s a little tough to fully understand since he plays some depth so often. Working from the second level is a completely different animal. He does locate ball carriers extremely well and shows the ability to quickly attack. When he recognizes it’s a pass, Cole is quickly able to redirect and get into his proper zone. Cole never looks unbalanced or out of control. The game does appear to move very slowly for him. Cole is a sound tackler with some underlying power to work with. His tackle radius is outstanding.
Run Game - Cole plays with a good base as a run support defender. He sees the game well but will need to react slightly sooner to make the transition inside full time. Taking on blocks is a major area of improvement needed. Cole has the necessary tools to be an asset in that area but will need to add strength and really focus on it. Angles of pursuit for Cole are very nice. When you combine that with his plus speed, he’s able to close ground in a hurry. From the backside, he is able to make a lot of outrageous plays. Cole’s power profile continues to get better and better. He has some surprising pop in his lower half when he comes to balance as a tackler.
Pass Game - Salem uses Cole on the line of scrimmage as a pass rusher at times. His combination of length and closing speed allow him to make an impact as a blitzer in the passing game. Cole’s footwork and quickness allows for him to also make an impact in pass coverage, even as a man coverage player. He has made a variety of plays in coverage, boasting the closing speed, recognition and ball skills to make some impact plays.
AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT
Traditional box duties are something that Cole will still need to develop. That includes taking on blocks, where Cole relies more on athleticism than physicality currently. He has the developing power profile and length to excel in that area. There is just needed time for development from a technical perspective.
Cole appears to have really sound eyes to read and diagnose. He doesn’t always appear to trust what he sees, reacting a step slowly at times. As he plays more as a stacked player on the second level, things are going to move faster. Cole’s ability to play more proactively will be a huge help.
NOTRE DAME FIT
Cole is the ideal linebacker fit into the Notre Dame defense. He’s the type of defender who could potentially line up at all three positions depending on how his body is developed. There is a reality where Cole ends up as a rover, will or mike linebacker. Cole’s versatile is impressive.
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