A Closer Look at New Wisconsin Commit Jake Chaney's Game

The novel coronavirus, and the subsequent college football recruiting repercussion, hasn't shut down some big prospect decisions.

Wisconsin is among the programs able to tangibly mark the beginning of the new NCAA recruiting dead period successfully with the Sunday commitment of Florida linebacker prospect Jake Chaney.

The 6-foot, 215-pound prospect had double digit offers before zeroing in on the Big Ten program, one he visited during the 2019 football season in November. Programs like Michigan, Minnesota, Indiana and Louisville were among those on his list of options.

Credited with 100 tackles including 10 tackles for loss and two sacks in 2019, Chaney helped Lehigh get to the regional quarterfinal in the loaded Class 7A bracket. How may some of that success translate at the next level?

SI All-American takes a closer look at the rising senior recruit.

Strengths

Right off the bat the frame, pedigree and position-specific size represents a strong group of positives before a single down of football is consumed. Chaney is the son of former Florida State defensive lineman James Chaney, who is also his head coach at Lehigh. At 215 pounds with some length, he is right in the desired threshold for linebackers in the current era with the frame to add mass in a relatively short period of time whether slated to play on the inside or out.

Once the tape is turned on, confirmation arrives shortly thereafter. Chaney is a downhill, no-nonsense 'backer with plus athleticism and striking ability. He is quite comfortable playing in the box, navigating the wash and closing the distance between he and the ball carrier in a hurry. Upon arrival, there is some short-area explosion and finishing power to boot.

Chaney profiles as a seek and destroy linebacker but there are several examples of his patience aiding his hunt. Staying square to the line of scrimmage with great pad level, he is strong laterally and can beat blockers to the point with speed as well as the counter to let pullers blow by. Chaney shows examples of savvy in the phone booth throughout his junior film but really shines when he sees red and forms up the ball carrier in the hole.

Areas for Improvement

Unknowns are a big part of the initial evaluation process and at the linebacker position it usually means coverage. When prep stars like Chaney are so impactful at or near the line of scrimmage, they won't be asked to drop into coverage and prove third-down ability as frequently as others. There are aspects of his game that appear to be translatable to playing in space, like the feel and bursts of closing speed he flashes while tracking a ball carrier, but coverage specific scenarios are few and far between.

Other unknowns with Chaney include speed, though he looks explosive enough in certain scenarios, as well as pass rushing ability. He is fairly strong as a run blitzer, where his feel and power combine to put pressure on the middle of the offense on occasion.

Player Comparison

Former Mississippi State linebacker Beniquez Brown, who emerged during the 2014 season when MSU climbed to No. 1 in the college polls. Brown was last with the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL.

Projection

Overall, Chaney is a strong pickup for Wisconsin and fits what they want to do on defense under Jim Leonhard. At this stage of the evaluation we project the junior as an inside linebacker with a potential three-down ceiling with progression in a space setting. He has the makeup to fare well in a given linebacker room, with the instincts and consistency to rack up triple digit tackles with just enough edge and pop to act as a spark for the second level unit and shift momentum in short order.

Learn more of Chaney and the Badgers at AllBadgers.com.

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