SI All-American Candidate Mac Uihlein Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: Mac Uihlein
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-1, 215 pounds
Position: Linebacker
School: Lake Forest (Ill.)
Committed to: Northwestern
Projected Position: Off-Ball Linebacker
Frame: Fairly narrow torso and upper-body with room to add mass and chisel. Average length. A tight waist and average lower base for the position.
Athleticism: High motor and effort. Fair quickness to scrape laterally to reach wings versus the run. Good linear downhill closing quickness when triggering to attack and finish on ball-carriers. Physical at collision points and relishes contact when finishing.
Instincts: Good mesh-point vision versus the run. Solid to click and close downhill. Works with a decent feel for flow and traffic navigation. Reliable to be fall-back player in C-gaps. Used more as a hug-player versus the pass, though flashes alertness and awareness for crossers underneath.
Polish: Plays mostly Will ‘backer and Mike off the ball/stacked in a defense that appears to use a 3-4 base alignment. Has decent hand usage at the point in take-on phase versus blockers, though would like to see more explosiveness and shock with his mitts. Needs to prove he can relate to inside receivers and backs in coverage before zoning off in order to be able to adequately hold up in passing game for the collegiate level.
Bottom Line: Uihlein is a reliable and productive linebacker who is best off the ball. He shows good quickness when he triggers and attacks ball-carriers to finish, and he is not as shy as a finisher. Although he may be a bit undersized and needs to show more coverage production, look for Uihlein to fit fine as a stacked/off-ball ‘backer in college and as a valuable contributor to the big-4 special team's units.