Finding Broncos: Scouting Cincinnati Edge Myjai Sanders
Measurables
- Height: 6-foot-5
- Weight: 247 pounds
- Arms: 32-⅝ inches
- Hands: 9-¼ inches
Combine Results
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.67 seconds
- Vertical Jump: 33 inches
- Broad Jump: 120 inches
- 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.37 seconds
Stats
Pros
- A quick-twitch edge defender that sets up several pass rush moves with his lower body.
- Strong punch hand placement that is surprisingly quick.
- Twists and stunts come rather quickly, and he plays with great leverage coming off of them.
- Uses his length well, even though he isn't incredibly long in the arms.
- Not super bendy, but he has fluid hips to help change direction and reverse flow back to the ball.
- Athletic enough to work his way back into the play as it goes away from him.
Cons
- Run defense strength at the point of attack is incredibly lacking.
- Lack of length to shed when engaged in the run game is incredibly apparent.
- Doesn't possess the ability to run under a table as a bendy edge rusher.
- A slender build that fluctuates weight is going to be a problem at the next level.
- Not great in coverage, but that can be teachable due to his athleticism and fluidity.
- Needs to work on counter moves with his hands and stop relying on his feet to do the job for him.
Overview
Myjai Sanders has a twitchy lower body and changes direction easily as his hips are incredibly fluid. The lack of flexibility in his waist and knees don't allow him to get the requisite bend coming around the arc. Many of his sacks, including his 2.5 from this past season, are of the coverage variety because he doesn't have the refinement of the top talents or the traits to truly become an elite edge rusher.
In the running game, Sanders' thin frame and lack of elite length see him overpowered at the point of attack often enough that you don't want to rely upon his ability on early downs. A 'jack of most trades but master of none', Sanders projects as a rotational pass rusher in a 3-4 scheme as an outside linebacker that isn't tasked in run defense, if at all possible, until he gains and maintains more strength and weight. He offers high-end potential as a blitzer or in the twist game.
Fit with Broncos
Sanders can be a fit with the Denver Broncos — a team plagued by injuries at the top of the edge-rusher depth chart and whose top backup, Malik Reed, is in a contract year. As a developmental pass rusher with some upside to be a contributor down the road, Sanders could slide nicely into a roster looking for guys who can get after the passer.
The Broncos need to double-dip at the edge position, and with Sanders having the ability to blitz well, he could become a useful chess piece in a defense that wants to get more creative in its pass-rush packages.
Grade: Mid-Round 4
Where he Goes: Top-100
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