NFL Draft Profile: Aaron Hansford, Linebacker, Texas A&M Aggies
#33
Pos: LB
Ht: 6021
Wt: 239
Hand: 1018
Arm: 3238
Wing: 7800
40: N/A
Bench: 24
3-Cone: N/A
Shuttle: N/A
Vert: N/A
Broad: N/A
DOB: 2/23/98
Eligible: 2022
Washington D.C.
Saint John's College High School
Aaron Hansford
Texas A&M Aggies
One-Liners
An excellent mover, Aaron Hansford is too raw and inconsistent to see defensive snaps in the NFL at this point; that said, his athleticism offers substantial upside.
Pros:
Athletic linebackers are exciting commodities in today’s NFL. Aaron Hansford has the frame and athletic profile to be a difference-maker in the league. The former wide receiver is a clean mover with loose hips to change direction and transition in coverage. He boasts impressive short-area quickness and long speed, affording him range at the second level while allowing him to navigate the box. What’s more, his closing speed to the tackle point is notable. Hansford’s movement skills afford him potential in zone coverage. The Texas A&M product displays instances of spatial awareness. He has the burst to click and close to the catch point. In man, Hansford is athletic enough to cover running backs and tight ends. He even sticks with some wide receivers on underneath routes. He uses physicality at or near the line of scrimmage to stay in phase. Against the run, the breakout star’s movement skills help him mirror ball carriers in the box and space. He exhibits decent pad level to gain leverage against blockers and passable hand usage to disengage from offensive linemen late. He anchors against tight ends and can control them. Additionally, the Washington, D.C. native can evade blockers with quickness. The Aggies’ standout has solid grip strength and stopping power once he wraps up.
Cons:
Despite a strong career, Texas A&M’s star linebacker’s game is plagued by inexperience and impatience. The Aggies’ standout’s inability to diagnose plays is immediately apparent on film. He bites on fakes far too often and is regularly out of position. In zone coverage, he is typically slow to process and react; he appears lost at times, leaving his assignment. What’s more, Hansford struggles to feel out routes and read the quarterback. In man coverage, the Washington, D.C. product takes false steps, locks his eyes on the passer and is often extremely late to flip his hips. Against the run, Hansford often finds himself out of position after reading the mesh point incorrectly or pressing the line prematurely. He can also play too eagerly and abandon his gap. Further, the defender lacks the power to work through offensive linemen and enters full-man engagement too willingly; he does not have the anchor to withstand a blocker’s output. Hansford’s late hands allow linemen to latch on and control him. Moreover, he removes himself from the play by shedding or evading blocks without considering angles. In fact, the Texas A&M linebacker generally takes poor downhill angles and attacks the inside leg. He is an unreliable tackler due to questionable effort and poor technique. His ostensibly below-average arm length sees him long-armed by blockers and stiff-armed by ball carriers. Finally, Hansford’s two season-ending injuries during his career with the Aggies are concerning.
Summary:
An exciting athlete at linebacker, Aaron Hansford exhibits promising flashes in coverage and against the run. That said, he is not yet NFL-ready in almost any phase of the game and is older than the average prospect. His movement skills and tackling should make him a special teams option while he develops into a possible contributor on defense. Hansford seems to boast a rosterable floor early in his career; if he progresses, he can be a starter in the league.
Background:
Born on February 23rd, 1998 in Washington, D.C., Aaron Hansford was a standout athlete at St. John’s College High School. The stellar football player participated in the 2015 Under Armour All-American game as a linebacker. That same year, he was named 2015 First Team All-USA Today D.C. Hansford also ran track in high school and was a member of St. John’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The athletic recruit posted impressive testing numbers as a high school senior. He ran the forty-yard dash in 4.51 seconds, performed the short shuttle in 4.33 seconds and had a vertical jump of just over 32 inches. In recognition of his strong career and athletic profile, 247Sports Composite Rankings listed Hansford as a four-star recruit. The same outlet named him the 148th-overall player in his class, the 12th-best outside linebacker in his year and the 2nd-ranked recruit in Washington, D.C. Hansford has had a tumultuous career since arriving on Texas A&M’s campus. He played in two games of his true freshman season before suffering a season-ending injury and exercising a medical redshirt. The next year, he played in seven games as a wide receiver. The Washington D.C. native posted three catches for 39 yards; he also made four special teams tackles. Hansford missed the entire 2018 season with an injury. Before the 2019 season, the St. John’s product moved to linebacker from wide receiver. He played in all thirteen games of his redshirt junior season. He recorded 15 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and two passes defended. Hansford broke out in 2020 against the odds. He started nine games and posted 49 tackles (second-best on the team), seven tackles for loss, three sacks and one pass defended. The talented linebacker accepted an invitation to the 2021 Reese’s Senior Bowl before deciding to return to Texas A&M for an additional season. In his final season with the Aggies, Hansford played in all 12 games and made 11 starts. He was awarded the Defensive Production Award at the annual team banquet. He will play in the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Grades:
Current Player Value/Potential Player Value
6.7 / 8.3
Floor/Ceiling: Rosterable Special Teamer and Depth Piece / Starting Linebacker
Scheme Fit: Scheme-Versatile WILL Linebacker
Grade: 5th Round
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