NFL Draft Profile: Neil Farrell Jr., Defensive Tackle, Louisiana State University Tigers
#92
Pos: DT
Ht: 6041
WT: 330
Hands: 1018
Arms: 3228
Wingspan: 7848
40: 5.41
3-Cone: 8.41
Vertical: 21.5
DOB:
Eligibility: 2022
Mobile, AL
Murphy High School
Neil Farrell Jr. Louisiana State University
Tigers
One-Liner:
Defensive tackle with below average athleticism and very short arms.
Pros:
Defensive tackle with good size in terms of height and weight. Farrell times the snap well consistently giving him an advantage off the ball. He possesses a quick swim move to beat lunging blockers off the ball and penetrate the backfield. From a four-point stance, Farrell extends explosively, creating knockback and stacking blocks. He stays square when moving laterally.
Cons:
Lacking athleticism when moving laterally or in a straight line, Farrell is unable to threaten blockers with quickness. His poor burst prevents him from attacking gaps and getting penetration. Farrell is unable to exploit his advantage after creating a half-man relationship. When trying to recover into cutback lanes, he is too slow to reach the ball carrier. Very short arms mean that blockers are able to outreach him consistently. Farrell is unable to push the pocket consistently, lacking lower body strength and having his motor run hot and cold. Average hand quickness and little violence prevent him from breaking the contact point and deconstructing blocks. Farrell pops up after the snap, causing him to get out leveraged, twisted and uprooted. His anchor is below average, surrendering ground against combo blocks. An inconsistent tackler, Farrell is also slow to locate ball carriers when engaged with opponents.
Summary:
Defensive tackle with below-average athleticism and very short arms. Farrell beats lunging blockers with his swim move. He possesses below-average leg drive and plays with a high pad level. Farrell projects as a camp defensive tackle who brings experience and size. His limitations in terms of athleticism and length will likely prevent him from making a roster or sticking on a practice squad.
Background:
Neil Farrel Jr. attended Murphy high school in Alabama where he was selected to the 2015 and 2016 Class 7A First Team Defense All-State. In his senior season he totalled 101 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 13 sacks and 14 quarterback hurries. After high school, 247Sports ranked him as a 3-Star recruit, the 375th-best recruit nationally, the 25th-ranked defensive tackle recruit in the country and the 17th recruit in the state of Alabama.
Farrel Jr. committed to LSU and as a true freshman in 2017 he appeared in five games at defensive end and finished with five tackles, including a career-high five against Chattanooga. In 2018, he appeared in 10 games with no starts and finished with 23 tackles and 1.5 sacks along with two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup. In 2019, he appeared in 15 games, started three and finished with 46 tackles, seven tackles for loss and three sacks. In 2020, he appeared in 10 games, started six and finished with 25 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack. In 2021, he played 12 games at defensive tackle and finished with 45 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.
In August 2020, Farrel Jr. left LSU for a month to take care of his grandmother who was severely impacted by COVID-19 and needed a ventilator. Farrel Jr. already missed one offseason of strength and conditioning with the LSU coaches because of the pandemic and he was determined to put in work while away from the team to maximize his development. Once he returned to the team, his teammates noticed that Farrel Jr. was approaching the game in a different way. Senior defensive lineman, Glen Logan said, “When he came back, Neil was totally different. His mindset was different, from the way he wanted to come out here and practice.”
Grades:
Current Player Value/Potential Player Value
5.1/5.5
12/24 - “When he came back, Neil was totally different. His mindset was different, from the way he wanted to come out here and practice. Him opting out and coming back with the family issues, it made him a better player.” Teammate Glen Logan on Neil Farrell
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