Atlanta Falcons Draft Spotlight: ILB Stephone Anthony

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Sep 19, 2013; Raleigh, NC, USA; Clemson Tigers linebacker Stephone Anthony (42) tackles North Carolina State Wolfpack runningback Tony Creecy (26) at Carter Finley Stadium. The Clemson Tigers won 26-14. Mandatory Credit: Liz Condo-USA TODAY Sports

Strengths

Stephone Anthony immediately stands out as the type of player you want in the middle of your defense. At 6’3″, 243 pounds, he’s an imposing figure with an ideal build for the position.

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To back that up, Anthony had an impressive combine performance. His 40-time of 4.56 seconds was third among all LBs, only .03 seconds behind Vic Beasley and tied with athletic freak Alvin Dupree.

He was even more impressive in the 20-yard shuttle with a time of 4.03 seconds, good for second best and blowing away Beasley by .12 seconds while also edging out Shaq Thompson.

Here’s a great video from DraftBreakdown.com that is a good barometer of Stephone Anthony’s game:

His incredible athleticism is even more evident on tape, where Anthony flies around the field and is trusted with varying responsibilities. He can get downhill and stuff RBs, he can rush the passer off the edge or through the A-gap, and he can cover TEs and RBs out of the backfield.

Anthony showed his versatility with 330 total tackles, 34.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, 18 QB hurries, 3 interceptions, 13 pass deflections, and five forced fumbles over 35 starts (52 total games).

Anthony plays fast, maybe even faster than his 40-time. His tackling technique is solid and he can be depended on to make stops even against large, bruising RBs. He can move sideline-to-sideline to catch stretch plays and run down plays from behind.

Anthony’s closing speed is spectacular and he usually takes good angles to the ball carrier. He’s also a big hitter that can lay the wood when needed.

He’s got impressive skills in coverage, particularly for someone his size. His hands are better than you’d expect, and he will compete for 50/50 throws. Anthony’s speed serves him well in this area, as he’s good at recovering and closing on receivers with the ball in the air. He’s got solid lateral agility and can mirror-and-match in crossing routes across the middle.

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Anthony also has flashed some ability at rushing the passer, both off the edge and up the middle.

With some technique work and improved hand usage, he has the the size and speed to become a gifted situational rusher from the ILB position.

To top it all off, Anthony’s football IQ and off-the-field character are considered top-notch. He’s a competitor and team player through-and-through.

In 2012, he lost his starting job, but gained it back in 2013 through determination and hard work, having arguably his best season in the process.

His stats are also quite impressive: Anthony showed his versatility with 330 total tackles, 34.5 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, 18 QB hurries, 3 interceptions, 13 pass deflections, and five forced fumbles over 35 starts (52 total games).

In short, Anthony has proven he has the skill-set and the attitude to become a three-down ILB in the NFL.

But, as with any prospect, Anthony has some shortcomings to his game as well.

Next: Stephone Anthony's Weaknesses