SI All-American Candidate Aaron Armitage Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: Aaron Armitage
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-4, 240 pounds
Position: Defensive End
School: Blairstown (N.J.) Blair Academy
Schools of Interest: USC, Florida, LSU, Stanford and Oregon, among others.
Projected Position: Defensive End
Frame: Big chest with long, thick arms. Carries current weight well with hips and bubble butt in lower half.
Athleticism: Posted a 4.43 shuttle time last spring. Active at the snap from the edge and uses length well. Has good strength and can set edges consistently versus tight ends. Consistently beats backside pulls to ball. Has fair ability to bend and lean when cornering. Can pursue flat down line of scrimmage when hunting.
Instincts: Good block awareness versus run. Can punch with accuracy, stack and peak to ball in backfield with good eyes. Does a solid job widening his pass-rush track to alter throw off punch timing. Alert to use his length and get his mitts into throwing lanes.
Polish: Almost exclusively plays on the left side as 5 and 7-technique end. Works infrequently from 2-point stance. Can call on speed-to-power, 2-hand swipe and dip-and-rip from his pass-rush toolbox, and will use a swim move to escape blocks in run game. Can play tall and allow blockers underneath his pads while losing outside leverage in run game. Needs to string moves together and be quicker to counter as a pass-rusher.
Bottom Line: Armitage has an ideal frame and versatile skill set. He can impact the run game from the edge with his length and solid strength over tight ends, while also working as a solid complimentary pass-rusher with a few items in his toolbox. Armitage could play 5-technique in an odd 3-man base front, or stick as a traditional left defensive end in 4-3 defense.