Finding Broncos: Chad Muma | LB | Wyoming

Finding Broncos scouts the 2022 NFL Draft with a rising linebacker.

Measurements

• Height: 6-foot-3
• Weight: 239 pounds
• Arms: 31-5/8 inches
• Hands: 10 inches

Combine Results

• Vertical Jump: 36 inches
• 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.57 seconds

Pro Day Results:

• 40 Yard Dash: 4.63 seconds
• Bench Press (225 pounds): 27 reps
• Vertical Jump: 40 inches
• Broad Jump: 129 inches
• 3 Cone Drill: 7.06 seconds
• 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.28 seconds

Stats

Pros

• Lateral mobility is a plus, and he uses it to his advantage as a run defender scraping through the trash.
• Square body and form tackler that rarely misses his target
• Speed to close on the ball carrier is a plus
• Understands leverage and assignments as a zone coverage defender and drives on the ball well
• Patient enough to not bite on play-action fakes, allowing him to keep his depth in his drops
• Has shown the ability to flip his hips and turn and run in man coverage
• Ball skills are there, and he has multiple interceptions as a zone coverage linebacker, including a pair of touchdowns after the interception in 2021
• Great in the blitz game and exploits gaps in protection quickly and violently

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Cons

• High-level athleticism is a concern, but the twitch is there
• Not overly powerful when engaging in the running game due to a lack of functional strength and has a tendency to avoid blockers in a bad way rather than taking the fight at the point of attack
• Higher target area as a tackler could be a concern at the next level with more violent and physical backs
• Consistency in man coverage is lacking. There are flashes, but there are concerns against quicker, short-area players with acceleration out of the breaks
• Gets fooled by motions and misdirection too frequently, leading him to have to scrape more often than he should due to a lack of decisiveness

Overview

A high-volume tackler in the Mountain West for two seasons at Wyoming, Chad Muma shows tenacity and motor that is relentless in his pursuit of the football. While his awareness in diagnosing the play in front of him is lacking at times, his ability to trace to the ball and scrape through the trash is very good. He avoids blockers with ease and understands leverage to the ball but sometimes can place himself in bad situations due to his "see ball- chase ball" mentality.

While he does appear late to make a decision at times, Muma clicks and closes to the ball carrier with ease and arrives violently as a tackler. He brings his legs well and wraps up consistently with a chest-up approach that does well to limit yards after contact.

In coverage, Muma is a patient player that doesn't fall for fakes in the backfield and keeps his depth in his zone, using a quality shuffle step to extend the play laterally and keeping his shoulders square while reading the quarterback's eyes. While not a true backpedal player that extends vertically, Muma can turn and run efficiently if tasked with a back coming out of the backfield and pressing the boundary.

Change of direction skills and athleticism as a man coverage linebacker are lacking, so his best fit at the next level will be as a zone coverage player closer to the boundary in sib packages.

Fit with Broncos

Muma is a fit for this defense as a player who can avoid blockers in the running game and as a short area zone coverage linebacker in sub-packages. His ability to close to the flats as a coverage linebacker and make clean tackles should appeal to new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.

While there are concerns about his play strength at the point of attack in the running game, having a solid defensive line in front of him should allow him to scrape through the trash and make plays closer to the line of scrimmage and in open space out in the flats.

If nothing else, depth at the linebacker position is a need, and Muma projects as a solid rotational piece with enough versatility to play in all four phases of the special teams unit. Muma could be a target for the Broncos with their pick at no. 75 overall, though a trade back to get him would be better suited for a player with his skill set.

Grade: Round 3

Where he Goes: Top-85

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