NFL Draft Profile: Clarence Hicks, Linebacker, UTSA Roadrunners
#9
Pos: LB
Ht: 6013
Wt: 223
Hand: 0900
Arm: 3268
Wing: 7778
DOB: 12/7/98
Eligible: 2022
Pensacola, FL
Pine Forest High School
Clarence Hicks
UTSA Roadrunners
One-Liner:
Deficiently sized outside linebacker with solid pass rush and spot drop ability. Poor eyes and below-average close-quarter quickness are limiting factors.
Pros:
Outside linebacker who aligns at overhang and on the ball as a wide rusher. Hicks possesses above-average long speed as he is a springy athlete in a straight line. His above-average play strength allows him to take on offensive linemen. He beats bigger blockers in space with his athleticism. Making lunging blockers pay, Hicks sheds them quickly. Heavy hands impact blockers when he lands his strike. A reliable tackler when he has the angle, he wraps up reliably. In coverage, Hicks is a competent and comfortable spot dropper with average foot speed for a linebacker. He bumps receivers crossing his zone to disrupt route timing.
Cons:
In short areas, Hicks lacks the desired burst as he robs himself of momentum by popping straight up. High pads cause him to consistently lose the leverage battle. Hicks lacks a pass rush plan, suffers from inconsistent hand placement and gets stuck in mid-air trying to cross the face of blockers. He can be unwilling to take on lead blockers physically. Hicks misses tackles in space against shifty ball carriers and often takes overly aggressive angles. His eyes are poor and he is very susceptible to biting on fakes. Poor ankle flexion cost him fluidity and change of direction ability in space. Hicks lacks the agility required to match up with NFL caliber tight ends in man coverage.
Summary:
Outside linebacker with deficient size who plays on the ball as a rusher and as an overhang. Hicks beats bigger blockers with his springy straight-line athleticism and is comfortable as a spot dropper. His close-quarter quickness and fluidity are below average and he has poor eyes. Hicks projects as a developmental 3-4 outside linebacker who can offer versatility to a defense. To make a roster, he has to improve his tackling and become more reliable at processing.
Grades:
Current Player Value/Potential Player Value
6.0 / 6.6
*Go All Access - Subscribe to NFL Draft Bible today and receive a one-year subscription to Sports Illustrated magazine, for FREE!
CLICK BELOW FOR MORE NFL DRAFT CONTENT
2022 NFL Draft Big Board & Position Rankings
2022 NFL Draft Underclassmen Tracker
- Seniors Declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft
- Underclassmen Declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft
- Players Returning To School
- College Football Players Out of Eligibility
2022 NFL Draft Team Needs
2022 NFL Draft Order
2022 All-Star Game Measurements
NFL Draft All-Star Game Tracker
Combine | Senior Bowl | Shrine Bowl | NFLPA Bowl | Hula Bowl | Cajun Bowl | CGS | Topical Bowl | HBCU Bowl | HBCU Combine
2022 NFL Draft All-Star Game Info
- Reese’s Senior Bowl – February 6th, 2022 (Mobile, AL)
- East-West Shrine Bowl – February 3rd, 2022 (Las Vegas, NV)
- NFLPA Collegiate Bowl – January 29th, 2022 (Pasadena, CA)
- Hula Bowl – January 15th, 2022 (Orlando, FL)
- SPIRAL Tropical Bowl – January 17th, 2022 (Orlando, FL)
- Cajun All-Star Bowl – February 12th, 2022 (Beaumont, TX)
- College Gridiron Showcase – January 8th, 2022 (Fort Worth, TX)
