NFL Draft Profile: Deshawn Pace, Linebacker, Cincinnati Bearcats
#20
Pos: LB
Ht: 6016
Wt: 218
DOB: 03/21/
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
High School: Colerain
Eligibility: 2023
Deshawn Pace
Cincinnati Bearcats
One-Liner:
Pace is an angular linebacker that uses nuance and fundamentals to stay untouched and disrupt offenses.
Evaluation:
Considerable length, with a good wingspan. Projects blocks of opposing linemen, beating them to their spot. Sound and fluid as a tackler. Consistently drops his pads, leads with his shoulder, and hits the target in the lower body, wrapping up ball carriers. Scrapes and bends around blocks. Arm length and hand usage are shown here, evading the punch of bigger linemen. Will take tight ends head-on, meeting them in the hole before disengaging and making tackles for losses. Runs to and through the ball. Never panics in a one-on-one, open-field scenario. Persistent in his stance, ready to strike from all angles. Able to turn, gain depth and carry the seam in coverage. Redirects shallow crossers while dropping into his mid-read zone and defending secondary-level passing lanes. Can mirror backs with adequate lateral agility. Vision and instincts shine, leading to timely interceptions, often for significant returns or even points. Body type is indistinguishable from a defensive back. Lack of mass shows at the point of attack, displaying a wide size and power discrepancy against linemen. Not graciously fluid, or adept in short areas. Unveiling of open field speed is few and far between. Some technical defects in coverage, would like to see him stay square before always turning to a cross-over run. Pace is a lighter linebacker, but you would never know that by his statistics and tackling ability. He has developed a nuanced understanding of how to deviate amongst traffic and arrive in the backfield. Another year of this production with added size will fair his draft projection substantially.
Grade:
3rd Round
Quotes:
“At 6’2″ and 218 pounds, Deshawn Pace has safety size but the attitude and physicality of a traditionally sized LB. His experience as a high school safety shows up in his coverage ability.”
Oliver Hodgkison, Pro Football Network
Background:
Deshawn Pace is a major playmaker for the University of Cincinnati. He began as a freshman posting some solid stats including a forced fumble and getting a career-high four tackles in two games. He then improved from 2020 to 2021 where he made a name for himself. He posted ninety-four tackles and a team-leading four interceptions. He had a tremendous performance for Cincinnati’s playoff appearance vs Alabama with nine tackles. His major improvement from freshman to sophomore year shows Pace’s potential.
