Sean Weatherspoon Scouting Report

Lost in the explosive offense of Missouri is how well the defense has been playing. It all starts with linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. Weatherspoon was pretty much a special teams player as a freshman in 2006. In 2007 he stepped into a starting role and then stepped into a leadership role almost immediately. On the year, Weatherspoon led the team with 130 tackles and always seemed to be around the ball. For a first-year starter and an underclassman, that was some amazing production. His numbers got better in 2008 when he tallied an incredible 155 tackles and three interceptions. Weatherspoon could have been a second or third round selection last season, but opted to return for his senior season to once again lead the Mizzou defense. Six games into the 2009 campaign he has already reached the 50 tackle plateau. Not only is Weatherspoon productive, but he is productive in about every way imaginable. He can get into the backfield or drop back in coverage and does both amazingly well. He will not be the biggest hitting or the fastest linebacker around, but few will be able to do everything as well as Weatherspoon. Weatherspoon will have to show that he can translate his productivity into the NFL. At 6-2 and 245 pounds, he has decent size, but there are quite a few linebackers who are bigger and can match his speed and quickness. 1/19 Update: Weatherspoon finished off his senior season strongly. On the year he ended up with a team high 111 tackles and added 14.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks and one interception. As a result, Weatherspoon is moving up draft boards and right now is pretty solidly cemented as a first rounder. However, he has nowhere to go but down at this point and he needs to continue his strong showings during Senior Week and at the NFL Combine to stay in the first round. 3/24 Update: Weatherspoon has put all the size issues behind him after some very good workouts leading up to the draft. He ended up even shorter than his 6-2 listing, but he has the strength and speed to make up for it. Perhaps what is keeping him in the first round even more than his measurables is his attitude. Weatherspoon has always been a leader, but many reports have surfaced that his personality has been a big hit with some teams. This is the type of player any defense would love to build around and in a few years he will be a great leader on and off the field.