Player Profile: Kony Ealy

Height:  6'4
Weight:  273
School:  Missouri
Position:  Defensive End
Ranking:  #3 Defensive End
Projection:  1st Round

Strengths
-Ideal length and bulk to play DE in a four man front
-Experienced.  Played since his redshirt freshman year
-Size will allows him to line up at different positions along the line to take advantage of mismatches
-Explodes off the ball looking to create havoc in the backfield
-Showcases the closing burst to get to the QB
-Knows how to use his hands.  Quick and hard to keep lineman off him
-Is effective at getting his hands up in the passing lanes. Got a tip, INT, and TD in one play vs Indiana.
-Nice combination of pass rushing moves.
-Good strength allows him a solid bull rush to move tackle into the QB
-Durable.  No injury issues to speak of

Weaknesses
-Struggles against the run.  Has trouble shedding blocks
-Isn't an elite athlete
-His motor will run hot and cold
-Doesn't do well in space.  Limits his chances to succeed in a 3-4 scheme
-Aggressiveness can cause him to over pursue and take him out of the play

Summary
With the likes of Justin Smith and Aldon Smith wrecking havoc in the NFL, the Missouri Tigers do have a claim to being DE U!  The next player that could help with that tradition could be Kony Ealy.  Ealy was been under the radar a bit with Michael Sam's production at the beginning of the season, and most recently his barrier breaking announcement.  However Ealy is the better player and prospect.  Ealy has many of the tools teams are going to look for when it comes to defensive ends.  He has good size and gets off the ball in a hurry.  However his numbers were down largely because he faced constant double teams.  Ealy may not have the gaudy stats you'd like, but his ability to disrupt in the backfield doesn't always show up on the stat sheet.  The downfall on Ealy is that he struggles to anchor in against the run like you'd think with somebody his size.  Ealy also struggles in space which could cause some 3-4 teams to be scared off.  Ealy is likely a 4-3 defensive end only and pair that up with some minor deficiencies and you'll likely see him fall to the 20s come draft day.  Cincinnati seems to be the likely landing spot, especially with them losing Michael Johnson.  But with a lack of true 4-3 ends, don't be surprised if he goes much earlier.  But he won't fall out of the first round with Denver and Seattle both being teams that would love to snatch him up.