Jeffrey Gunter NFL Draft 2022: Scouting Report for Cincinnati Bengals’ EDGE

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HEIGHT: 6’4 3/8″

WEIGHT: 258

HAND: 9 1/4″

ARM: 33″

WINGSPAN: 6’7 7/8″

40-YARD DASH: 4.70

3-CONE: 7.21

SHUTTLE: 4.35

VERTICAL: 35.5″

BROAD: 10’2″

POSITIVES

— Decent first step and acceleration. Can get revved up early on pass-rushing reps.

— Good power as a pass-rusher. Picks up steam and plays with his weight behind him.

— Good upper-body strength. Does well to control blockers once engaged.

— Fairly active and effective hand usage as a pass-rusher. Can still get better, but has a functional starting point.

— Effective twist and stunt piece. Will be a nice asset for a creative coordinator.

NEGATIVES

— Poor bend. Plays stiff around the edge.

— Plays high, both versus run and pass. Struggles to play low and maintain good leverage.

— Stop/start ability and change of direction are below-average.

— Run defense technique needs work.

— Anchor and lower-body strength wavers against the run.

2021 STATISTICS

12 G, 36 TOT, 8.5 TFL, 5.5 SK, 2 FF, 1 FR

NOTES

— 2-star recruit in 2017.

— Three-year starter. Contributed as a freshman in 2017 as well.

— Began his career at Coastal Carolina, then transferred to North Carolina State in 2019 and sat out the season due to transfer rules. Returned to Coastal Carolina the following year.

— 2018 and 2020 first-team All-Sun Belt; 2021 second-team All-Sun Belt.

OVERALL

Jeffrey Gunter is a developmental power rusher for teams who like to mix up their pressure schemes.

Gunter comes off the ball relatively well. His first step gets the job done, and he picks up speed effectively with his following few steps. With that explosiveness, Gunter does well to build momentum and play with some pop when he engages on offensive tackles. He shows good explosion upon engagement and flashes the leg drive to work through blockers. As such, Gunter is often most effective as a stunt and twist piece, allowing him to build momentum and crash into blockers to create space. When coupled with his adequate hand usage, he has enough tools to find a role.

That said, Gunter is limited in how he can win. He plays high and often allows blockers to out-leverage him. Additionally, he does not bend or turn around the edge very well, which is disappointing considering his acceleration off the snap. His pass-rush value is limited to pocket pushing and being used as a twist/stunt player right now.

Run defense is an issue for Gunter as well. Not only do his leverage issues show up here as well, but he also shows poor anchor skills. He does not have the strength in his lower body to consistently hold his ground at this stage. Moreover, he can get wild in his technique, often leading to him not being able to dismantle blocks in a timely manner.

Gunter will need a 3-4 defense that allows him to be a stand-up outside linebacker and be used often on stunts and twists. Though he is years away from being ready for serious playing time, Gunter’s blend of burst and power can make him a viable facilitator for pressure off the bench.

GRADE: 6.0 (High-level Developmental Prospect – 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 224

POSITION RANK: EDGE25

PRO COMPARISON: Jonathan Garvin

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen