3 Pass Rushing Prospects the Cardinals Could Pair With Chandler Jones

Harold Landry: Boston College

Largely known for his pass rushing prowess, Boston College’s Harold Landry is one of the draft’s most polarizing prospects. After a strong junior campaign in which he recorded 16.5 sacks and seven forced fumbles, Landry elected to return to BC for his senior season. After an injury riddled senior year, Landry enters the draft as an intriguing prospect with a high ceiling and a low floor.

Landry showcases explosive athleticism in every game he plays and has the speed to cover running backs out of the backfield.  He would give Steve Wilks a dynamic edge player that would bring the Cardinals defense a certain level of flexibility schematically.

That said, any team that drafts Landry is drafting him for one reason: his pass rushing potential. When Landry can utilize his unique speed to get outside of offensive tackles, he is a dynamic threat.

What concerns me about Landry is his overall lack of size. At only 6’2’’ and 250 pounds, Landry was routinely dominated at the point of attack throughout his college career. While Landry does have ideal arm length, he rarely utilized his wingspan in the form of bull rushes or interior rush moves.

Final Verdict: The question remains whether or not NFL tackles will easily adjust to Landry’s speed rushing ability. Unlike Davenport and Chubb, Landry rarely showcased versatility in his pass rush moves. 

He brings a unique combination of speed and athleticism and would benefit greatly from playing across from a pass rushing threat like Chandler Jones. Landry will likely be available for the Cardinals at 15, and while he may not be the greatest threat against the run, Landry could develop into a dynamic speed rusher with double digit sack potential.