Nebraska linebacker Randy Gregory is headed to the Dallas Cowboys with the 60th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. When he joins his teammates, he'll immediately be looked upon to bring the fire that made him ninth on the Cornhuskers' all-time sack list with 17.5.
NFL Draft results 2015: Randy Gregory falls to Cowboys in 2nd round
Randy Gregory is the newest player in Dallas, going in the second round.
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
As soon as he stepped foot in Lincoln, Gregory made an impact in 2013.
At 6’5, Gregory brings exceptional size to the edge along with unquestioned toughness. He’s sneaky good against the run given his relatively slender frame, and packs plenty of power at 235 pounds. The caveat is that he can still get stronger. As pass rushers continue to draw the attention of teams early on, the two-year Nebraska star projects as a solid run stopper as well as an end in a 3-4. He can also play outside linebacker in an even-man front as he did at Nebraska.
Gregory dazzled at the NFL Combine with a 4.64 40-yard dash and a 36.5-inch vertical leap. Strength will be a concern as evidenced by his tendency to be redirected at the point of attack. When he's inside, he has a tendency to be driven backward, and that's especially true against the run.
While he had a strong showing at the Combine, Gregory also tested positive for marijuana at the same time. Gregory admitted this in late March, and there were serious questions about his draft stock. He was consistently in the top five of mock drafts around the Internet, but his stock seemed to drop after the news. Nonetheless, Gregory was open about the positive test and still visited with a ton of teams leading up to the draft.
Obviously, Dallas is convinced that Gregory’s positive test will not be a problem at the next level -- at the very least, they’re willing to roll the dice given his talent.
With the right coaches bringing him up to speed on technique, he could be a solid contributor at the next level in all facets. Like any collegiate player, the questions are out there, but he has tremendous upside given his stellar history in Nebraska.
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