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2022 NFL Draft Profile: Fresno State LB Arron Mosby
The Bulldogs defender flashed plenty of versatility in his collegiate career, so how could that translate into a role in the NFL?
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Is he an underrated defensive prospect?
Few athletes symbolize Fresno State’s resurgence over the last handful of years quite like Arron Mosby. A native of Sanger, California, he was recruited as an example of the program’s renewed emphasis on identifying local talent and saw the field right away in 2017, contributing on special teams before moving from the defensive backfield to linebacker and finally to defensive end, where he had one of the best overall seasons by a Bulldogs defensive lineman in recent memory in 2021.
Having made his mark at Fresno State, Mosby looks ready to be a contributor at the next level. Will scouts and front offices agree enough to select him in this month’s NFL Draft?
Measurables (taken from SI.com and Barkboard)
Height – 6′ and 2 3/8″
Weight – 248 pounds
40-yard time – 4.71 seconds
Arm length – 33″
Hand size – 9 7/8″
Wingspan – 76 3/8″
Vertical jump – 30″
Broad jump – 9′ and 1″ (or 109″)
Shuttle time – 4.75 seconds
3-cone drill time – 7.5 seconds
Bench press – 22 reps
Highlights
Strengths
If speed kills in the modern NFL, then Mosby is well-suited to attacking from the edge with his initial quickness. It also makes him an asset in coverage from an outside linebacker position, which is the position at which he drilled during Fresno State’s pro day after spending last season as a defensive end. From there, he’ll be able to continue benefitting from his background as a defensive back.
Of note: According to Pro Football Focus, Mosby was one of just eight FBS edge defenders to record a pass-rushing grade of at least 85.0 and a coverage grade of at least 70.0 (a group which also includes Colorado State’s Scott Patchan, Cincinnati’s Myjai Sanders, USC’s Drake Jackson, and Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson).
Physically speaking, Mosby also has the kind of length that could entice defensive coaches. NFL Draft Buzz notes that his arms, which measured the same as Combine participants like Devin Lloyd, help him to “disengage from blockers and make plays”.
Weaknesses
How far can you get with speed and processing prowess when there’s still work to be done on the strength side of things? That, at least, seems to be a point of disagreement among draft analysts. For instance, Venie Randy Soares of Turf Show Times saw that Mosby “has the speed to get around the edge, but … once a tackle gets his hands on him, he struggles to break free”, while NFL Draft Buzz provides a counter in noting his ability to take down physically sturdy quarterbacks like Anthony Brown and Carson Strong.
There also appears to be some disagreement about just how polished a pass rusher is at present, a conversation in which Mosby himself engaged along with Nikko Buenavidez of Football Sapient. Oddly, though, this is because analysts tend to be higher on that particular facet of his game.
NFL Comparison
Mark Nzeocha
Draft Prediction
It appears from here that Mosby isn’t getting nearly the hype he deserves, not only in coming off a successful season but in showing out at both the Hula Bowl and NFLPA Collegiate Bowl during the pre-draft process. In that way, he’s a lot like one of his predecessors at Fresno State, Mykal Walker, who shined as both a defensive end and linebacker before becoming an early Day 3 selection by the Atlanta Falcons a couple years ago.
A smart front office won’t wait too long to jump on Mosby’s similarly diverse skill set, so while it’s likely he will be a Day 3 selection, I’d take him in the fifth or sixth round.
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