NFL draft profile: Oregon DE DeForest Buckner, monster force inside

Shutdown Corner is counting down the top 50 prospects in the 2016 NFL draft with a scouting report, quotes from NFL evaluators and a projection where they might be drafted.

3. Oregon DE DeForest Buckner
6-foot-7, 291 pounds

Key stat: In the past two seasons as a 3-4 defensive end in the Ducks’ defense, Buckner totaled 164 tackles, 30 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks.

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The skinny: Prep star in football and hoops suffered a partially torn PCL in his left knee as a high-school senior, forcing him to miss part of both sports’ seasons. Chip Kelly recruited Buckner to Oregon, where he played a lot as a true freshman in a rotation. By his sophomore year, Buckner started every game. In 2014, the defense shifted to a 3-4 scheme, anchored by Buckner and 2015 first-round pick Arik Armstead the next two seasons. But Buckner roundly was viewed as the better player of the two, and the two-time captain with a criminology degree was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year as a senior.

Buckner practically broke the measuring stick at the NFL combine — not just with his height but also his arm length (34.5 inches) and incredible hand size (11.75 inches). Yes, the width of his hand is almost a foot. His combine workouts were mostly strong across the board, although he looked a little leggy and wild in the positional workouts and was unable to bench. (He later did at his pro day, putting up 24 reps.)

Best-suited destination: We view Buckner as an ideal 3-4 defensive end, although he played multiple techniques for the Ducks and even stood up at times. But he also has the rare quickness for a player his size to beat guards off the snap and collapse pockets from the interior, so he’s more scheme-diverse than he’s given credit for. No matter where he has played, Buckner has always been around the ball, whether it’s making an insane number of tackles for a nearly 300-pounder, penetrating into the backfield or batting down passes. He’s a force who averaged 961 snaps the past two seasons — an incredible total for a man his size.

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Reason he’ll rise in draft: There just isn’t a player in the draft like him. Buckner stands alone for a number of reasons, but his mass, length, high effort, high production, quickness and power are a unique blend in this draft. He’s expected to be an instant contributor and likely starter and will appeal to the defense-needy teams at the top of the draft, starting with the San Diego Chargers at No. 3.

Reason he’ll fall in draft: There seems to be a lack of sexiness attached to Buckner’s name, though for reasons we can’t quite figure out. Would you like a dominant 5-technique — half the NFL teams run odd fronts now — who can be a blocking-scheme wrecker up front? Then Buckner is your guy. Is he ever going to be a consistent 12-sack player? Maybe not. Perhaps that’s why teams picking in the top five or six picks might opt to look elsewhere.

Scouting hot take: “Can we end this debate about how [Michigan State OT Jack Conklin] handed him his lunch? Watch the game and you’ll see a good battle both ways. They each got their punches in. That’s great tape to watch. Both guys stood tall in that one, and Buckner was not outplayed all year after that.” — NFC pro scout who cross-checked defensive linemen

Player comp: Calais Campbell, with just a touch of John Henderson

Expected draft range: Top 10 pick

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44. Michigan State QB Connor Cook
43. West Virginia S Karl Joseph
42. Michigan State DE-OLB Shilique Calhoun
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40. Pitt WR Tyler Boyd
39. Oklahoma State DE Emmanuel Ogbah
38. Alabama DE-DT A’Shawn Robinson
37. Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott
36. Memphis QB Paxton Lynch
35. Alabama C Ryan Kelly
34. Louisiana Tech DT Vernon Butler
33. Ole Miss DT Robert Nkemdiche
32. Georgia DE-OLB Leonard Floyd
31. USC S-LB Su’a Cravens
30. Alabama LB Reggie Ragland
29. Mississippi State DT-DE Chris Jones
28. Baylor NT Andrew Billings
27. Notre Dame LB Jaylon Smith
26. Houston CB William Jackson III
25. Alabama RB Derrick Henry
24. Ohio State CB Eli Apple
23. Eastern Kentucky DE-OLB Noah Spence
22. Baylor WR Corey Coleman
21. Ohio State OT Taylor Decker
20. Kansas State OG Cody Whitehair
19. Michigan State OT Jack Conklin
18. Alabama DE-DT Jarran Reed
17. TCU WR Josh Doctson
16. Clemson CB Mackensie Alexander
15. Ohio State LB Darron Lee
14. Clemson DE Kevin Dodd
13. Cal QB Jared Goff
12. Clemson DE Shaq Lawson
11. Ole Miss WR Laquon Treadwell
10. North Dakota State QB Carson Wentz
9. Notre Dame OT Ronnie Stanley
8. Florida CB Vernon Hargreaves III
7. Louisville DT Sheldon Rankins
6. Ohio State DE Joey Bosa
5. UCLA LB Myles Jack
4. Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott