2015 NFL Draft Player Profile: DL Rakeem Nunez-Roches

Rakeem Nunez-Roches decided to skip his senior as a Southern Miss Golden Eagle and entered his name in the NFL Draft. Nunez-Roches, who is from Dangriga, Belize, was at Southern Miss for four seasons but only got serious playing time in 2012 and 2014 (he was limited in 2013 due to injury). This most recent season, he recorded 58 total tackles and had 3 sacks. The general consensus among the folks that follow the NFL Draft is that he will either be a pick in the late rounds or will be picked up as an undrafted free agent.

Pros

Nunez-Roches' upside as a NFL prospect mainly is centered around his athleticism. He finished top 15 in the combine among defensive linemen in both the vertical jump and the broad jump. His time in the 40 yard dash was clocked at 5.02 seconds, which is about average for the defensive lineman position. Nunez-Roches also has the ability to play in multiple roles on the defensive line - he can be used as a run-stopper but also as someone who can get after the quarterback.

Cons

However, he does have a few weaknesses. One of these is that he's relatively undersized compared to most NFL defensive lineman. NFL.com lists him at 6'2, 307 pounds. Another weakness of his is that he sometimes struggles when double-teamed. During the 2014 Southern Miss season, Nunez-Roches was often kept in check when opponents double-teamed him.

Conclusion

Rakeem Nunez-Roches is a talented prospect, however he is still very raw. That being said, given the right situation, I could see him being a solid contributor in the NFL. He may not be a player that will play every down in the pros, but still gets enough reps to make a difference. It'll be interesting to watch his career pan out.